• Germany and France plan to continue developing Combat Cloud to network weapons systems despite the collapse of the FCAS project.
• German Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized that FCAS was more than just a new fighter aircraft, but a system that they are committed to expanding and improving.
• The technological cooperation between Germany and France in the defense sector has been put on a new footing, focusing on the cloud environment and control system for potential efficiency gains and strengthening defense capabilities.

Brühl, Germany(dpa) - Despite the collapse of FCAS, the planned next-generation European air combat system, Germany and France want to continue to develop Combat Cloud to network weapons systems, German Chancelloro Friedrich Merz said on Friday.

"FCAS was never just a new fighter aircraft, but was always a system," Merz said at the end of the German-French government consultations in Brühl. "And we are sticking with this system, we are continuing to expand it."

The cloud environment and the entire control system might be much more important in the longer term than a new aircraft, Merz said. Government consultations had put this technological cooperation on a new footing.

"And I am sure that this will also bear fruit in terms of efficiency gains. We are working together - wherever possible - and secondly to strengthen our defence capability," he said.

FCAS stands for "Future Combat Air System." Germany and France agreed the project in 2017.

However the companies involved, Dassault and Airbus, were unable to agree on ownership or scope of the endeavour and Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron last month announced the end of the multi-billion-euro project.