Dassault Not Needed: Airbus States It Could Build 6th-Generation Fighter Jet Independently

Airbus Defense & Space plans to develop a sixth-generation fighter jet without French Dassault Aviation’s involvement.

According to Hartpunkt, Thomas Pretzl, the Chairman of the Works Council of Airbus Defense and Space, stated at the Manching facility that developing a modern fighter jet would be more efficient without Dassault, allowing for faster redesign and construction of a high-performance combat aircraft.

He added that bypassing the French company would not harm Franco-German relations in this matter.

The statement comes amid ongoing disagreements within the Franco-German Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program, as France seeks a controlling stake in the project.

Airbus is pushing for a more balanced division of work, while France insists on developing a fighter capable of carrying nuclear weapons and a carrier-based version. For the French armed forces, the aircraft is intended to replace the Rafale, while for Germany, it would eventually replace the Eurofighter Typhoon.

Disputes have delayed the program’s progress to the second development stage, raising the possibility that the two countries could pursue separate paths.

Both sides are also accusing each other of being unable to deliver certain components, leaving the project essentially moving by inertia.

German experts claim that this could lead to two outcomes: Germany developing its own fighter independently, or joining another international program, such as the British-Japanese-Italian GCAP project or Sweden’s sixth-generation fighter initiative.

Within FCAS, Dassault is seeking an 80% share, covering both the fuselage and the engines, which French company Safran would develop. Airbus has expressed concern over this division of labor.