The Price of Sovereignty After FCAS: France Puts National Interests First, Germany Seeks Its Place Among the Great Powers
The new-generation European fighter jet has become a test of a much deeper issue than simply who will succeed the Rafale and the Eurofighter. It reveals which European nations want…
The new-generation European fighter jet has become a test of a much deeper issue than simply who will succeed the Rafale and the Eurofighter. It reveals which European nations want to control the technologies needed to wage war after 2040 – and how much they are willing to pay for that capability. The collapse of the FCAS project laid this divide bare. France subsequently opted for its own Avion de Combat du Futur (ACF). Germany, on the other hand, is still weighing whether to join the British-Italian-Japanese GCAP or pursue a new program with Sweden and, potentially, Spain. Behind the technical debate over the fighter jet lies the question of sovereignty and, ultimately…



