Japan Prepares Mitsubishi to Develop New Fighter Jet with Britain-Italy

The latest model of the next-generation fighter jet was exhibited in Farnborough, England, on July 22, 2026. This aircraft was developed by Japan, Britain, and Italy through the GCAP program. Photo: Kyodo News.

JAKARTA - Japan is preparing a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. factory as a center for developing and assembling a new generation of fighter jets worked on together with Britain and Italy.

Kyodo News, quoted Saturday, July 25, reported that the plan was conveyed by a number of sources who knew the discussion on Saturday. The Japanese center will be located at Mitsubishi Heavy's Komaki South plant in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan.

The three countries are members of the Global Combat Air Program or GCAP. Through this program, Japan, Britain, and Italy share the work to design and produce new fighter jets.

Currently, the three countries are still discussing the division of roles in the design and production of the aircraft. Britain will set up its center in Warton. Italy will place its center in Turin.

According to sources, the Japanese center is targeted to be established at the Komaki South factory by the end of this year. British engineers are also said to have been working at the factory to work on the design of the aircraft.

For Mitsubishi Heavy, this project has great significance. The company places the development of a new generation fighter jet as one of its core businesses after stopping the Mitsubishi Regional Jet project, Japan's first domestic passenger plane.

Japan, Britain, and Italy agreed to launch the fighter jet program in 2022. The target is for the aircraft to be deployed in 2035.

The program is underway amid an increasingly tense global security situation. Canada was announced as the first observer in the program on Tuesday. Several other countries, including Germany and Australia, have also expressed interest in joining.

The new fighter jet will be equipped with stealth technology. This technology makes the aircraft more difficult to detect by enemy radar.

The plane will also carry a powerful radar to collect a lot of data. In addition, this jet will use artificial intelligence-based data analysis capabilities or AI.

The design and development of the aircraft will be handled by Edgewing. The joint venture was formed by Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co. Ltd., BAE Systems from the UK, and Leonardo from Italy.

Japan is preparing this new generation fighter jet to replace the F-2 owned by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force or Japan Air Self-Defense Force. The F-2 is scheduled to begin retiring around 2035.