The Bavarian state government has come out in support of the German aerospace industry developing a separate fighter jet as a solution to the troubled Future Combat Air System (FCAS) project.

In recent months, disputes over the next-generation FCAS fighter jet project have strained Franco-German relations, casting serious doubt on the programme’s future. On Thursday, rallies initiated by the German aerospace industry and its workforce were held at 15 sites across Germany, as protesters urged the national government to find a solution for the €100 billion project.

While addressing the workforce of Airbus Defence and Space in Manching, Bavaria’s head of the state chancellery, Florian Herrmann, called on the German government to “get moving,” adding that “we, as the Bavarian state government, stand by your side.”

The joint Franco-German-Spanish FCAS project – centred on a next-generation fighter jet operating alongside a network of drones – has been delayed since last year.

A conflict regarding the shared work between Germany’s lead contractor, Airbus Defence and Space, and its French project partner, Dassault Aviation, has dominated recent public exchanges. At the core of the issue is the fighter jet part of the programme.

In addition to disagreements over the division of labour, Berlin and Paris are now at odds over the fighter jet’s design.

“Further delays in decision-making threaten our Bavarian fighter aircraft industry, which has been built up over decades,” Herrmann, who is also state minister for federal affairs, said.

One potential solution would be to separate the fighter jet component of the overarching aerial combat system, allowing Germany and France to develop their own jets.

Both the German Aerospace Industries Association (BDLI) and the workers’ union IG Metall argue that Berlin should move ahead on its own and take the lead in developing a fighter jet, leaving the door open for other partners to join later.

“FCAS is not limited to a single fighter aircraft. France has different needs than we do in Germany,” Herrmann said in support.

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