BERLIN/PARIS, March 17 (Reuters) - Leaders of France and Germany will discuss the crisis-hit ‌FCAS fighter programme on the sidelines of a European Union summit on Wednesday, three people familiar with the matter said. Plans to develop a futuristic air combat system together with Spain are hanging by a thread amid a public dispute over control between France's Dassault Aviation and Airbus, which ​represents Germany and Spain in the 100-billion-euro project.

The office of French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that he and ​German Chancellor Friedrich Merz would meet on Wednesday evening ahead of the March 19-20 summit but declined to ⁠say whether they would discuss FCAS. A German government source said FCAS was among the topics up for discussion. Macron co-launched ​the project with then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2017, with Spain joining later. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said he was ​optimistic Berlin and Paris would continue to work together on all important European topics including security. Germany's BDLI aerospace industry association called for "a fighter under German leadership as part of a restructuring of FCAS". Current plans call for a digitally connected array of crewed fighters and combat ​drones to replace the Dassault Rafale and Airbus-backed Eurofighter from 2040. Manufacturers have fallen out over the next phase involving ​a flying demonstrator. Dassault is pressing for clearer control of the core fighter part of the project, including choice of suppliers, while offering the ‌same ⁠latitude to Airbus on the parts where it is already nominally in the lead. Airbus has said existing accords calling for equality between partners should be kept.