Japan reportedly approaches India to join sixth-generation GCAP fighter program to reduce costs and reinforce Indo-Pacific defense ties
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According to Kyodo on April 30, 2025, Japan has proposed that India join the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), a sixth-generation fighter development initiative jointly led by Japan, the United Kingdom, and Italy. A Japanese government official confirmed that representatives visited India in February 2025 to brief Indian authorities on the GCAP and extend an invitation to participate. The objective was to explore burden-sharing opportunities in response to the high financial costs of development, as well as to strengthen defense cooperation with India, which is already a strategic partner in the Indo-Pacific region.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Japan’s proposal to India follows multiple previous efforts by GCAP stakeholders to evaluate or respond to expressions of interest from other countries, such as Australia, Canada, and Saudi Arabia. (Picture source: GCAP)
According to the Japanese side, the Modi government showed interest, viewing the proposal as consistent with its “Make in India” initiative focused on increasing domestic defense production. However, concerns have been raised within Japan’s defense establishment regarding India’s longstanding defense relationship with Russia, specifically its operational use of the S-400 air defense system. Japanese officials noted that cooperation with India might raise concerns among the United Kingdom and Italy, particularly due to the sensitivity of advanced military technologies, potential for divergence over export controls or third-party technology transfers, and differing positions on defense relations with Russia. One Japanese defense ministry source voiced apprehension that India might benefit from the program while risking potential technology leakage, stating bluntly, “Are we sure we won’t just have our technology extracted?”
Japan’s proposal to India follows multiple previous efforts by GCAP stakeholders to evaluate or respond to expressions of interest from other countries. Saudi Arabia has sought to join the program and engaged in direct negotiations. Italy and the United Kingdom have both signaled some level of willingness to consider its participation. Japan has opposed the inclusion of Saudi Arabia, citing the risk of delays to the program’s timeline and the potential for complications involving defense export policies. Saudi Arabia has stated that any participation must involve localized industrial roles, in line with its national objectives to reinvest 50% of defense spending domestically by 2030. In December 2024, Leonardo’s CEO indicated openness to Saudi involvement if the United Kingdom reduced its role following a review by the new government. Discussions continued into 2025, with further statements from Italian and Saudi officials confirming that potential pathways remained under consideration.
Germany was also reported in late 2023 to be exploring an exit from the SCAF program in favor of GCAP, though several industrial representatives involved in GCAP expressed doubt about Germany’s possible integration. Sweden, which had cooperated with the UK and Italy in the early phases of the Tempest project, withdrew from trilateral talks in 2023 and stated that no decision on a new fighter would be made until after 2031. Australia and Canada have also demonstrated interest in GCAP, particularly in the context of recent developments in their respective relationships with the United States. At the 2025 Avalon Airshow, the Royal Australian Air Force received a GCAP briefing, while Canadian parliamentary discussions addressed the feasibility of exploring non-U.S. alternatives for next-generation fighter acquisition.
The Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) was established in December 2022 as a joint project between Japan, the United Kingdom, and Italy, integrating the UK-led BAE Systems Tempest program and Japan’s Mitsubishi F-X program. A formal treaty establishing the Global Combat Air Programme International Government Organisation (GIGO) was signed in Tokyo in December 2023. GIGO is headquartered in the United Kingdom and will coordinate development efforts across the three partner nations, with Japan providing the first chief executive and Italy the first head of the business entity. The project is structured as an equal partnership. BAE Systems, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and Leonardo are the principal contractors, each managing defined areas of the aircraft’s development.
The Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) was established in December 2022 as a joint project between Japan, the United Kingdom, and Italy, integrating the UK-led BAE Systems Tempest program and Japan’s Mitsubishi F-X program. (Picture source: BAE Systems)
BAE is responsible for airframe design and systems integration in the UK; Leonardo manages mission systems and flight integration in Italy; and Mitsubishi leads Japanese efforts, supported by IHI Corporation (engines) and Mitsubishi Electric (electronics). On December 13, 2024, the three firms announced the creation of a joint venture with equal shares (33.3% each), to be based in the UK. National regulatory approval is expected in mid-2025. According to official announcements, the company will coordinate closely with GIGO and manage the design, production, and delivery phases of the GCAP aircraft.
The fighter is expected to enter service by 2035 and will feature low observability, internal weapons bays, an extended range on internal fuel, and advanced sensor fusion. The aircraft is designed to support manned-unmanned teaming, artificial intelligence-assisted operations, and open-architecture systems for flexible upgrade paths. In 2024, an updated concept model with a full-scale prototype was displayed at the Farnborough Airshow. The revised delta-wing configuration suggested increased fuel and weapons capacity. BAE Systems is constructing a demonstrator aircraft featuring two EJ200 engines and Pyramid avionics, with the first flight planned for 2027. Manufacturing processes include additive manufacturing, hot isostatic pressing, and the integration of stealth features and internal weapon bays. Rolls-Royce, Leonardo UK, and MBDA UK are contributing to engine, electronic, and weapons systems development, respectively. The demonstrator will include ISANKE and ICS systems, with components integrated via Excalibur, a Boeing 757-based testbed operated by Leonardo UK and 2Excel. The Excalibur aircraft is undergoing continued testing, including radar demonstrator installations and communications systems evaluations.
As of early 2025, approximately 9,000 personnel are engaged in GCAP-related activities, with around 600 suppliers in the UK and 400 in Italy and Japan. Leonardo has secured €100 million in GCAP-related contracts and confirmed that Italy’s Ministry of Defence has allocated €8.8 billion to the program. Japan’s Ministry of Defense continues to support the program with data and experience from its Mitsubishi X-2 experimental aircraft and XF9 engine demonstrator. It was reported on March 12, 2025, that 350 production aircraft may be ordered by 2035, exceeding the combined existing Eurofighter Typhoon and F-2 fleets of the three countries, which total at least 290 units. Design philosophy centers on modular upgrades without a designated full operational capability milestone, to allow progressive capability improvements throughout the aircraft’s lifecycle.
In March 2024, Japan revised its arms export framework to allow the transfer of GCAP aircraft to third countries under specific conditions. Transfers are limited to finished products, recipients must not be involved in active armed conflict, and export destinations must be bound by international defense agreements with Japan that align with the United Nations Charter. These revisions aligned Japan’s export policy with the positions of the UK and Italy, who have emphasized third-party exports as necessary to reduce unit costs. The treaty establishing GIGO was ratified by the Japanese Diet on June 5, 2024, followed by the UK Parliament in September 2024 and the Italian Parliament in November 2024. On January 15, 2025, the UK Ministry of Defence confirmed that GIGO would be headquartered in Reading, led by Oka Masami of Japan as the inaugural CEO. Japanese sources noted that further dialogue will be needed to determine if India’s involvement can proceed without compromising the project’s objectives or disrupting internal consensus among the existing three partner nations.
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According to Kyodo on April 30, 2025, Japan has proposed that India join the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), a sixth-generation fighter development initiative jointly led by Japan, the United Kingdom, and Italy. A Japanese government official confirmed that representatives visited India in February 2025 to brief Indian authorities on the GCAP and extend an invitation to participate. The objective was to explore burden-sharing opportunities in response to the high financial costs of development, as well as to strengthen defense cooperation with India, which is already a strategic partner in the Indo-Pacific region.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Japan’s proposal to India follows multiple previous efforts by GCAP stakeholders to evaluate or respond to expressions of interest from other countries, such as Australia, Canada, and Saudi Arabia. (Picture source: GCAP)
According to the Japanese side, the Modi government showed interest, viewing the proposal as consistent with its “Make in India” initiative focused on increasing domestic defense production. However, concerns have been raised within Japan’s defense establishment regarding India’s longstanding defense relationship with Russia, specifically its operational use of the S-400 air defense system. Japanese officials noted that cooperation with India might raise concerns among the United Kingdom and Italy, particularly due to the sensitivity of advanced military technologies, potential for divergence over export controls or third-party technology transfers, and differing positions on defense relations with Russia. One Japanese defense ministry source voiced apprehension that India might benefit from the program while risking potential technology leakage, stating bluntly, “Are we sure we won’t just have our technology extracted?”
Japan’s proposal to India follows multiple previous efforts by GCAP stakeholders to evaluate or respond to expressions of interest from other countries. Saudi Arabia has sought to join the program and engaged in direct negotiations. Italy and the United Kingdom have both signaled some level of willingness to consider its participation. Japan has opposed the inclusion of Saudi Arabia, citing the risk of delays to the program’s timeline and the potential for complications involving defense export policies. Saudi Arabia has stated that any participation must involve localized industrial roles, in line with its national objectives to reinvest 50% of defense spending domestically by 2030. In December 2024, Leonardo’s CEO indicated openness to Saudi involvement if the United Kingdom reduced its role following a review by the new government. Discussions continued into 2025, with further statements from Italian and Saudi officials confirming that potential pathways remained under consideration.
Germany was also reported in late 2023 to be exploring an exit from the SCAF program in favor of GCAP, though several industrial representatives involved in GCAP expressed doubt about Germany’s possible integration. Sweden, which had cooperated with the UK and Italy in the early phases of the Tempest project, withdrew from trilateral talks in 2023 and stated that no decision on a new fighter would be made until after 2031. Australia and Canada have also demonstrated interest in GCAP, particularly in the context of recent developments in their respective relationships with the United States. At the 2025 Avalon Airshow, the Royal Australian Air Force received a GCAP briefing, while Canadian parliamentary discussions addressed the feasibility of exploring non-U.S. alternatives for next-generation fighter acquisition.
The Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) was established in December 2022 as a joint project between Japan, the United Kingdom, and Italy, integrating the UK-led BAE Systems Tempest program and Japan’s Mitsubishi F-X program. A formal treaty establishing the Global Combat Air Programme International Government Organisation (GIGO) was signed in Tokyo in December 2023. GIGO is headquartered in the United Kingdom and will coordinate development efforts across the three partner nations, with Japan providing the first chief executive and Italy the first head of the business entity. The project is structured as an equal partnership. BAE Systems, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and Leonardo are the principal contractors, each managing defined areas of the aircraft’s development.
The Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) was established in December 2022 as a joint project between Japan, the United Kingdom, and Italy, integrating the UK-led BAE Systems Tempest program and Japan’s Mitsubishi F-X program. (Picture source: BAE Systems)
BAE is responsible for airframe design and systems integration in the UK; Leonardo manages mission systems and flight integration in Italy; and Mitsubishi leads Japanese efforts, supported by IHI Corporation (engines) and Mitsubishi Electric (electronics). On December 13, 2024, the three firms announced the creation of a joint venture with equal shares (33.3% each), to be based in the UK. National regulatory approval is expected in mid-2025. According to official announcements, the company will coordinate closely with GIGO and manage the design, production, and delivery phases of the GCAP aircraft.
The fighter is expected to enter service by 2035 and will feature low observability, internal weapons bays, an extended range on internal fuel, and advanced sensor fusion. The aircraft is designed to support manned-unmanned teaming, artificial intelligence-assisted operations, and open-architecture systems for flexible upgrade paths. In 2024, an updated concept model with a full-scale prototype was displayed at the Farnborough Airshow. The revised delta-wing configuration suggested increased fuel and weapons capacity. BAE Systems is constructing a demonstrator aircraft featuring two EJ200 engines and Pyramid avionics, with the first flight planned for 2027. Manufacturing processes include additive manufacturing, hot isostatic pressing, and the integration of stealth features and internal weapon bays. Rolls-Royce, Leonardo UK, and MBDA UK are contributing to engine, electronic, and weapons systems development, respectively. The demonstrator will include ISANKE and ICS systems, with components integrated via Excalibur, a Boeing 757-based testbed operated by Leonardo UK and 2Excel. The Excalibur aircraft is undergoing continued testing, including radar demonstrator installations and communications systems evaluations.
As of early 2025, approximately 9,000 personnel are engaged in GCAP-related activities, with around 600 suppliers in the UK and 400 in Italy and Japan. Leonardo has secured €100 million in GCAP-related contracts and confirmed that Italy’s Ministry of Defence has allocated €8.8 billion to the program. Japan’s Ministry of Defense continues to support the program with data and experience from its Mitsubishi X-2 experimental aircraft and XF9 engine demonstrator. It was reported on March 12, 2025, that 350 production aircraft may be ordered by 2035, exceeding the combined existing Eurofighter Typhoon and F-2 fleets of the three countries, which total at least 290 units. Design philosophy centers on modular upgrades without a designated full operational capability milestone, to allow progressive capability improvements throughout the aircraft’s lifecycle.
In March 2024, Japan revised its arms export framework to allow the transfer of GCAP aircraft to third countries under specific conditions. Transfers are limited to finished products, recipients must not be involved in active armed conflict, and export destinations must be bound by international defense agreements with Japan that align with the United Nations Charter. These revisions aligned Japan’s export policy with the positions of the UK and Italy, who have emphasized third-party exports as necessary to reduce unit costs. The treaty establishing GIGO was ratified by the Japanese Diet on June 5, 2024, followed by the UK Parliament in September 2024 and the Italian Parliament in November 2024. On January 15, 2025, the UK Ministry of Defence confirmed that GIGO would be headquartered in Reading, led by Oka Masami of Japan as the inaugural CEO. Japanese sources noted that further dialogue will be needed to determine if India’s involvement can proceed without compromising the project’s objectives or disrupting internal consensus among the existing three partner nations.
