UK, Italy, and Japan Allocate $900 Million for Next-Generation Fighter Jet Project; Japanese Media: Japan Exploring Use of Civilian Technology to Develop Low-Cost Missiles

In a statement from the joint venture "Edgewing," established by the United Kingdom, Italy, and Japan, the three countries have allocated £686 million (approximately $900 million) to implement the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), an initiative aimed at developing next-generation fighter aircraft.

The company stated: "The GCAP organization, which manages the project on behalf of the three nations, has signed a contract with Edgewing—the industrial consortium established by the three countries to lead this project. This £686 million contract is intended to fund critical design and engineering activities."

Edgewing is headquartered in the UK and was formed by major defense companies from the three nations: BAE Systems from the UK, Leonardo from Italy, and Japan Aircraft Industries from Japan.

In December 2022, leaders of Japan, Italy, and the UK reached an agreement to jointly develop a next-generation fighter jet under the GCAP framework, aiming to complete development before 2035. The aircraft will replace Japan’s F-2, and the Eurofighter Typhoon in both Italy and the UK. Key prime contractors include Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Japan, BAE Systems in the UK, and Leonardo in Italy. A formal agreement establishing the joint research organization was signed in Tokyo in mid-December 2023 by defense ministers from Japan, the UK, and Italy.

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Japanese media, citing sources, reported that the Japanese government is exploring the possibility of using civilian technology to develop low-cost, long-range missiles.

These missiles, with a range exceeding 1,000 kilometers, could be used to destroy potential enemy launchers and naval vessels. It is expected that such missiles would be built using off-the-shelf components—including aviation engines and guidance systems—significantly reducing costs compared to existing long-range missiles.

However, the main challenges associated with these missiles are their lower accuracy and susceptibility to interception.

The Japanese government plans to incorporate these considerations into its updated National Security Strategy and other key defense documents, which are scheduled for revision by the end of the year.

Source: sputniknews

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1861382812982272/

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