Published on 29 October 2026 – 6:17 GMT+1
Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury stated that the company, representing Germany and Spain in the previously planned Franco-German sixth-generation fighter jet program, remains actively engaged in discussions with European governments regarding future cooperation following the initiative’s collapse due to design disputes.
On a media call, Faury mentioned that joining the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP)—a trilateral effort between the UK, Japan, and Italy—represents one potential avenue, though other options are also being considered.
The participating nations in GCAP have already committed over $5.5 billion (€4.7 billion) toward development of the next-generation aircraft, with plans to deploy it by 2035. Canada has joined the initiative as an observer nation.
“We are supporting and working closely with the German and the Spanish governments on the future of the next generation fighter,” Faury emphasized, underscoring the importance of ensuring the project remains “in Europe and for Europe.”
“At Airbus, we continue to believe in the need for a sixth-generation fighter in Europe as a cooperation programme—and we want to be part of that solution for Europe.”
Faury noted that final decisions rest with national governments, expressing hope for resolution “ideally not in the too distant future.”
The breakdown of the Franco-German partnership occurred in June when Dassault Aviation, representing France, failed to reach an agreement with Airbus and German defense officials on key design specifications. Since then, Dassault has pursued an independent path alongside the French state to develop a replacement for the Rafale fighter.
Additional sources
• AFP
