Great Britain, Italy and Japan want to build a world fighter. The first jet of the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) is scheduled to enter service in 2035.
Japan, Italy and the UK signed an agreement in Tokyo to jointly develop the next-generation fighter jet.
“The fact that we are here today is for Italy, and I think for all of us, a very important milestone for the GCAP program and at the same time a very strong message, because our partnership is a message for the rest of the world,” said Guido Croceto, Italy’s Defense Minister, Japan, Minoru Kihara and Great Britain. said at the beginning of the meeting with the Grand Shops.
Plans for the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) were announced in December last year.
A consortium comprising Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd, Britain’s BAE Systems Plc and Italy’s Leonardo Spa aims to complete development work by 2027.
The project aims to replace the Eurofighter Typhoon in service with the Royal Air Force and the Italian Air Force, and the Mitsubishi F-2 in service with the Japanese Air Defense Forces. This is Japan’s first joint defense development agreement with a nation other than its closest defense ally, the United States.
Production of the sixth-generation fighter jet is expected to begin in 2030, with the first aircraft expected to enter service in 2035.
However, the parliaments of the three countries still need to ratify the deal. The development phase of the new fighter is scheduled to begin in 2025.
Today, approximately 9,000 people work at GCAP worldwide and more than 1,000 suppliers in partner countries.
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