The United Kingdom, Italy, and Japan are collaborating on the development, design, and manufacturing of an advanced sixth-generation stealth fighter jet. A senior figure involved in the research and development of this project believes that investing a substantial amount of resources in the project over the next decade is reasonable, especially as the military faces the risk of further Russian intrusion into Europe and cannot ignore the military ambitions of the Chinese Communist Party.
Bloomberg reported on May 23rd that Edoardo de Santo, a senior engineering commander at Leonardo Company, stated in an interview, “Existing weapon systems can address current threats, but the evolution of threats must also be controlled.”
Leonardo Company is the primary Italian partner of the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP). This program was officially launched last year with the United Kingdom and Japan, aiming to develop a sixth-generation stealth combat aircraft to be operational by 2035.
The public-private partnership project is led by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan, BAE Systems of the UK, and Leonardo Company of Italy.
The goal of this project is to surpass the capabilities of existing fifth-generation fighter jets like the American F-35 in target positioning and evasion of reconnaissance. The program requires the newly developed fighter jet not only to operate its own weapon systems but also to serve as a flight control center for drones and other military equipment.
As relevant countries reconsider the role of stealth fighter jets to maintain an advantage over competitors like the CCP, the design of the fighter jet is expected to be confirmed by next year.
Recently, tensions have risen between India and Pakistan, with Pakistan claiming to have shot down an Indian fighter jet manufactured by French using a Chinese-made fighter jet, although this claim remains unconfirmed. The rumor has heightened Western countries’ vigilance against the military modernization ambitions of the Chinese Communist Party.
During a defense and security equipment international conference held on the outskirts of Tokyo on Thursday, May 22nd, de Santo expressed the urgency of the ten-year timeline for the complex GCAP project. He also believed that investing in this fighter jet project was worthwhile.
The total expenditure of GCAP has not been disclosed, but the UK has allocated £14 billion to the project so far.
“Advancing to the sixth-generation fighter jet is not easy because many aspects are new, such as aircraft sensors and communication systems,” de Santo stated. He also added that the technology developed for this fighter jet would be used for military and non-military purposes beyond the GCAP project.
“This is how we are addressing future threats,” he said.
De Santo also indicated that they are open to other countries joining if they can make tangible contributions and enhance the efficiency of fighter jet development.
Previously reported by Nikkei Asia, the Japanese government is considering exporting this new generation fighter jet developed jointly with the UK and Italy to Australia to deepen security relations using common equipment.
Apart from Australia, India and Canada have also shown strong interest in this fighter jet.
Saudi Arabia is also exploring purchasing this new generation fighter jet and considering contributing to research and development funds as a partner country. During a meeting in April with Japan, the UK, and Italy, Saudi authorities expressed willingness to flexibly participate in the project.
The birth of this joint project is mainly based on three reasons: Firstly, European countries are hastily building up their military forces. Secondly, while Russia continues to invade Ukraine and US President Trump has been urging NATO members to increase defense spending, and thirdly, amidst the escalating threat posed by the CCP, Japan also seeks to strengthen its military power.