Europe wanted to build a joint next-generation fighter jet. Instead, the bloc's biggest defense project may now produce two separate warplanes.
Airbus, which represents the German and Spanish side of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), told DW it is open to restructuring the program after years of political and industrial disputes.
That could include a "two-fighter solution" allowing France and Germany to develop separate combat aircraft while still cooperating on drones, sensors and the digital systems linking the battlefield in real time.
The twist: the fighter jet itself may no longer be the project's most important part.
The proposal marks a serious shift for a project once billed as a symbol of Franco-German military unity.Europe's massive defense gambleTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
