UK-led fighter program is still open-ish to paying partners

LONDON — The prospect of another nation joining the trilateral Global Combat Air Program remains on the table, but an expansion would require additional work on an already demanding timeline, officials involved in the sixth-generation fighter effort said.

Representatives from the Italian, British and Japanese GCAP lead companies showcased a new concept model of their proposed aircraft at the Farnborough Airshow here , which featured a large wingspan for increased aerodynamics.

Executives noted that the latest version of the concept development was a representation of the power of the three-way cooperation between BAE Systems, Leonardo and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

“In the work we’ve done so far, with our colleagues in Japan and Italy, we find that our operational requirements align very well, there is a common approach with regards to what the threats are for the future and our collaboration is also very complementary,” Herman Claesen, managing director for future combat air systems at BAE Systems told reporters.

The possibility of the program expanding to include an additional nation has loomed for some time now, with the idea of Saudi Arabia in the mix tickling the imagination of the global aviation commentariat. Officially, there is no such course of action.

“What we can say is that we are developing a construct that is able and open for other partners –partners are absolutely important because the export market is relevant for the business case [of the program],” Guglielmo Maviglia, chief global combat air program officer at Leonardo, said.

The GCAP program is following a “very demanding timeline,” said Claesen, a reference to the envisioned in-service date of 2035.

When pressed on whether introducing a new country may cause delays in meeting the strict schedule, Maviglia said it was unlikely and that it would “require an extra effort.”

“What I can assure you is that in the event that such a decision was taken, it would not interrupt our ongoing activities – we have a clear picture about the program and hitting our targets,” he told Defense News.