Europe's aviation romance: former partners competing for Swedish 'yes'

European aerospace has found itself entangled in a romantic triangle. The Franco-German partnership, which had been working together to develop a new generation of fighter jets under the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) project, has finally dissolved. Now both former partners are turning their attention toward Sweden, hoping to secure its support for a renewed collaboration. The French government has opened the door to cooperation with Sweden in developing a next-generation fighter jet. A spokesperson for President Emmanuel Macron told journalists on Friday that France is open to working with Sweden on this initiative. This visit will take place on Monday, as reported by Politico. According to the spokesperson, both countries are looking for suitable models of aircraft that would be similar in size. He added that there are many opportunities for cooperation in this field, noting that France possesses the manufacturing capabilities for jet engines that Sweden lacks. “This is an area where we could collaborate,” he stated, according to Politico’s reporting. Statements from the Élysée Palace indicate a clear stance against Stockholm, which has become very attractive in the potential development of a new European fighter jet. June saw the collapse of the joint project involving France, Germany, and Spain, known by the acronym FCAS. As reported by Politico, the project collapsed due to disagreements between the French company Dassault Aviation and the German firm Airbus. With the dissolution of the project, the protagonists began exploring new potential partners. Germany, according to reports from various European media, is interested in a joint project involving the United Kingdom, Italy, and Japan, which are also developing a new generation of fighter jets. This project has already achieved several key objectives, and the goal is to produce and deploy the new aircraft by 2035. Italy appears to be favorably inclined towards Germany's participation, while Japan is hesitant, as it does not want to delay the timeline by adding a fourth partner. France, meanwhile, is attempting to convince Sweden through its own engine manufacturer. The French company Safran produces the engines for the Rafale fighters, whereas the Swedish company Saab builds the Gripen fighters used by multiple countries around the world. However, the engines for the Swedish fighters are produced by the American company GE Aerospace. Here, France clearly aims to persuade the Swedes that they are the right choice for partnership, as the engine production for the French fighters is handled by a French company. According to Politico, a battle is taking place between Paris and Berlin over the partnership with Stockholm, one of the most closely watched developments in the aviation sector. Sweden is expected to make a decision regarding its own fighter jet program by September 2027.