French and German leaders are set to address the difficulties of the FCAS program on the sidelines of a European Union summit. This defense project, estimated at €100bn and conducted alongside Spain, aims to develop a next-generation air combat system by 2040, combining fighter jets and interconnected drones. However, discussions are currently stalled by a major industrial dispute between Dassault Aviation and Airbus over governance and the division of responsibilities.

The main point of friction concerns the next phase of the program, specifically the design of a demonstrator. Dassault is demanding increased control over the development of the main fighter and the choice of suppliers, while Airbus advocates for maintaining strict parity between partners. These differences have significantly strained relations between the two groups, fueling doubts about the project's continuation despite the political commitment displayed by Paris and Berlin.

President Emmanuel Macron recently downplayed these tensions, stating that industrial disputes should not dictate the strategic choices of states. A potential failure of the FCAS could, however, reshuffle the cards of the already fragmented European defense industry. Germany is involved in a competing program with the UK, Japan and Italy, while Sweden could emerge as an alternative partner if the project is abandoned.