Burnham says UK is open to Germany joining GCAP fighter effort with Italy, Japan

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham declared on October 8, 2026, that the United Kingdom is open to Germany joining the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), the next-generation fighter jet project Britain is developing with Italy and Japan.

Burnham made the remarks at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin, during his first visit to the German capital as prime minister.

“I’ve indicated to the chancellor our openness to Germany joining GCAP,” Burnham said, adding that London would seek to move the idea forward “in the coming period” with Italy and Japan.

Berlin says talks are at an early stage

However, the statement does not guarantee German membership. A German official told reporters that no decision had been made and that Berlin was still reviewing its options, though Merz prefers a European solution over Germany developing a fighter on its own.

Speaking to POLITICO, a senior German official described Burnham’s statement as “a first, small step” rather than a decision or preliminary decision. POLITICO reported in September 2026 that Berlin had held exploratory talks about joining GCAP.

Germany’s potential role: cost sharing vs. risk of delays

GCAP aims to build a sixth-generation stealth fighter, informally known as Tempest, with entry into service targeted for 2035. The industrial side is led by BAE Systems, Leonardo and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

The program was designed to allow different levels of participation. Canada joined as its first observer nation in July, and Saudi Arabia has long been named as another possible member.

Some defense analysts see Germany as a good fit, because the country already has a growing defense budget and is working with Britain and Italy on the Eurofighter Typhoon. 

For Britain, whose defense budget is under pressure, another partner could help to share the costs. Italy has previously noted that it is open to new members for the same reason.

Japan may be harder to persuade, however. It is focused on the 2035 target due to the security threat from China and because it plans to begin retiring its F-2 fighters in the mid-2030s. 

Linus Terhorst, a research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, told PA Media that German participation could bring extra funding and economies of scale. He cautioned, however, that the program could be disrupted if Berlin pushed hard for a large design role, its own capability requirements and a big workshare for German industry. He argued that such a collaboration would need to be “very carefully managed”.

Hybrid threats and closer EU ties also on the agenda

The two leaders also launched a new partnership to counter hybrid threats and ratified the UK-Germany Kensington Treaty. The treaty was signed in July 2025 and covers cooperation in defense, security, science, technology and economic growth.

Burnham highlighted that both countries face hybrid attacks on a regular basis, including interference in democratic processes, and that it made sense to counter them together. The visit came after Britain summoned a senior Russian diplomat in September 2026 over a drone attack at Germany’s Leipzig airport, a freight hub used to supply Ukraine.

Burnham also stressed that he was committed to deeper cooperation with the European Union at an upcoming UK-EU summit, expected toward the end of the year. According to Merz, Germany would do everything it could to bring Britain closer to the bloc.

Background: the collapse of the Franco-German FCAS fighter

Germany is looking for a new path after the manned fighter at the center of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) collapsed in June 2026. Then-Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron launched FCAS in 2017 as Europe’s flagship sixth-generation combat air program, with an estimated cost of about $115 billion (roughly EU 100 billion). Spain later joined as a partner.

The project stalled over a workshare dispute between Airbus, representing Germany, and France’s Dassault Aviation, which wanted the lead contractor role instead of an equal partnership. The two countries also needed different aircraft: France requires a nuclear-capable, carrier-compatible jet, while Germany does not. After mediation failed in April, Merz told Macron on June 6 that the two countries would not build a shared fighter, according to German business daily Handelsblatt.

The two countries are still jointly developing FCAS’s combat cloud, a digital network linking aircraft, drones and satellites. Dassault is now working on France’s next fighter on its own, while Airbus is expected to lead a separate German program. Both jets are planned for the early 2040s.

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