France's Dassault hints at Plan B if European fighter talks fail

The CEO of French plane-maker Dassault Aviation hinted at an alternative plan if talks between France, Germany and Spain over work on a joint fighter project break down, but said he still believed in the bid to create a manned and unmanned combat system.

"I don't believe it's in mortal danger but I'm not going to tell you that the patient is not in difficulty," CEO Eric Trappier said of the project launched in 2019.

"The head of a company must always have a Plan B in mind. He does everything to ensure Plan A succeeds, everything. But the day Plan A doesn't work you need a Plan B," he told a news conference when asked what would happen if the talks failed.