A new phase begins for the development of the sixth-generation fighter jet by the United Kingdom, Italy, and Japan.
Today, July 3, the Global Combat Air Programme (Gcap), a program for a sixth-generation air combat system to be operational by 2035 developed by London, Rome, and Tokyo, has taken a new step forward with the awarding of the second joint international contract to Edgewing, the trinational industrial joint venture established to lead the design and development of the program among the lead companies (Leonardo for Italy, Bae Systems for the United Kingdom, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for Japan).
Thus, the Gcap Agency, which manages the program on behalf of the three nations under the aegis of the Gcap International Government Organisation (Gigo) Steering Committee, has awarded Edgewing the contract, valued at £4.6 billion (€5.3 billion) and lasting 18 months.
“The contract will allow the completion of the advanced concept definition and program assessment phase, as well as continuing with detailed design and joint development,” states the Leonardo note.
The contract had been awaited for some time: after nine months of delays due to military budget cuts, on June 30 the British government presented the Defence Investment Plan (Dip) which allocated £8.6 billion in funding for the advancement of the project over the four-year period between 2026-27 and 2029-30.
As Reuters highlights, with the Downing Street Plan, the UK has thus provided its share of funding for the trilateral project as part of efforts to strengthen defense.
All the details.
£4.6 BILLION CONTRACT FOR THE NEW PHASE OF THE PROGRAM
According to the Gcap Agency, “the awarding of this contract represents another significant milestone for the program, highlighting the pace of progress and confirming Gcap as an example of excellence in innovative collaboration in the defense sector.”
The contract – jointly funded by the three partner countries – will boost the next phase of key design and engineering activities, the note emphasizes.
THE SECOND AGREEMENT AFTER THE APRIL 2026 ONE
The project developed by Italy, the United Kingdom, and Japan for a sixth-generation air combat system can thus proceed swiftly.
Indeed, this is the second joint international contract awarded to Edgewing after the first, valued at £686 million, awarded last April to start the initial program activities. This latter covered a period of only 3 months, until June 30, awaiting the UK to unlock the overall defense spending plan.
“Gcap will provide our pilots with a cutting-edge stealth fighter. The signing of this £4.6 billion contract together with Italy and Japan represents an important step forward towards its realization,” said Luke Pollard, UK Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry.
“THE FUTURE OF GCAP IS STRONGER THAN EVER”
According to the CEO of the Gcap Agency Masami Oka, this contract will allow “the Gcap Agency and Edgewing to continue making huge progress in all areas of project realization.” Furthermore, Oka emphasized “the program is vital for global security and to counter future threats, while enabling cost and technological benefit sharing and the creation of highly skilled jobs in all three countries.”
Therefore, “thanks to this long-term funding, the future of Gcap is stronger than ever,” assured the CEO of the Gcap Agency.
THE CONTRACT COMES ONE YEAR INTO EDGEWING’S OPERATIONS
One year after its establishment, Edgewing is bringing together world-class expertise from the different nations to accelerate progress and provide a powerful and unified push towards Gcap’s realization, the note further highlights.
For Marco Zoff, CEO of Edgewing, “this contract testifies to the trust placed in us by all three nations and our partners at the Gcap Agency; a trust consolidated by the rapid progress made under the first international contract.”
“This momentum is fueled,” Zoff specifies, “by our innovative defense sector collaboration model: it is the first time that three countries have joined forces to create a single engineering *prime contractor*, operating on behalf of their respective national industries and interfacing with a single client endowed with full decision-making powers. As we intensify activities and start the next phase of the program, I look back with pride at the progress already made and forward with confidence to the future ahead.”
ALL THE COUNTRIES EYEING GCAP
Meanwhile, interest around the program is growing from other countries as well, especially after the Fcas (Future Combat Air System), the competing program to Gcap developed by Germany, France, and Spain, has definitively stalled.
On June 23, speaking at the “La Verità day,” Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto explained that compared to the failed Fcas, “we, instead, with the UK and Japan are moving forward and I think other nations will join.”
Reaffirming the Defense line was also Leonardo’s new CEO, Lorenzo Mariani: interviewed by the Financial Times, the head of the former Finmeccanica group stated that Italy would be open to Berlin joining Gcap with the United Kingdom and Japan. According to Mariani, who took over leadership of Leonardo last May 7, German participation in Gcap would delay the project but bring long-term benefits.
Not to mention that Saudi Arabia and Canada have also shown interest in Gcap.
