A French senator has claimed that Airbus Germany’s failure to deliver critical technical sub-assemblies for the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) triggered Dassault Aviation’s push for stronger governance over the New Generation Fighter program. Senator Hugues Saury told France’s Senate that Airbus’s German subsidiary couldn’t fulfill its responsibilities, straining engineering teams and prompting Dassault to demand greater authority as prime contractor. The revelation highlights deepening industrial and political challenges facing the tri-national defense initiative, which faces additional uncertainty around German arms export restrictions and strategic repositioning discussions among France, Germany, and Spain.