Japan's plans to develop a next-generation fighter jet alongside Britain and Italy have taken a significant step forward, with the top companies involved formally agreeing Friday to establish a joint venture by the middle of next year that will be in charge of delivering the aircraft.
Headquartered in the United Kingdom, the new business — comprising Britain’s BAE Systems, Italy's Leonardo and the Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co. (JAIEC), a joint venture launched in July between Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and the Society of Japanese Aerospace Companies — will be responsible for the industrial side of the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP).
“The new joint venture will be accountable for the design, development and delivery of the next-generation combat aircraft and will remain the design authority for GCAP for the life of the product, which is expected to go out beyond 2070,” the companies said in a joint statement.
Each of the firms will hold an equal 33.3% shareholding in the new company, which will also feature joint teams working in each of the partner nations.
The three companies also said the program is being designed to “maximize and grow” the industrial capability in each of the nations, with design, development, manufacturing and production elements set to be evenly distributed.
The future sixth-generation aircraft is intended to replace aging Air Self-Defense Force F-2 jets, as well as British and Italian Eurofighters, with the first units expected to enter service by 2035.
GCAP, which will also see the development and use of cutting-edge technology, marks the first time that Japan is cooperating with countries other than the United States to meet a major defense requirement.
The upcoming launch of the joint venture, which will initially be led by an Italian, will enable the multibillion-dollar endeavor to move on to the next stage — the aircraft’s full development and design phase — next year.
A JAIEC spokesperson told The Japan Times that the next important step will be to get the relevant authorities to approve the new joint company. At the same time he highlighted that the project offers a unique opportunity to combine the strengths and expertise of the three countries to create a state-of-the art fighter jet.
JAIEC President Kimito Nakae noted that, while the way forward might not always be simple and straightforward, he believes that by continuing with the strong spirit of collaboration fostered up to this point “we will not only deliver the GCAP on time but also at a level that exceeds all of our expectations.”
Experts see the joint venture announcement as a significant step for all three countries involved, but particularly for Japan.
“Since Japan eased its ban on arms exports in 2014 under the Shinzo Abe administration and removed further restrictions in 2022 under then-Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Tokyo has treated arms exports and joint development as an important foreign policy tool,” said Sebastian Maslow, an associate professor at the University of Tokyo.
“GCAP is the culmination of these efforts, with the joint venture set to mark a critical step forward for Japan’s defense industry,” he said.
“Not only will the move facilitate the sharing of cutting-edge technologies but also further open the door to the European defense market,” he added. In addition, GCAP will serve as a platform for Japan to accelerate joint defense projects with partners beyond the U.S.
Simon Chelton, an associate fellow at the London-based RUSI think tank, called the deal on the first joint industrial entities a “key milestone on the program,” especially as it meets the program timelines agreed to in the original 2022 pact.
The announcement comes on the heels of the GCAP treaty’s ratification last month by Italy, the last of the three countries to do so.
Signed late last year, the treaty not only binds the three countries to the program by law, it also formally established the GCAP International Government Organization (GIGO), which will act as the government counterpart of the joint venture.
“This joint venture is the first critical step allowing industrial delivery of the requirements being set by the GIGO,” Chelton said.
Based in the British town of Reading to achieve “maximum alignment” with the joint venture, GIGO will set out the aircraft’s overall capability requirements while overseeing all associated industrial constructs.
While MHI, Leonardo and BAE Systems will be the project’s lead system integrators, the program will comprise more than one business construct, with several other companies expected to come together as lead subsystem integrators and engage hundreds of subcontractors.
Although GCAP appears to be on schedule, the endeavor still faces a number of challenges, including workload distribution, an ambitious timeline and financial constraints.
The three partners are also considering whether to invite other countries to join, particularly Saudi Arabia, after Riyadh showed interest in the multinational program.
The twin-engine fighter, which is also intended for export, is set to function as a flying command center capable of controlling and coordinating other — likely autonomous — assets, with the aircraft viewed as “the centerpiece of a wider combat air system that will function across multiple domains.”
Although not part of the GCAP treaty, the companies have also begun working separately on some of their own artificial intelligence-enabled drones that could potentially operate with the fighter, with both MHI and BAE Systems unveiling last month models of uncrewed systems that could potentially tie in with the program.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.