Overview
- Defence ministers from Germany, France and Spain ended Berlin talks without an agreement and referred the issue to national leaders next week.
- Berlin says a year-end target for an accord still stands, with the next project phase centered on funding a flying demonstrator.
- The core dispute pits Airbus, representing Germany and Spain, against France’s Dassault over industrial leadership, workshare and control of key technologies.
- Germany’s IG Metall warned it would halt cooperation if Dassault remains involved, while French industry groups rejected any move sidelining France’s interests.
- Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury called FCAS “an uphill battle” but voiced confidence, as officials weigh narrowing cooperation to a shared Combat Cloud and unmanned systems ahead of EU meetings on December 17-19.