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Will fresh FCAS talks resolve political turmoil?

16th December 2025 - 09:04 GMT | by Isolde Hatgis-Kessell in London, UK

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The FCAS programme aims to develop a next-generation air combat system to equip European forces. (Photo: Airbus)

German, French and Spanish leadership set an end-of-year deadline to decide the fate of the Future Combat Air System programme which has struggled with a political stalemate for the latter half of 2025.

The outcome of a first round of talks between defence leaders from France, Spain and Germany to discuss the stalled Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme has not been revealed by the three ministers present, with a second round of discussions to take place this week.

Rumours of political and industrial tensions began in 2023 after UK media reported that Germany could walk away from the programme due to concerns over the direction of the project and growing interest in the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), which is a multinational initiative between the UK, Japan and Italy to also develop a next-generation

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