Belgian PM slams FCAS stalemate in Europe’s future fighter jet plans
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever criticized Paris and Berlin for not agreeing on the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), calling the deadlock 'pure stupidity' and warning it could leave Europe irrelevant in air defense for years. The multi-nation program, which also includes drones and a combat cloud, is meant to replace the Eurofighter and Rafale by around 2040, with Belgium as an observer member, but Germany and France paused the fighter component amid disagreements between Dassault Aviation and Airbus Defence and Space.