Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on January 29, 2026
1 min readLast updated: January 29, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleGermany's Chancellor Merz discusses the future of the FCAS warplane programme, highlighting ongoing talks with France about potential joint aircraft development.
BERLIN, Jan 29 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Thursday that the French-German-Spanish FCAS warplane programme was sure to yield joint defence systems, but it remained to be seen whether it would generate joint aircraft.
"There will definitely be joint systems," Merz said in Berlin. "We are currently in intensive talks with France about the extent to which we will continue to develop and build joint aircraft, and I expect that we will reach a joint decision on this within the next few weeks."
(Writing by Friederike Heine; editing by Matthias Williams)
The main topic is the future of the FCAS warplane programme and its potential to yield joint aircraft.
Merz stated that while joint defense systems are certain, it remains to be seen if joint aircraft will be developed.
Germany and France are in talks about the extent of developing and building joint aircraft under the FCAS programme.
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