The United Kingdom, Italy and Japan sealed the future of their future supersonic combat aircraft, expected in 2035, on Friday December 13, with the creation of a joint venture dedicated to its design. This tenth generation device initiative could come ahead of a competing European project led by Paris, Berlin and Madrid.
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Last July, at the Farnborough Air Show, the model of the future supersonic combat aircraft was unveiled. On site, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer insisted on “ the importance ” of program developed with Italy and Japan. Five months later, the project is accelerating with the creation of a joint venture by manufacturers from the three countries. The British BAE Systems, the Italian Leonardo and the Japanese JAIEC will each own a third of the new entity. Their mission is to develop and finance the project estimated at several billion euros.
The creation of this company, which will begin its activities in mid-2025, is part of a joint program between London, Rome and Tokyo, called GCAP (Global Combat Air Program). announced in 2022. Ultimately, the sixth generation fighter plane, more aerodynamic and therefore faster, must replace the Japanese F2, as well as the British and Italian Eurofighters. Its delivery is expected in 2035. Its lifespan “ expected to extend beyond 2070 ”, according to the press release.
The Italian-British-Japanese project will revolve around the aircraft with accompanying drones, all connected with the other military resources involved in an operation.
If the schedule is respected, the device should enter service at least five years before one of its major competitors, the Scaf. This project is supported by France, Germany and Spain. The general director of Airbus Defense and Space, Mike Schoellhorn, estimated in July that such a situation of competition between the two projects was “not not logical » in view of the billions of euros of investments to be made.
The general director of the Italian Leonardo, Roberto Cingolani, had not ruled out a possible merger “ in the future » with the Paris, Madrid and Berlin project. “ I’m not talking about fusion, maybe that’s too much, but certainly about collaboration “, he confided.