UK, Japan and Italy Sign Agreement for Next Sixth Gen Fighter Jet Development

Defense News - Italy, Japan, and the UK have inked a significant agreement in Tokyo aimed at fortifying their joint commitment to advancing the development of next-generation stealth fighters.

This accord establishes the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) International Government Organisation (GIGO), tasked with overseeing the guidance, direction, control, supervision, and management of GCAP on behalf of the participating nations.

Comprising government officials from all three countries, GIGO collaborates with industry counterparts BAE Systems, Leonardo, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which are responsible for handling the project logistics.

GIGO has set ambitious goals, intending to finalize the sixth-generation stealth fighter project by 2035 while concurrently augmenting the defense industrial base of its member nations. Both administrative departments will be headquartered in Britain.

Championing Transformation
Emphasizing the significance of this agreement, Gugllielmo Maviglia, the Director of GCAP Leonardo, underscored the transformative nature of the collaboration.

"GCAP, with its focus on developing an innovative next-generation core platform leveraging advanced technology, represents a revolutionary approach to international industrial collaboration," Maviglia commented.

The program currently boasts a workforce of 9,000 individuals collaborating with 1,000 suppliers.

The Global Race
Across the globe, nations are engaged in a race to develop the next generation of stealth fighters.

In 2022, China unveiled a model for a tailless jet craft believed to be a proposed design for the country sixth-generation aircraft.

Earlier this year, the United States disclosed an estimated $2.3-billion budget for its highly classified Next Generation Air Dominance fighter program. The US has issued contract solicitations to industry partners and pledged to award the manufacturing contract as early as 2024.