A next-generation stealth fighter program jointly pursued by the UK, Italy and Japan has averted a crisis as Britain prepares to commit billions of pounds, putting the troubled Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) back on track after delays in UK investment.
According to the Financial Times on the 18th (local time), Britain is preparing to inject £6 billion (about 12 trillion won) into the next-generation stealth fighter program it is co-developing with Japan and Italy.
The funding will allow the three countries to sign a multi-year contract with industry partners covering the design and development of GCAP. The participating companies are BAE Systems of the UK, Leonardo of Italy, and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co. (JAIEC), jointly funded by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and the Society of Japanese Aerospace Companies (SJAC). The short-term funding announced in March is set to expire at the end of next month.
GCAP is a multinational defense program in which the UK, Italy and Japan aim to field a next-generation (sixth-generation) stealth fighter by 2035. It also reflects the three countries' strategic ambition to challenge US dominance in military technology. The long-term industry contract had been scheduled to be signed late last year but has been repeatedly pushed back along with delays in Britain's 10-year military blueprint, the Defence Investment Plan.
Japan, concerned that the program could collapse, has recently ratcheted up its warnings to Britain. The issue was reportedly raised during UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper's visit to Japan.
Citing Japanese sources, the FT reported that "Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi took an unusually firm stance during the talks," pressing that "Britain must conclude a full long-term contract without delay, not another short-term deal." Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's UK visit scheduled for next month is also reportedly at risk of cancellation amid the precarious political standing of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The manpower committed to the program is substantial, with more than 4,000 people in the UK alone working on the project and prototype development. A failure of GCAP could damage UK-Japan relations and undermine both countries' strategic positions in the Indo-Pacific. Still, the program remains highly regarded for its potential, drawing on the advanced aerospace industries of the three nations, with countries including Germany, Saudi Arabia, India and Poland expressing interest in joining.
