Japanese media: The joint development project of the next-generation fighter jets by Japan, the UK, and Italy has been postponed.

Reference News Network, February 13 According to Japan's Asahi Shimbun on February 11, the joint development project for the next-generation fighter jets among Japan, the UK, and Italy, known as the "Global Combat Air Program" (GCAP), is facing a delay in its deployment target of 2035. The public-private partnership contract, originally scheduled to be signed by the end of 2025, has been postponed due to issues on the UK side, leaving the project's prospects filled with uncertainty.

Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi plans to attend the Munich Security Conference in Germany from the 13th to the 15th, where he will meet with his counterparts from the UK and Italy to discuss the fighter jet project.

The three countries decided at the end of 2022 to jointly develop the next-generation fighter jet. They agreed that by the end of 2025, the Global Combat Air Program International Government Organization (GIGO), responsible for the fighter jet development, would sign a contract with the Tempest company, which is a joint venture established by aircraft design and development companies from Japan, the UK, and Italy.

However, according to multiple sources, the UK’s defense investment plan has not yet been finalized, preventing the UK from securing the budget related to GCAP, thus causing delays in the project. Given the unclear timeline for the UK’s defense plan, alternatives are being considered, such as having Japan and Italy share costs initially, allowing them to proceed without waiting for the UK’s defense plan to be released.

According to several officials from Japan's Ministry of Defense, during a video conference of the three countries' defense ministers last November, Nobuo Kishi strongly urged the UK to complete the contract signing by the end of the year.

At a press conference following a cabinet meeting on the 10th of this month, Kishi stated, “We are in the final stages of coordination with the goal of signing the contract.”

Concerns about the overall delay of the project stem from difficulties in coordination among the three countries and differing perceptions of the pace of progress. This fighter jet is intended to replace the Japan Air Self-Defense Force's F-2 and the UK and Italy's Typhoon jets. Japan plans to gradually retire the F-2 starting in 2035, making it especially critical to complete the deployment of the next-generation fighter jet before then. According to an insider in Japan's defense industry, “Japan has different levels of enthusiasm for advancing the project compared to the UK and Italy, as the UK and Italy have a more relaxed timeline for retiring the Typhoon jets.”

Currently, Japan is also engaging with other countries to expand the market once the project is realized. Reports indicate that besides Saudi Arabia, Australia, Singapore, Canada, and India are also potential targets. As more countries join the project, the market continues to expand, and the development cost per aircraft will continue to decrease. However, depending on the mode of participation, there are concerns about potential deployment delays and core information leaks.

According to a source from the Prime Minister's Office, Germany has also shown interest in joining GCAP. Another government source stated, “Of course, the wider the market, the better, but having too many stakeholders can lead to complications and delays, which is not what we want to see.”

Given the uncertainty surrounding the project's prospects, some within the relevant companies have predicted that the actual deployment time will be pushed back to after 2040. The Japanese side remains committed to strictly adhering to the 2035 deployment timeline and intends to continue advancing relevant discussions. (Translated by Liu Lin)