England-Japan-Italy Joint Venture Builds Future Advanced Fighter Jets, European Missile Manufacturers Will Join

Illustration of fighter jets developed with the UK, Italy and Japan. (Wikimedia Commons/)

JAKARTA - Britain is agreed to host the next generation of fighter aircraft development program with Italy and Japan, according to four sources with knowledge.

The three countries formed a Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) in December 2022, after Britain and Japan agreed to combine their combat efforts in a breakthrough collaboration aimed at deploying advanced aircraft in the middle of the next decade.

Japan and the UK will dominate the design and manufacturing on the project, with London's deeper and up-to-date experience in the development of fighter jets, likely to give it a major role in organizing the program, said three sources, familiar with internal discussions.

"The central office will be in England, but for the sake of balance, someone from Japan can lead it," said one source, who asked not to be named.

"Discussions regarding the headquarters are ongoing and we cannot comment on the location," Japan's defense procurement agency said by email.

"However, the development framework for these fighter aircraft will be set for the next fiscal year," he added.

"No final decision has yet been made regarding the location and we will not comment on the speculation," a spokesman for the UK Ministry of Defense said.

Meanwhile, officials at the Italian Ministry of Defense could not be reached for comment.

Reuters in March reported that Italy would pay about a fifth of the total development costs, which the country's government considers "speculative".

This month, Italy's head of defense and aerospace company Leonardo said Saudi Arabia would not be the core partner in the project, after the Financial Times last month said it was pushing to join.

GCAP can welcome the country in a more limited role, as it will bring in profitable money and markets for projects that are estimated to cost tens of billions of dollars, the three sources said.

One of its neighbors in the Middle East, United Arab Emirates, also showed interest in the project, they added.

There has been talk of these possibilities with Saudi Arabia, but there has been no other decision yet, said Richard Berthon, director of Future Combat Air at the UK Ministry of Defense, at a DSEI arms show in London last week.

"In London it is clear that they may come in the future," said a source from the Italian Ministry of Defense, who declined to be named.

It is known, GCAP involved BAE Systems (England), Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Japan), and Leonardo SpA (Italy).

Separately, European missile maker MBDA will also join the project, along with avionic manufacturer Mitsubishi Electric Corp. Meanwhile, Rolls-Royce PLC from England, IHI Corp from Japan and Avio Aero from Italy will work on the fighter jet engine.

Citing Leonardo's website, GCAP is a very important program for the security, political and economic prosperity of each country. Through effective transfer of knowledge and technology, it will help develop and produce important sovereign air combat capabilities in each country for future generations.