France, Germany Near Resolution on €100B Fighter Jet Project

Dassault Aviation is actively seeking to have its VORTEX reusable spaceplane adopted as a European Space Agency (ESA) program, with hopes of securing a contract as early as next year, supported initially by funding from Dassault and the French government. Concurrently, the Franco-German-Spanish Future Combat Air System (FCAS) fighter jet project, valued at over 100 billion euros, faces ongoing disputes primarily over workshare distribution and intellectual property rights, with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron committing to resolve these issues by the end of August. Dassault Aviation aims to lead the FCAS program, seeking comprehensive oversight including the ability to select subcontractors, though CEO Eric Trappier denies claims of demanding an 80% workshare. The FCAS project involves major players like Dassault, Airbus, and Indra, with significant cooperation planned between MTU Aero Engines and France's Safran on the fighter jet's engine. The discussions between Merz and Macron also covered broader topics such as European space policy, indicating the strategic importance of aerospace collaboration for Europe. Overall, Dassault is positioning itself as a central figure in both European spaceplane development and next-generation fighter aircraft initiatives, while efforts continue to reconcile partner nations’ divergent interests.