The United Kingdom, Japan and Italy announced on Friday (9) that they are teaming up to build a sixth-generation fighter.
The intention is for the aircraft to rival or surpass the best warplanes currently used by countries like China and Russia – and possibly even the United States, the main ally of the trio.
“We are launching the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), an ambitious effort to develop a next-generation fighter by 2035,” the British, Japanese and Italian leaders announced in a joint statement.
The leaders’ statement did not name China or Russia, but said the new fighter jet was needed because “threats and aggression are increasing” against the “free and open, rules-based international order”.
“Defending our democracy, economy and security, as well as protecting regional stability, are increasingly important issues,” the leaders said.
In a separate statement, the British government said development of the new warplane was due to start in 2024. It is expected to be in the air by 2035. The fighter will bring technologies from each of the three partners.
“The goal is for this to be a next-generation jet enhanced by a network of capabilities such as unmanned aircraft, advanced sensors, cutting-edge weapons and innovative data systems,” he added.
The new jet is seen as a replacement for the UK’s Typhoon fighters and Japan’s F-2s. The new program will see the UK, Japan and Italy go their own way without help from the US, the world’s most important warplane manufacturer.
The three countries are part of the F-35 (US fifth-generation stealth fighter) program, with which they fly the F-35s and their versions assembled in Italy and Japan. The new jet is not expected to affect the F-35 program.
US support
In a joint statement with the Japanese Ministry of Defense, the Pentagon congratulated the development of the new warplane.
“The United States supports Japan’s security and defense cooperation with allies and like partners, including the United Kingdom and Italy – two close partners of both countries – in the development of its future fighter jet,” the statement said.
At the same time, the UK-Japan-Italy statement said the new aircraft will be designed to integrate with the defense programs of all its allies and partners.
“Future interoperability with the United States, NATO and our partners across Europe, the Indo-Pacific and globally is reflected in the name we have chosen for our program. Such a concept will be central to its development,” he continued.
Leaders said the GCAP program “will support the sovereign ability of all three countries to design, deliver and upgrade cutting-edge combat air capabilities”.
Critics repeatedly say strict US export controls on military technology limit what customers of planes like the F-35 can do to tailor them to their specific needs.
The US has also been working on a sixth-generation fighter aircraft – known as the Next-Generation Air Dominance program, or NGAD.
It was designed to be the successor to the F-22, which, along with the F-35, is considered the best fighter in the world. The NGAD program has similar objectives to the UK-Japan-Italy joint plan.
“The Air Force intends for the NGAD to replace the F-22 fighter starting in 2030, possibly including a combination of manned and unmanned aircraft,” says a US Congressional Research document.
However, as of now, the US must go it alone in the NGAD program.
Common economic interests
British, Japanese and Italian leaders highlighted the benefits of working together.
“We will deepen our defense cooperation, science and technology collaboration, have integrated supply chains, and further strengthen the foundation of our defense industry,” they declared.
The project is also expected to provide an economic boost. “The program will bring wider economic and industrial benefits, bringing jobs and livelihoods in Japan, Italy and the UK,” he said.
The British statement said a 2021 analysis by consultancy PricewaterhouseCoopers predicted the new warplane program could generate around 21,000 jobs a year by 2050 and contribute around $32.1 billion. ) for the country’s economy.
Meanwhile, China and Russia are also chasing sixth-generation aircraft. China and Russia now fly fifth-generation fighters – Beijing’s J-20 and J-31 jets and Moscow’s Su-57. But US-designed F-35s are considered equal to or better than Chinese or Russian planes.
Source: CNN Brasil
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