‘A leader in military aviation’

Dispute over who leads

Last week, Chancellor Friedrich Merz officially declared that the project to build a state-of-the-art, sixth-generation Franco-German fighter jet was over. Since its inception in 2017, the project had been fraught with disagreements between Berlin and Paris over the division of labour, the technologies used and the potential profits gained. It has been repeatedly claimed that the main issues behind the failure to cooperate was that Germany prioritised NATO compatibility, while France wanted a more independent fighter jet with its own wider uses, specifically as a carrier of its nuclear weapons and on its aircraft carrier.[1] This explanation is, however, easily refuted. It is perfectly possible to produce fighter jets in different versions tailored to specific tasks. The American’s F-35, for example, comes in three variants (F-35A, B and C). What Berlin really didn’t like was Dassault Aviation’s insistence on the industrial and technological leadership role for France, although this arrangement had been in line with the original intergovernmental agreements – under which Germany, in return, was granted leadership of the Franco-German main battle tank (Main Ground Combat System, MGCS). German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has now said, with regard to the Franco-German fighter jet, that an “ambitious, major European project … has come crashing down … in the face of reality”.[2] In this case, the “reality” was that Berlin was no longer willing to concede a leading role to Paris.

‘Team Gen 6’

Berlin does, however, intend to continue with those parts of the overall FCAS (Future Combat Air System) project in which France holds not leading position and German industry plays a strong role. This applies primarily to both the drone component of the FCAS and to the so-called Combat Cloud. This is regarded as a core component of the FCAS programme. The intention, according to the Bundeswehr, is to ensure “that all information within the network is available in real time to all other systems participating in a mission – in the air, on the ground, at sea or in cyberspace”.[3] Speaking last week at the International Aerospace Exhibition (ILA) in Berlin, Merz made it clear that the federal government intends to continue work on the Combat Cloud. Thomas Erndl, the defence policy spokesperson for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag, confirmed that “cooperation with France” would remain. But it had to accord with Germany’s wishes, which means “within the FCAS project, but excluding the fighter aircraft”.[4] Eight German companies from the aerospace and defence sectors have now joined forces to build the alternative fighter jet: Airbus, MTU, Hensoldt, MBDA, Diehl Defence, Rohde & Schwarz, Liebherr, and Autoflug. This replaces the collaboration between Airbus and Dassault and goes under the name ‘Team Gen 6’.[5]

A new aerospace strategy

The backdrop to Berlin’s decision to withdraw from the development of the fighter jet is clear from the Federal Government’s new aerospace strategy, which was adopted shortly before the ILA kicked off. It is a strategy for Germany to establish itself as a leading aviation nation over the next fifteen years.[6] Speaking at the air show, Merz declared that the German aerospace industry would guarantee “not only innovation and economic strength but also our sovereignty and our ability to defend the country and the Alliance.” He added, “We are now steering the course that will strengthen Germany’s position as an aviation hub in the face of international competition.” The strategy covers a range of issues, including climate change, supply chains and the costs of operating in Germany for civil aviation. On the last issue, Merz announced measures such as a reduction in air traffic control charges. The federal government is to assume meet the air traffic control costs for Germany’s regional airports. This particular package is designed to reduce air traffic costs in Germany by around half a billion euros. The German aerospace sector is now regarded as one of the few growth sectors in German industry, recording a 19 per cent increase in turnover between 2024 and 2025. The main driver of this growth has been military aviation. According to the German Aerospace Industries Association (BDLI), the military sector achieved a 35 per cent rise in sales.[7]

European independence

The new strategy emphasises above all the importance of building and maintaining independent aerospace capacities in Europe, especially in Germany, both in construction and in supply chains. The document provides for the allocation of two billion euros to promote renewable aviation fuels. But this is not justified as a green agenda to combat climate change. Rather, the point is to ensure that “production in Europe makes a key structural contribution to greater autonomy in the supply of aviation fuels over the long term.”[8] The strategy also emphasises the importance of protecting and strengthening Germany’s technological sovereignty. The paper says, “Independence from external technology suppliers and assured availability and operational capability of critical technologies in the event of defence or crisis situations are of key importance.” What’s more, the strategy advocates, in the medium and long term, an R&D approach that facilitates close and early cooperation between civilian and military projects. A short-term goal is to enhance the Bundeswehr’s rapid deployment capability. This is, in fact, the first time in Germany’s post-war history that there has been such close linkage between civilian and military aspects in the aerospace sector.[9]

‘The entire spectrum’

The strategy document devotes a chapter all of its own to drones. It states that the “expansion of German and European expertise in military drone technology” is “of central importance to security and industrial policy.” From a purely technological perspective, Germany certainly has the necessary conditions for developing a successful drone industry. Currently, around 230 Germany-based companies are already active in the field of unmanned aviation, employing more than 15,000 people. Building on this trend, the strategy aims to turn Germany into a leading international hub for drones. Indeed, German start-ups such as Helsing and Stark Defence – often working in close cooperation with Ukrainian companies – can already be counted among Europe’s key drone manufacturers.[10] German Defence Minister Pistorius announced on Tuesday, during a visit to the Jever Luftwaffe base in Friesland, that there would be major investment in the Bundeswehr’s drone “defence” capabilities.[11] “We are launching a Drone Action Plan in the coming days,” said Pistorius, adding that Berlin would have invested around 16 billion euros in drone defence alone by the end of the decade. “We are procuring drones that conduct reconnaissance, we are procuring drones that have impacts” – meaning: carry out strikes – as well as others that “can simply fend off attacking drones”: “in other words, the entire spectrum”.

‘An essential prerequisite for sovereign action’

The German Government is aiming for leadership not only in drones but also across the entire field of military aviation. The new aviation strategy spells it out: Germany should “be a European leader in the research, development and production of cutting-edge military aviation technologies.”[12] In this regard, “mastery of the entire process chain of military aircraft construction” is seen as “an essential prerequisite for politically sovereign action”, i.e. acting independently in what is perceived as the national interest. This wording also casts a light on Berlin’s ambition not to cede industrial and technological leadership to France under the FCAS programme.

[1] See: Scheitern ohne Ende.

[2] FCAS-Aus: Deutsche Firmen wollen Kampfflieger mitentwickeln. faz.net 11.06.2026.

[3] Die FCAS-Nationen stärken ihre Partnerschaft bei Pacific Skies. bundeswehr.de 29.02.2024.

[4] FCAS gescheitert: Was das Ende des deutsch-französischen Kampfflugzeugs für Europa bedeutet. esut.de 09.06.2026.

[5] FCAS-Aus: Deutsche Firmen wollen Kampfflieger mitentwickeln. faz.net 11.06.2026.

[6] Merz sieht Luftfahrt als Schlüsselbranche – neue Strategie. handelsblatt.com 10.06.2026.

[7] Moritz Koch, Frank Specht: Deutschland will führende Luftfahrtnation werden. handelsblatt.com 08.06.2026.

[8] Luftfahrtstrategie der Bundesregierung. Berlin, Juni 2026.

[9] Neue Strategie soll Luftfahrt stärken. tagesschau.de 10.06.2026.

[10] See: Federal Republic of Sparta.

[11] Drohnenabwehr: Pistorius plant Milliarden-Investitionen. ndr.de 16.06.2026.

[12] Luftfahrtstrategie der Bundesregierung. Berlin, Juni 2026.