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Dassault says it can build next-gen European fighters solo

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CEO challenges Germany, disputes Airbus over project

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Airbus affirms commitment to project despite disputes

(Recasts, adds details, quotes)

CERGY, France, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Dassault Aviation

's head said on Tuesday the French planemaker could

independently develop the next generation of European fighter

jets, escalating tensions with Germany over leadership in a

joint 100-billion-euro ($118 billion) defence project.

Asked at the opening of a new factory for current-generation

Rafale warplanes about a row with German-backed Airbus

over the next round of fighters, Dassault CEO Eric Trappier

said: "The Germans can complain, but here we know how to do

this. If they want to act on their own, let them do so".

Germany has blamed French industry for blocking the next

phase in the development of a new generation air combat system,

the FCAS/SCAF programme, by demanding sole leadership.

Asked if Dassault had the ability to build a so-called

sixth-generation fighter combining a crewed fighter with

unmanned cohorts without other partners, Trappier said "yes,"

but said this would be a decision for the French government.

Trappier said Dassault was arguing for clearer control of

the core crewed fighter component of the project, while granting

Airbus similar room for manoeuvre in the parts of the wider

manned and unmanned system for which it has responsibility.

Airbus represents Germany and Spain in the project.

Trappier denied breaking any existing industrial accords and

said the argument with Airbus solely concerned responsibilities

for the next phase.

He was speaking to reporters at the inauguration of a

new parts assembly plant for Dassault's Rafale warplanes and

Falcon business jets outside Paris.

Trappier said he was talking with the head of Airbus'

defence business about the dispute, but no compromise had been

found. He declined to put a deadline on the talks.

Airbus said it remained committed to the success of

the FCAS/SCAF project and to all agreements struck so far.

($1 = 0.8478 euros)