PARIS Potential decreases in government research funding and space expenditures could jeopardize the future of major European aerospace programs, French and German industry executives warned last week. The German federal government of Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has agreed to extend the multiyear aerospace research program for 4 years and fund it to the tune of 614 million euros ($675 million), the same level as the previous program.

Washington Lockheed Martin is still struggling to contain potential cost overruns on the Joint Strike Fighter, but the company has backed off a tentative plan to build only one demonstrator after the idea was apparently rebuffed by senior Defense Dept. acquisition officials.