Franco-German fighter jet project in turmoil as Merz raises doubts

(Chris Lunday – Politico) Chancellor Friedrich Merz has openly questioned Germany’s participation in Europe’s flagship Future Combat Air System (FCAS), warning that Berlin could look beyond France for fighter jet partners if key disagreements cannot be resolved. In an interview with the German political podcast “Machtwechsel,” Merz said the standoff reflects fundamentally different military needs rather than politics. “This isn’t a political quarrel. We have a real problem in the requirement profile. And if we can’t solve that, then we can’t maintain the project,” he said. – Franco-German fighter jet project in turmoil as Merz raises doubts – POLITICO