Edgewing Joint Venture to Develop Sixth-Generation GCAP Fighter Launched

BAE Systems (UK), Leonardo (Italy) and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co. (Japan) established a joint venture, Edgewing, to develop the sixth generation GCAP fighter.

This became known from the press release of Edgewing.

Edgewing will be responsible for the design and development of the next-generation GCAP combat aircraft and will remain the design authority for the entire life of the product, which is expected to last until 2070.

It is stated that the newly created company will play a key role in achieving the program’s ambitious goals, including a 2035 in-service date. At the same time, it will set a new standard for trilateral industrial partnerships between Europe and Asia.

Marco Zoff, former managing director of Leonardo Aircraft Division, will become the first CEO of Edgewing. Zoff has extensive leadership experience in international cooperation and innovation in the aerospace industry.

“We are extremely pleased to launch Edgewing as part of the Global Combat Aviation Program. By combining the strength of our talented employees in the UK, Italy and Japan, we are not only creating a next-generation combat aircraft system, but also aiming to set a new global standard for partnership, innovation and trust,” said Marco Zoff.

The company will have joint teams operating in each of the partner countries and will be headquartered in the UK to ensure maximum alignment and collaboration with GIGO.

GCAP

The Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) is a joint program to develop a sixth-generation fighter jet between the United Kingdom, Italy and Japan. The aircraft are expected to enter service by 2035.

Although the fighter jet will be a joint development of three countries, each of them will receive different radar equipment, systems, and missile and bomb weapons.

The development combines the national programs of three countries: the British Tempest, Italian efforts based on the Leonardo company, and the Japanese F-X program. The promising aircraft is intended to replace the Eurofighter Typhoon and Mitsubishi F-2.

The key participants in the project are the British BAE Systems, Italian Leonardo, and Japanese Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, represented by its subsidiary Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co. Rolls-Royce, IHI Corporation, and other leading manufacturers are involved in the development of the engine.

In July 2024, it was reported that BAE Systems had begun assembling the first prototype of a new generation fighter jet, the BAE Tempest. According to plans, the process should be completed in 2026. It is expected to make its first flight in 2027.