Airbus Proposes Splitting Europe's $100bn Fighter Jet Project

Airbus has proposed a radical solution for Europe's stalled future fighter jet program: build two separate warplanes. The suggestion comes amid a major leadership dispute between Airbus, representing Germany and Spain, and French partner Dassault Aviation. They disagree over who should lead the €100bn Future Combat Air System (FCAS) project. The FCAS plan is not just for a single jet. It is a wide-ranging system that will also include autonomous drones and an advanced digital network, called a "combat cloud." The conflict centers on control of the next-generation fighter jet portion. Airbus's split-aircraft proposal highlights the deep divisions threatening the crucial European defense initiative.