Scrapping of Franco-German fighter jet leaves allies at odds on defence future

Scrapping of Franco-German fighter jet leaves allies at odds on defence future8 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleJessica ParkerBerlin correspondentAirbus Defence and Space 2022A visualisation of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) plane in the skyGermany has pulled the plug on a joint fighter jet programme with France, in a blow to European defence co-operation.The flagship project had been billed as an ambitious and unparalleled military partnership. Instead, it became a glaring example of discord between the two nations.The decision undermines efforts to show that Europe can act strategically and with common purpose. It also comes at a time of fraying ties with the US, and continued Russian aggression in Ukraine.So, how did we get here and why does it matter?The project was "conceived in a different world", said Christoph Bergs - an air power analyst at the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi).The jet was a key part of the wider Future Combat Air System (FCAS) scheme. It was a plan hatched in 2017 by then German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, and a freshly elected French President, Emmanuel Macron.Back then, it was a way of "resetting" Franco-German relations and pooling what were, at the time, more "limited" financial resources in terms of defence expenditure, Bergs explained."This is a revolution," declared Macron at the time. "But we're not afraid of revolutions when they are peaceful, well-thought and meant to last."He has long championed the idea that Europe must pull together in areas like defence, to make itself less dependent on partners who may prove unreliable.There are multiple pillars within FCAS including engines, sensors and a digital intelligence network known as "combat cloud".But the jet always took centre stage.AFP via Getty ImagesFriedrich Merz (C) has openly questioned the scheme since early this yearGerman officials claim "core" aspects of the project – outsi...