The leaders of France and Germany have a “strong willingness” to build a new fighter jet together despite bitter internal rivalries, according to the chief executive of engine manufacturer Safran. A row over who should lead between French aerospace company Dassault and the German unit of Airbus has threatened to break apart the countries’ efforts to make a next-generation fighter jet. However, many analysts and industry leaders – including Airbus’s chief executive – have openly mused about whether separate European projects should duplicate efforts to build the planes. The chief executive’s comments came during a visit to lobby UK government ministers and express willingness to invest in Britain. If you do not have an account, we will create a guest account for you on theguardian.com to send you this newsletter.

Source: The Guardian December 02, 2025 21:31 UTC