German Officials Favor Sweden and Spain Over UK-Led Fighter Jet Project

German defense officials have recommended building a fighter jet with Sweden and Spain instead of joining the U.K.’s existing partnership with Italy and Japan.

The assessment describes a new three-country venture as “the more advantageous and promising” option, according to internal ministry documents seen by POLITICO.

It does not constitute a government decision or indicate that Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has endorsed its conclusions.

The recommendation puts industrial control and military requirements at the center of Berlin’s search for a successor to its Eurofighter fleet, following the collapse of its fighter project with France.

Reservations About GCAP

Officials argue that the Global Combat Air Program, or GCAP, places greater emphasis on operations beyond the missions Germany requires.

Berlin’s priority, the assessment says, is an aircraft suited to combat over continental Europe.

Joining an established program would also leave German manufacturers with limited scope to obtain a substantial share of development and production contracts, the document argues.

The assessment directs particular criticism at BAE Systems, drawing on German officials’ experience of working with the British company on Eurofighter.

It accuses BAE of putting export objectives ahead of German and Italian development interests and warns that British dominance would prevent an equal partnership.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham discussed potential German participation with Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin on October 8.

The leaders agreed that officials should continue talks.

Another ministry note outlines British efforts to bring Germany into GCAP as an observer or participant, with German officials examining possible industrial contributions and operational requirements.

Airbus-Saab Venture Favored

The preferred alternative rests on what the assessment describes as similar military needs and comparable starting positions among Germany, Sweden and Spain.

It proposes a joint venture between Airbus and Saab, with the Swedish company’s Gripen E providing a technological foundation during development of a new aircraft.

Airbus said it was open to partnerships if German and Spanish manufacturers obtained a substantial, equal role across development, production and operation.

“Purely political decisions without an industrial foundation fall short,” a company spokesperson said, calling for prompt decisions from Berlin and Madrid.

Airbus defense chief Michael Schöllhorn also pointed to the company’s record of cooperation with Saab in an interview published by Handelsblatt on Monday.

Saab said it remained open to fighter partnerships but emphasized that governments would determine participation in any major multinational program.

The German defense ministry declined to comment.

Lessons from the French Partnership

Germany’s previous effort, the Future Combat Air System, collapsed in June after persistent disputes between Dassault and Airbus Defense & Space over leadership and the allocation of work.

Launched with France in 2017 and subsequently joined by Spain, FCAS was intended to replace Germany’s Eurofighters from around 2040.

Repeated political interventions failed to settle the industrial disagreements.

Berlin’s next choice will determine both its future combat aircraft and how much influence German industry retains over the technology and manufacturing behind it.