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Dassault Aviation SA

04/03/2026 09:50

Dispute worsening in troubled European fighter jet project

Dassault and Airbus at odds over industrial control

Dassault could build standalone jet for under 50 billion euros

Recasts, adds quotes, context

By Tim Hepher

PARIS, March 4 (Reuters) - The head of France's Dassault Aviation AM.PA declared a troubled warplane project with Germany "dead" if Airbus AIR.PA did not back down from what he described as the European planemaker's refusal to cooperate.

The comments from France's longstanding national warplane champion are the latest sign that plans for the next phase of the 100 billion euro ($116 billion) programme are near collapse amid rivalry between the two aerospace groups.

"Airbus doesn't want to work with Dassault, full stop. I take note," Eric Trappier told a news conference.

Airbus declined to comment but referred to earlier remarks as both companies seek to avoid blame for the unravelling of a flagship project launched by French President Emmanuel Macron and then-Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2017.

Although headquartered in France, where most of its civil airliners are assembled, Airbus represents Germany and Spain on the FCAS project.

Last month, Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury denied relations with Dassault had broken down completely, but appeared to turn the page on FCAS in its current form, raising for the first time the possibility of two separate fighters.

Asked by reporters which comments had triggered his reaction, Trappier pointed to recent statements by Germany's IG Metall union and aerospace lobby group BDLI.

"They had BDLI and IG Metall say it; they didn't have the courage to say it themselves," he told reporters. An Airbus spokesperson declined to comment on third-party statements.

The heads of BDLI and IG Metall published a joint op-ed last month titled "Excuse me, Dassault, but this is not ok," warning of Germany's "industrial self-abandonment".

DASSAULT WANTS LEADERSHIP CLARITY

The dispute centres on leadership of the core fighter element of plans to build an interconnected fleet of crewed planes and armed drones under a common digital umbrella.

Trappier said he had proposed clarifying Dassault's leadership of the core fighter, including choice of suppliers, while granting Airbus control over its own workshare.

He defended France's record in making high-performance combat jets and accused Airbus of pushing for a more cumbersome Eurofighter-type partnership, referring to a four-nation jet.

"I have said from the start that I want clear leadership and not just on paper," Trappier said.

Insiders expect Germany and France to abandon development of a joint fighter jet but continue cooperation on drones and the so-called combat cloud, or digital backbone. But rowing back the plan is seen as politically awkward for Macron.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz last month appeared to back this scenario, citing diverging strategic needs.

Trappier said he remained ready to work with Airbus but sketched out options for a standalone aircraft, saying this could be developed for less than 50 billion euros thanks to Dassault's track record with independent programmes.

He also questioned how easy it would be to share common systems or engines.

($1 = 0.8621 euros)

 (Reporting by Tim Hepher. Editing by Jan Harvey and Mark Potter)

 ((tim.hepher@thomsonreuters.com; +33 1 49 49 54 52; Reuters Messaging: tim.hepher.thomsonreuters@reuters.net))