France Seeks 80% Workshare in €100B FCAS Fighter Jet Project

France has recently demanded an 80 percent workshare in the joint Franco-German-Spanish Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program, a move that threatens the prior agreement of equal partnership and risks delaying the project's next development phase. This demand, supported by Dassault Aviation and the French government, challenges Airbus's current significant role representing German and Spanish interests, particularly in the Next Generation Fighter (NGF) segment. Dassault's CEO has expressed frustration with the current project management and hinted at the possibility of independently developing the fighter jet if its role is not increased. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized the importance of adhering to existing agreements and is engaged in discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron to resolve the dispute. The FCAS program, valued at over 100 billion euros, aims to develop a sixth-generation fighter jet to replace current fleets by 2040, integrating advanced drone systems and digital capabilities. Persistent disagreements over workshare and intellectual property rights have marked the project since its 2017 inception, and France's new demand intensifies concerns about further delays.