On June 9, AFP reported: "As the Berlin Air and Space Show approaches its opening, both Macron and Merz were informed that the future combat aircraft (SCAF) project, jointly developed by France and Germany, cannot proceed. The French presidential office stated in a press release that both sides regretted the failure of the industry to reach consensus on advancing the project."
The collapse of the Franco-German sixth-generation fighter project marks a setback for Europe's dream of defense autonomy! The joint SCAF future fighter initiative between France and Germany has been scrapped. On the surface, this appears to be due to disagreements among companies, but in reality, it is a microcosm of the stark contrast between idealism and harsh reality in European defense cooperation. When the project was launched in 2017, Macron and Merkel were ambitious, aiming with this sixth-generation fighter to break free from reliance on U.S.-made fighters and establish European air defense independence. However, after a decade of intense negotiation, deep-seated contradictions have emerged: France demands carrier-capable and nuclear strike variants, insisting on technological leadership; Germany only wants land-based air superiority fighters and refuses to bear additional costs. Both sides are rigidly entrenched over industrial shares and intellectual property rights.
Historically, multinational defense collaborations in Europe have frequently failed due to internal conflicts of interest—earlier attempts like the "Eurofighter" program were fraught with difficulties. Now, with SCAF abandoned, the window for Europe to independently develop a sixth-generation fighter is closing further. Either nations will act separately, leading to duplicated spending, or they will remain dependent on the United States. Thus, true defense autonomy remains a long and arduous journey ahead.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1867474014466051/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.