Japan, UK and Italy push for GCAP fighter jet program

Japan, the United Kingdom and Italy moved one step closer to a major milestone in their joint next-generation fighter program this week, as the three defense ministers to advance the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP). The Japanese Ministry of Defense said the meeting took place on Nov. 25 for approximately 80 minutes. GCAP is a trilateral effort to develop a sixth-generation combat aircraft by the mid-2030s, combining advanced sensors, open-architecture mission systems and a new powerplant expected to use “advanced cooling, high-temperature materials, and additive manufacturing.” GCAP aims to combine capabilities from Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the UK’s BAE Systems and Italy’s Leonardo, with a shared focus on air-dominance