Dassault Aviation CEO unsure if FCAS fighter will go ahead

By Florence ‌Loeve and Tim Hepher

PARIS, Dec 16 (Reuters) - The head of Dassault Aviation raised doubts on ‍Tuesday over ‌the future of a troubled Franco-German-Spanish fighter programme, saying it partly depended on whether Germany was ⁠willing to rethink its reliance on U.S. ‌arms imports.

"Will it happen? I don't know," CEO Eric Trappier told a conference on corporate security, reiterating calls for clearer leadership of the core fighter component of the Future Combat Air System, which also includes drones and ⁠combat connectivity.

Asked about reports that France and Germany could build two jets under a common umbrella to bridge differences between ​Dassault and Airbus over plans for one system, Trappier told ‌Reuters: "Nobody has talked to me about two aircraft."

The ⁠100-billion-euro ($116 billion) FCAS programme has been mired in disputes between the two main industrial partners over workshare and technology rights.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron are expected ​to discuss the fate of FCAS — or SCAF in French — this week after defence ministers failed to resolve differences over industrial control last week.

Speaking to corporate and public security officials, Trappier recalled Dassault's central role in France's independent defence. He welcomed European Union efforts to bolster defence but ​added: "Europe is ‍not a nation," saying the ​task of defending the continent lay chiefly with its nations.

"Do France, Germany and Spain completely share a willingness to defend Europe? I think they do. The manner in which this is done - that is more complicated," he told the CDSE conference.

Trappier, who has criticised Germany for choosing U.S. F-35 fighters for a NATO nuclear-sharing role, said one question mark over FCAS was: "Is Germany willing to put ⁠aside its transatlantic relationship in defence matters?"

Dassault has said it wants to re-establish clear control over the core fighter part of FCAS, while ​leaving Airbus to run other pillars such as combat drones.

"I am asking for leadership on the basis of the capabilities of the Dassault company," Trappier told the conference. "I am not against co-operation but (it must be) effective co-operation".

Airbus has accused Dassault of seeking to ‌override existing accords on FCAS governance as the parties try to reach a deal on the next stage of the programme, a flyable demonstrator.

(Reporting by Florence Loeve and Tim HepherEditing by Mark Potter)