According to the German government, France, Germany, and Spain have agreed to begin the next stage of development of the FCAS fighter jet, which is Europe’s largest defence project and is expected to cost more than 100 billion euros ($103.4 billion).
After lengthy negotiations, an industrial agreement was reached, according to a statement from the Defence Ministry, confirming a report from Reuters that the three nations’ separate industries had reached an agreement.
According to the ministry, it was decided at the highest level of government that the project, which is primarily French-funded, would be conducted in a cooperative manner on an equal basis.
The project will cost Madrid 2.5 billion euros ($2.58 billion), of which 525 million euros ($542 million) will be paid in 2023, according to the Spanish Defense Ministry. The ministry stated that the cabinet approved of this expense but provided no further information.
German Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht stated, ‘The political agreement on FCAS is a major step and – especially in these times – an important indicator of the good Franco-German-Spanish collaboration.’
It improves Europe’s military prowess and safeguards crucial know-how for both our industry and that of the rest of Europe.
In the past, reports had claimed that the three nations would split the cost of the Future Combat Air System’s (FCAS) upcoming development phase, which was estimated to be over 3.5 billion euros.
Post Your Comments