The tri-national Global Combat Air Platform (GCAP) programme, intended to deliver a next-generation fighter to the air forces of the UK, Italy, and Japan, is looking at a production order of 350 units by 2035.
Formed through a merging of the UK-led Tempest and Japan’s F-X programmes, GCAP will produce a sixth-generation fighter with industries from the three partner nations collaborating on design and manufacture.
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Leading their respective national contributions are BAE Systems (UK), Mitsubishi (Japan), and Leonardo (Italy). Across European partners the UK and Italy, the GCAP fighter will replace the fourth-generation Eurofighter multirole combat aircraft in service.
In 2022 it was revealed that the UK had already begun work on a technology demonstrator aircraft under its national Future Combat Aircraft System programme, with a first flight test due by 2027.
Cited in Italian aerospace and defence prime Leonardo’s Industrial Plan, published on 11 March, it was revealed that there was the possibility in bringing new partners onboard to “accelerate development” of the GCAP programme.
“To date, the programme is based on investments amounting to €40bn ($43.4bn) by 2035. A total of 350 platform orders for the entire joint venture are expected by 2035,” Leonardo stated.
How many GCAP fighters will each nation operate?
With the UK due to axe its 30 older Tranche 1 Eurofighters by 2027, and no decision taken on any additional orders, a UK requirement could be for around 107 aircraft, or the same number of later variant Typhoons operated by the RAF (67 x Tranche 2 and 40 x Tranche 3).
Italy has around 93 Eurofighters in service, ordering 24 of the latest Tranche 3 models in 2024 to replace older aircraft due to leave service.
Japan meanwhile operates approximately 90 Mitsubishi F-2 fighters, which are due to be placed by the GCAP in the 2035 timeframe.
Combining all three current fleets of Italian and UK Eurofighters, together with planned replacements, there exists a minimum requirement for around 290 fourth generation fighters to be replaced by the GCAP platform.
It is not known where the additional 60 GCAP aircraft will be distributed. It could be the case that each partner nation will acquire slightly more GCAP fighters to replace their respective national fourth generation aircraft, to around 110-120 airframes each.
The UK has listed the FCAS programme as ‘red’ in its latest report into key defence programmes, indicating that on current trajectory it is unlikely to deliver in the stated timeframe.
