The future of European air defence

The future of European air defence

Europe’s most ambitious defence project is in deep trouble. Europe’s Future Combat Air System (FCAS), presented as the crown jewel of Franco-German cooperation, was meant to deliver a next-generation defence system ready to meet the demands of an increasingly dangerous world. Instead, the FCAS showcases diverging visions of European air power and raises questions about the continent’s strategic autonomy.


This week, Mark is joined by Ulrike Franke, ECFR senior policy fellow and expert on defence, security and drones. Together, they explore why FCAS keeps running into dead ends—from persistent rifts between Dassault and Airbus to political disagreements between Paris and Berlin.


What do the developments around the FCAS reveal about the strength of the Franco-German motor in the EU? What happens if the project collapses? And what would it mean for Europe’s quest for strategic autonomy?


Bookshelf:

Char de combat: obsolescence ou renaissance? by Léo Péria-Peigné

The ideas letter curated by Leonard Benardo


This episode was recorded on November 19th 2025

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(651)

Can a Ceasefire Survive Israel’s Election?

Can a Ceasefire Survive Israel’s Election?

This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Hugh Lovatt, senior policy fellow at ECFR, to unpack a turbulent summer in Israel and the Palestinian territories. While Palestinian factions in Gaza have agreed i...

28 Aug 28min

Germany’s second China shock

Germany’s second China shock

This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Janka Oertel, director of ECFR’s DARE* initiative, and Andrew Small, head of ECFR’s Asia programme, to examine the growing impact of the “China shock 2.0” on Germa...

21 Aug 35min

Political crisis in Germany

Political crisis in Germany

This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Jörg Lau, international correspondent at Die Zeit and Jana Puglierin, head of ECFR’s Berlin office, to explore the political turmoil in Germany ahead of an elector...

14 Aug 30min

Latin America’s new imaginaries

Latin America’s new imaginaries

This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Adriana Abdenur, a Brazilian policy expert and co-president of the Global Fund for a New Economy, and Jorge Castañeda, former foreign minister of Mexico and profes...

7 Aug 34min

Defining Modernity in South-East Asia

Defining Modernity in South-East Asia

This week, Mark Leonard is joined by LuHan Gabel, associate director of the Ideas Workshop at the Open Society Foundations; Ooi Kee Beng, political historian and executive director of the Penang Insti...

31 Jul 39min

The China-native generation

The China-native generation

This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Loubna El Amine, lecturer in political theory at King’s College London and affiliate of the Lau China Institute, and Cobus van Staden, head of research at the Chin...

24 Jul 39min

European defence after the NATO summit

European defence after the NATO summit

This week, Mark Leonard welcomes Camille Grand, secretary general of ASD Europe and special adviser to ECFR’s European Security programme, and Marta Prochwicz Jazowska, deputy head of ECFR’s Warsaw of...

17 Jul 37min

Marine Le Pen’s comeback

Marine Le Pen’s comeback

This week, Mark Leonard welcomes Célia Belin, head of ECFR’s Paris office and senior policy fellow, and Jeremy Cliffe, ECFR’s editorial director and senior policy fellow, to discuss Marine Le Pen’s de...

9 Jul 31min

Populært innen Politikk og nyheter

giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden
forklart
popradet
aftenpodden-usa
fotballpodden-2
stopp-verden
nokon-ma-ga
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
det-store-bildet
hanna-de-heldige
dine-penger-pengeradet
rss-gukild-johaug
rss-espen-lee-usensurert
bt-dokumentar-2
aftenbla-bla
rss-ness
e24-podden
rss-penger-polser-og-politikk
frokostshowet-pa-p5