Airbus, Indra, others offer Spain alternative to FCAS fighter jet project

MADRID, June 11 (Reuters) - Defence companies including European aerospace giant Airbus and Indra signed a joint statement on Thursday offering Spain's Defence Ministry their capabilities to develop an alternative to the FCAS fighter jet project.

The firms were willing to work with other European countries to implement the next phases of development of the sixth-generation combat system, the statement signed by Airbus, GMV, Grupo Oesia, Indra, ITP Aero and Sener said. 

• The companies said their goal was for an alternative combat system to be ready by around 2040.

• France and Germany agreed to scrap the Future Combat Air System, or FCAS, but will continue to develop a related drone system and data network, two German government officials told Reuters on Monday.

• The move to cancel FCAS came after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron had concluded that Airbus and France's Dassault Aviation were unable to reach an agreement.

• Spain, which was taking part in the project through its stakes in Indra and Airbus, called the scrapping of the project a "policy failure" for Europe.

•  "Industrial interests have been prioritised over Europe's security and defence interests," Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles told reporters on Tuesday.

(Reporting by Javi West Larrañaga; Editing by Jan Harvey)