Story perspectives

Macron, Merz Extend FCAS Talks Amid Jet-Drone Shift

4/24/2026

Summary

Story summary

President Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor Friedrich Merz met in Nicosia and agreed to extend negotiations on the Combat Air System, tasking ministries.
The FCAS fighter-jet programme faces a dispute over IP, work-share and export-rights between Dassault Aviation and Airbus Defence & Space.
Negotiators Frank Haun and Laurent Collet-Billon, appointed end of March, seek a compromise as insiders say the project may shift toward drones and digital combat-cloud systems, scaling back the fighter-jet component.

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Story summary

President Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor Friedrich Merz met in Nicosia and agreed to extend negotiations on the Combat Air System, tasking ministries.
The FCAS fighter-jet programme faces a dispute over IP, work-share and export-rights between Dassault Aviation and Airbus Defence & Space.
Negotiators Frank Haun and Laurent Collet-Billon, appointed end of March, seek a compromise as insiders say the project may shift toward drones and digital combat-cloud systems, scaling back the fighter-jet component.