BAE: Franco-german jet ‘snub’ not a worry

BAE Systems has dismissed concerns about its lack of involvement in a new Frenchgerman fighter jet, with the FTSE 100-listed defence company saying it is already involved in a similar but more advanced programme in Turkey.

Speaking at the RIAT military airshow at RAF Fairford, Chris Boardman, managing director of BAE’S military aircraft business, played down worries about BAE’S lack of participation.

Some have questioned the exclusion, saying it is a sign of Britain’s waning influence as Europe’s leading military power in the wake of the vote for Brexit. “BAE – and Britain – are already doing the next generation fighter with Turkey,” Mr Boardman said. “We have engineers deploying to Turkey as we speak to start work on that process.”

BAE, along with Rollsroyce, have both signed early agreements with Turkey to help develop the socalled TF-X fighter, of which as many as 250 could be ordered. BAE was a major player in previous pan-european fighter projects such as Tornado and Typhoon, neither of which France bought.

The European project was announced on Thursday night in Paris by Emmanuel Macron, the French president, and Angela Merkel, the German chancellor. Analysts say it could use a combination of manned and unmanned aircraft.

Mr Boardman added that a current Anglo-french agreement to develop a new unmanned drone, called FCAS, would not be threatened by the announcement.

BAE Systems collaborates extensively with defence companies around the world and Mr Boardman said he was certain that the company’s experience would mean that it would find a place in the newly announced project. “I am absolutely convinced that we, the UK and BAE Systems, will in one way or another have an involvement,” he said.