Germany's Merz says new Franco-German air defence data project to be outlined by July

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10/06/2026 13:49

    BERLIN, June 10 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Wednesday that German and French defence ministers will jointly outline a reworked collaboration project between the two countries on air defence data networks by July.
"Our defence ministers will now work out how this can be implemented in the run-up to the next Franco-German intergovernmental meeting in Germany, which we will be holding in July," Merz said at the Berlin air show.
Germany and France have pledged to focus on data links between warplanes and related software known as a "combat cloud" after agreeing to scrap a landmark project to jointly develop an advanced fighter jet known as FCAS.

 (Reporting by Reuters TV, Ludwig Burger and Matthias Williams; editing by Thomas Seythal)
 ((ludwig.burger@thomsonreuters.com; ))