Chancellor Merz Questions FCAS Project and Considers Additional F-35 Purchases

The FCAS project, estimated to be worth €100 billion, is in its deepest crisis since its inception in 2017. Chancellor Friedrich Merz has publicly suggested that Germany may withdraw from the venture, pointing to fundamental differences in needs between Berlin and Paris. According to the head of the German government, France requires an aircraft capable of operating from aircraft carriers and carrying nuclear weapons, which does not align with the current doctrine and needs of the Bundeswehr. An additional destabilizing factor is the competence disputes between the companies Dassault Aviation, Airbus, and the Spanish Indra. German-French arms cooperation has for decades struggled with the problem of conflicting industrial interests, as exemplified by the split during the construction of the Eurofighter, which led to the development of the independent French Rafale fighter jet. Simultaneously, Germany is strengthening cooperation with the US. According to unofficial information, Berlin is considering the purchase of more than 35 additional F-35 fighter jets, which would nearly double the initial order from 2022. Experts point out that choosing the American design ensures faster certification for carrying nuclear warheads under the Nuclear Sharing program, which has become a priority in light of Donald Trump's rhetoric. On the technological front, controversies have emerged regarding data sovereignty in the F-35; the Dutch defense minister suggested the possibility of "jailbreaking" the software of these aircraft to increase national control over them. „The French need, as part of the next generation of fighter jets, an aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons and operating from an aircraft carrier. This is not something we currently need in the German army.” — Friedrich Merz The situation in the European aviation industry is worsened by the problems at Airbus, which has revised production plans for the A320neo model until the end of 2027. The reason is critical delays in engine deliveries from Pratt & Whitney. Despite these difficulties, the European defense sector is recording record profits, as confirmed by the results of BAE Systems, whose revenues increased by 10% to over £30 billion. At the same time, the United States is demonstrating operational readiness by moving hundreds of soldiers and dozens of aircraft to the Lajes base in the Azores, which is interpreted as preparation for broader strategic operations. 100 mld — euro is the estimated value of the threatened FCAS project Since 2022, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, most European countries have decided to rapidly accelerate army modernization, which favors ready-made solutions from the US at the expense of long-term national projects.