UPDATE 1-Airbus says fighter project collaboration working outside core warplane

The head ​of European aerospace group Airbus ​remains optimistic about connected ‌systems being developed ​for the FCAS fighter project, he said on Wednesday, despite differences with France's Dassault Aviation over the ‌core warplane.

Speaking at an Airbus event in Germany, CEO Guillaume Faury said that France, Germany and Spain were considering the future of the troubled project but ‌gave no timetable for a decision. Defence sources say that talks to ‌resolve a dispute between Airbus and Dassault over development of a flying demonstrator have stalled. Airbus has suggested splitting the programme into two fighters while maintaining the planned connective architecture. "The fighter that ⁠is ​at the core ⁠of the difficulties today, there are different ways forward, and I would leave it to governments ⁠to reflect and decide what they want to do," Faury told the Airbus Defence ​Summit.

Speaking at the Eurofighter factory complex north of Munich, Faury questioned ⁠whether the two companies could work together. "At Airbus, we have collaborations with Leonardo and BAE ⁠Systems ​in the Eurofighter ... and it's working," he said.

"But not all companies are capable of cooperating with each other. That's the difficulty we're facing today." Dassault ⁠declined to comment. It has said previously that it is willing to cooperate ⁠but wants ⁠clearer lines of control, with Dassault driving the core fighter and Airbus leading other systems, including the so-called combat cloud ‌and associated drones.

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