Finance
Dassault CEO says FCAS fighter project 'dead' if airbus refuses to co-operate
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 4, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 4, 2026
Global Banking & Finance Review®
Company
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 4, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 4, 2026
Dassault CEO Éric Trappier warns that the €100 bn FCAS fighter project is effectively 'dead' unless Airbus reverses its refusal to cooperate, amid deep-rooted governance and work‑share disputes.
PARIS, March 4 (Reuters) - The head of French warplane maker Dassault Aviation said he had taken note of what he described as Airbus' refusal to work with it on a next-generation fighter, and that the FCAS project would be "dead" unless that stance changed.
Plans for the next phase of a 100 billion euro ($116 billion) development between France, represented by Dassault, and Germany and Spain, represented by Airbus, are widely seen as near collapse amid a worsening spat between the aerospace groups.
"Airbus doesn't want to work with Dassault, full stop. I take note," Trappier told a news conference.
Airbus declined to comment.
The dispute concerns the leadership of the core fighter part of the project to build an interconnected flotilla of crewed planes and armed drones under a common connective cloud.
Trappier said he had proposed changes to rules for the flying demonstrator phase that would clarify Dassault's leadership of the core fighter, including suppliers, while granting Airbus sway over its own areas of responsibility.
Asked repeatedly over the fate of the flagship Franco-German project at a results briefing, Trappier defended France's record in making high-performance fighters like the Rafale and accused Airbus of wanting a cumbersome Eurofighter-type partnership.
"I have said from the start that I want clear leadership and not just on paper," Trappier said, referring to the crewed fighter component.
Airbus has said existing agreed rules should be maintained.
Last month Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury denied that relations with Dassault had broken down completely, but appeared to turn the page on FCAS in its current form, raising the possibility of two separate fighters in public for the first time.
($1 = 0.8621 euros)
(Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Jan Harvey)
The FCAS fighter project is a next-generation European defense initiative led by Dassault, France, and Airbus, representing Germany and Spain, aiming to develop advanced fighter jets and armed drones.
The project is at risk due to a dispute between Dassault and Airbus regarding co-operation and leadership roles in the development of the fighter jet.
Dassault desires clear leadership over the core fighter component and supplier management, with Airbus managing its specific areas of responsibility.
The FCAS project is estimated to cost around 100 billion euros ($116 billion).
According to Dassault's CEO, the FCAS project would be 'dead' if Airbus maintains its refusal to cooperate.
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