Finance
Germany's Merz: remains to be seen whether FCAS will yield joint aircraft
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on January 29, 2026
1 min readLast updated: January 29, 2026
Quick Summary
Germany's Chancellor Merz discusses the future of the FCAS warplane programme, highlighting ongoing talks with France about potential joint aircraft development.
Germany's Merz: remains to be seen whether FCAS will yield joint aircraft
Future of the FCAS Warplane Programme
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.
Chancellor Merz's Statements
"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."
Ongoing Discussions with France
(Writing by Friederike Heine; editing by Matthias Williams)
Key Takeaways
- •Germany's Merz discusses the FCAS warplane programme.
- •Joint defense systems are expected from FCAS.
- •Uncertainty remains about joint aircraft development.
- •Intensive talks are ongoing with France.
- •A decision is expected in the coming weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions about Germany's Merz: remains to be seen whether FCAS will yield joint aircraft
1What is the main topic?
The main topic is the future of the FCAS warplane programme and its potential to yield joint aircraft.
2What did Merz say about FCAS?
Merz stated that while joint defense systems are certain, it remains to be seen if joint aircraft will be developed.
3What are the ongoing discussions about?
Germany and France are in talks about the extent of developing and building joint aircraft under the FCAS programme.
