Airbus-led group proposes fighter jet alternative after French-German project fails

A consortium led by Airbus has proposed developing a next-generation fighter jet after the collapse of a high-profile Franco-German warplane programme, one of the companies involved told the AFP news agency on Tuesday. The move comes a day after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron ended the original project following years of disagreements between the industrial partners. Munich-based defence electronics company Hensoldt said it had joined forces with Airbus Defence and Space, Autoflug, Diehl Defence, Rohde & Schwarz, Liebherr, MBDA and MTU Aero Engines to draw up an alternative plan. A company spokesperson said the proposal had...