Japan, Italy and the United Kingdom are joining forces to develop GCAP’s future sixth generation fighter

Through an official statement issued by the Japanese Ministry of Defense, it was announced that on December 14, the Defense Ministers of Italy and Japan, along with the United Kingdom Defense Minister, met in Tokyo for a meeting Trilateral Defense Ministerial Meeting with Focus on Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) And signing a series of agreements Related to building the future sixth generation fighter.

In principle, one of the important and expected points related to the signing of the state establishment agreement was highlighted. Global Combat Air Program. This line not only mentions the intention to deliver a new generation of combat aircraft by 2035, but also indicates the idea of ​​strengthening the defense industrial base of each country.

The latter goes hand in hand with the agreement concluded in September between the two companies BAE Systems from the United Kingdom, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries from Japan, and Leonardo from Italy. In this context, the next steps for delivery were agreed upon Conceptual design phase of the future fighter emerging from the Tempest project – FX-1. The core of this aircraft will be a system of systems that will operate in five domains: air, land, sea, space and cyberspace. In addition, it will be linked to other manned and unmanned terminal systems.

While it is expected that the final design of the fighter will be agreed upon between 2024-2025, it is The first test flight of the technology demonstrator is scheduled for 2027.

On the other hand, the ministers highlighted the progress made in establishing this institution Intergovernmental organization Global Appeal against Poverty (GIGO). The three ministers confirmed that The distribution of work will be proportional to each country’s contribution Through financial and technical means, in the spirit of equal partnership.

Finally, it was confirmed that the headquarters of this organization will be in the United Kingdom. The first Executive Director of GCAP will be from Japan, and the first Executive Director of the joint business structure will be from Italy.

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