For the head of Rolls-Royce, it would be desirable for Germany to join the Global Combat Air Program (Gcap), a program between the United Kingdom, Japan, and Italy for the development of the sixth-generation combat system.
Tufan Erginbilgiç, CEO of the British multinational aerospace and defense company, stated that he would welcome Berlin’s entry into the construction of the next-generation fighter jet, arguing that this would bring more business to the project, reported yesterday by the Guardian. At the same time, the head of Rolls-Royce clarified that the decision rests with the government.
There have long been rumors about expanding the future fighter program to other countries, particularly Berlin, since the Fcas (Future Combat Air System), the competing program to Gcap resulting from collaboration between Germany, France, and Spain, risks being definitively stalled.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the British government said: “Together with our partners Japan and Italy, we remain open to the accession of other partners to [Gcap], while keeping the program on schedule and ensuring our future military capabilities.”
All the details.
WHAT IS THE GLOBAL COMBAT AIR PROGRAMME
The Gcap program started with the agreement signed between the three countries in December 2023, which established a governmental organization (Gigo) and an industrial alliance with a JV among the lead companies (Leonardo for Italy, Bae Systems for the United Kingdom, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for Japan), formed in December 2024. Rolls-Royce is building the engine for the jet right in the United Kingdom.
The combat aircraft, which will enter service in 2035, will be one of the most advanced, interoperable, adaptable, and connected aircraft in service worldwide, featuring an intelligent weapon system, an interactive software-based cockpit, integrated sensors, and a next-generation radar capable of providing 10,000 times more data than current systems.
THE INDUSTRIES INVOLVED
As already mentioned, the industrial leaders of the program are Bae Systems for the United Kingdom, Leonardo for Italy, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for Japan. The Lead Sub-System Integrators of the program are: Avio Aero (Italy), ELT Group (Italy), IHI (Japan), Leonardo (Italy and UK), Mbda (Italy and UK), Mitsubishi Electric (Japan), and Rolls-Royce (United Kingdom).
THE EDGEWING JOINT VENTURE IS OPERATIONAL
Last June, the joint venture between the British Bae Systems Limited, the Japanese Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement (Jaiec), and the Italian Leonardo for Gcap was officially established. It is called Edgewing and will be responsible for the design and development of the new sixth-generation fighter jet of the Gcap program. The company will act as the design authority for the entire product lifecycle, which is expected to extend beyond 2070. The three industrial partners of Gcap – Bae Systems, Leonardo, and Jaiec – each hold an equal 33% share of Edgewing. Marco Zoff, former managing director of Leonardo’s Aircraft Division, is the first to lead Edgewing.
The JV’s headquarters are located in the United Kingdom to ensure the highest level of alignment and collaboration with the International Governmental Organization Gcap (Gigo), which is also headquartered in the UK, in the English city of Reading.
AWAITING THE FIRST CONTRACT
The signing of the first international contract between the Gcap International Government Organization (Gigo) and the Edgewing joint venture is expected soon, as it was already scheduled by the end of last year.
THE GERMAN OPTION
The possible accession of Germany to the Gcap program has been widely discussed since German Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently admitted in an interview that Germany currently does not need the same jet as France. Since the beginning of the project, Paris has indicated the need for an aircraft capable of operating from aircraft carriers and employing nuclear weapons to guarantee sovereign capabilities. Merz added that if the requirements profile cannot be met, the project cannot be maintained.
Launched in 2017, the Fcas program – estimated to be worth over 100 billion euros – is designed to replace the French Rafale and the German and Spanish Eurofighters starting from 2040. Fcas has been the subject of a long dispute between the companies involved: the French Dassault and the defense division of the Franco-German Airbus based in Germany.
Britain has signaled its willingness to accept new partners for Gcap, but experts have suggested this could slow down the fighter, notes the Guardian. Currently, entry into service is planned by 2035. Already today, ministers have delayed signing a trilateral contract for the program, a delay linked to the long-awaited publication of a defense spending plan.
ROLLS-ROYCE’S POSITION
For its part, the head of Rolls-Royce stated that he would be “definitely open” to Germany joining the Gcap program.
“We already collaborate with Germany… we have a significant presence in Dahlewitz [a Rolls-Royce factory near Berlin]. Regarding civil aerospace, we produce engines for business aviation there,” said Tufan Erginbilgiç. “But the benefits of Gcap will go beyond that. More countries joining definitely means more countries will buy, because you can’t be a partner and not purchase.”
However, the manager clarified that it is “a government decision, not mine or any commercial company’s. Depending on how geopolitics and other factors develop, [Germany’s accession] will remain a possibility.”
Finally, Erginbilgiç stated that although the UK had a “competitive advantage” in some military technologies, increasing spending and production capacity is important both for national security and because it directly fuels commercial exports.
