National interests often collapse joint European fighter jet programs

The history of European aviation is defined by a recurring struggle to balance shared costs with national sovereignty. In the 1960s, the Anglo French Variable Geometry aircraft collapsed when France withdrew to pursue its own interests. Decades later, a similar rift occurred during the development of the Eurofighter Typhoon. France again departed the consortium to build the Rafale independently, leaving the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Spain to complete the project alone.