Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU), has reaffirmed his commitment to salvaging the embattled Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program with France and Spain. Merz emphasized the critical role of European defense collaboration for Germany’s industrial future, stating, “I will fight until the last moment for common European projects like FCAS.”
The ambitious futuristic combat aircraft system project, valued at an estimated €100 billion, faces significant uncertainty due to a public dispute over control between France’s Dassault Aviation and the German-Spanish consortium led by Airbus. To resolve the impasse and secure the project’s future, two mediators—one French and one German—have been appointed with a mandate to propose solutions by the end of next month.
In related news, Merz also disclosed that the German government is exploring the acquisition of a stake in KNDS, the company responsible for producing Leopard main battle tanks. This strategic move aims to maintain Germany’s influence ahead of KNDS’s anticipated initial public offering (IPO) later this year, which is expected to value the company between €20-25 billion.