Overview
- France and Germany, after Friday talks in Nicosia, told their defense ministries to restart FCAS negotiations in the coming weeks.
- The move follows a failed mediation last week, with mediators now due to present findings on Tuesday after asking for more time.
- FCAS would link a new fighter jet with drone “Remote Carriers” and a shared combat cloud, with first operational use planned from the 2040s.
- Progress has stalled over who leads and how work is split between Dassault and Airbus, and over differing needs such as a carrier‑ and nuclear‑capable jet for France versus longer range and more uncrewed systems for Germany.
- Spain pressed for momentum and said it is not the holdup, reflecting wider pressure as Berlin and Paris weigh fallback ideas like two separate fighters or a narrower focus on drones and networking.