An artist rendering of the demonstrator, set to fly for the first time in 2027, showcases a design complete with a single cockpit, twin engine, canted twin tail and delta wing blueprint.
The naming of the JV arrives 12 months after industry showcased a new concept of the future fighter designed around a conventional delta wing shape, giving increased wingspan compared to previous iterations.
The F-35 has won every competition it's been in, but now is facing new hurdles from geopolitics and new sixth-gen fighters. What's the best path forward?
“We expect to receive our first international contract this year against relatively stable, high level requirements, which is what's required to disaggregate the work allocation," Andrew Howard, director for Future Combat Air at Leonardo UK, told Breaking Defense.
Execs and officials hope that GCAP can open doors for Japan's defense industrial base to expand.
"There's [got] to be one European sixth-generation fighter jet, and then we can sell it to all the world. [That's] not the way we're doing it for the moment, and it's very frustrating," Minister Theo Francken said.
Blending superior optics, advanced stabilization and AI-powered autonomy in a compact and rugged system, ASELFLIR 600 delivers unmatched intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.
The Royal Air Force said in a statement, “In a world of increasing threat to the UK and our NATO allies, StormShroud will serve as a powerful deterrent to potential aggressors.”
To deal with the changing geopolitical landscape, Cingolani called for "stronger alliances" and "industrial synergies."
The JV is looking to tap into growing demand from the European drone market valued in excess of $100 billion over the next decade and will include production out of Italy and Turkey, Roberto Cingolani, CEO at Leonardo, told media in Rome.
"While there are several reasons why the three GCAP nations should entertain adding Saudi Arabia to the program, there are fewer clear reasons why the Saudis would want to join up," writes Bilal Saab in this op-ed.
Consolidate network monitoring, performance management, and fault isolation into a single, comprehensive solution.
All three partners will retain an equal 33.3 percent shareholding in the JV and it will be headquartered in the UK, in order to "ensure maximum alignment and collaboration with the GCAP International Government Organisation (GIGO)," which is also due to be based in the region.
According to the MoD, Excalibur is a “flying laboratory for combat air technology” which falls within the UK’s Future Combat Air System program and includes Tempest as well as additional capabilities including uncrewed aircraft, information systems and weapon systems.
The last two Typhoons on order at the Warton facility are set to be delivered in 2025, meaning BAE needs to find more export customers to keep fresh a workforce it is counting on to make the sixth-gen GCAP fighter in the future.
The joint British, Italian and Japanese effort has been the subject of uncertainty in recent months after UK Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard refused to make a long term commitment to it on grounds that doing so could "prejudge" the outcome of a new strategic defense review, set to report in mid-2025.