France, Germany abandon the 116 billion sixth-generation military aircraft program

Europe's ambitious effort to build a sixth-generation fighter jet has collapsed, dealing a major blow to the continent's push for military independence just as NATO allies are pledging historic increases in defense spending.

France and Germany have abandoned the military aircraft part of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) project, according to French and German officials – a nearly $116 billion project launched in 2017 to build a next-generation fighter jet intended to replace the French Rafale and the German and Spanish Eurofighter jets in 2040.

“The German authorities considered that it would not be possible to put pressure on the companies involved,” said the Élysée Palace, the office of French President Emmanuel Macron in a statement.

This program was considered as Europe's answer to the US and Chinese air power in the future, including a stealth fighter with advanced communication capabilities, artificial intelligence and drones that accompany them. European leaders also consider the continent's push for greater defense independence and a strong domestic defense base.

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Concerns about the operation of the project had been going on for months. Earlier in 2026, the European Union Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius described the plan as a “failure” and warned that Europe does not have successful examples of large-scale international defense projects.

Its collapse now raises new questions about whether Europe can translate promises of rearmament and strategic independence into the complex international weapons systems needed to compete with the United States and China.

The sixth generation fighters are expected to incorporate stealth technology, artificial intelligence, advanced sensors, communication systems and accompanying drone teams. Military planners see them as the future of air combat and an important capability in potential conflicts involving superpowers like China or Russia.

European leaders view the program as a test of whether Europe can develop advanced military technology without relying on American defense contractors, making its collapse a setback to broader ambitions for self-defense and strategic independence.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had publicly questioned whether Germany would even need a sixth-generation manned missile when the aircraft became operational and said Berlin's needs were different from France's, which wanted a future aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons and operating as aircraft carriers.

The collapse comes at a critical time for NATO, as members of the alliance have pledged to significantly increase defense spending and expand military power in response to Russia's war in Ukraine and growing concerns about Europe's long-term security.

“It's not appropriate to sign off on Washington or Moscow,” Douglas Barrie, senior director of military aviation at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, told Reuters.

An artist's rendering shows the Air Force's sixth-generation fighter, the F-47, to be built by Boeing. (US Air Force)

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The collapse underscored the depth of disagreements between governments and industrial partners involved in the process.

Macron's office said France would continue to pursue defense cooperation in Europe despite the setback.

“The French authorities will continue to encourage our companies and armed forces to explore ways and means to pursue European projects that are in line with our national security interests,” it added.

The collapse of the fighter program also raises questions about the future of Europe's other major defense systems.

France and Germany have struggled to maintain momentum in the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS), a next-generation tank project, and other joint defense efforts have faced delays, rescheduling or cancellations in recent years.

A French Rafale fighter jet lands at the airport in Minsk Mazowiecki, Poland, on Sept. 17, 2025, following a joint mission with Polish F-16s as part of the Eastern Sentry mission. (Thibaud Moritz/AFP via Getty Images)

Defense analysts say the failure of the Future Combat Air System is the latest example of Europe's struggle to transform political ties into military independence into major international defense systems, despite growing pressure to reduce reliance on US military power.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Berlin was already evaluating alternatives following the collapse of the plan.

“One is ordering more F-35s as a bridge solution or for whatever reason,” Pistorius told reporters on Tuesday. Other options include joining another international military program already underway or pursuing a separate aviation effort under German leadership with Airbus and other partners.

Pistorius also gave an indirect test with a failed attempt.

“With what we know today, we will not relaunch this project as it was originally conceived,” he explained, describing FCAS as an “ambitious European project” that “became a reality.”

He pointed out that this fall was mainly caused by the differences between Airbus and Dassault and the different needs of the war between France and Germany.

Germany and France launched the Future Combat Air System project in 2017, Spain joined two years later. The aircraft was designed to work alongside drones and a highly networked “combat cloud,” but the program has been close to collapse for months amid disputes over design authority, technology sharing and industry regulation.

French President Emmanuel Macron has long supported the idea of ​​European “strategic autonomy,” saying Europe should reduce its dependence on the United States for key defense capabilities. The Future Combat Air System was widely considered one of the most important tests of that idea.

But disagreements emerged over industry leadership, intellectual property rights, technology sharing and the future design of the aircraft itself. France wanted to preserve important independent powers associated with its nuclear deterrence and aircraft carriers, while Germany pushed for more egalitarian industrial relations.

The plan's failure leaves uncertainty as to how France, Germany and Spain will pursue air combat capabilities in the future. It also comes as a rival sixth-generation fighter effort – the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), led by the United Kingdom, Italy and Japan – continues to develop.

The failure could also strengthen Europe's reliance on American defense technology at a time when many European leaders say they want to reduce it.

Germany has already committed to buying US-made F-35 fighter jets, while most NATO allies have turned to American aircraft, missile defenses and long-range weapons systems since Russia invaded Ukraine.

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Although France is unlikely to abandon its domestic aerospace industry, analysts say the demise of the Future Combat Air System project could make it difficult for European governments to seek alternatives to American defense technology in the coming decades.

The Pentagon has repeatedly welcomed Europe's massive defense spending but has also stressed the need for allies to provide tangible capabilities rather than promises that take decades to materialize.

The Pentagon and NATO were not immediately available for comment.

The US is pursuing multiple next-generation fighter jet programs.

Earlier in 2026, President Donald Trump announced the new F-47 aircraft for the Air Force, while the Navy continues to develop its F/A-XX program based on the F/A-XX carrier.

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China is also pursuing next-generation air combat systems and has conducted highly publicized test flights of advanced aircraft that defense analysts believe could be linked to Beijing's sixth-generation fighter efforts.

The collapse leaves Europe without a clear continental path toward a sixth-generation fighter capability while the United States and China continue to advance next-generation fighter jet programs.

France, Germany and Spain must now decide whether to pursue separate national initiatives, seek new industrial partners or deepen reliance on existing aircraft and systems made abroad as pressure mounts to meet Europe's rearmament ambitions.