Overview
- Political leaders in Paris and Berlin have moved to reassert control after months of stalled talks between Dassault and Airbus over workshare and access to key technologies.
- The German document tasks company chiefs with signing a written pact on core cooperation principles by mid-December and directs air force leaders to review national requirements.
- The industrial rift includes a disputed claim from German sources that Dassault is seeking 80% control, a figure the French manufacturer denies.
- Contingency planning is underway, with options reported to include a standalone French stealth fighter, a partnership with Sweden’s Saab, or alignment with the BAE Systems-led GCAP effort.
- The program, developed for France, Germany and Spain as an integrated family of systems, carries major stakes for Europe’s defense autonomy and is valued at roughly €100 billion.