Japan, Britain, and Italy have disclosed plans to collaborate in order to create a next-generation fighter jet, opening the door for potential future collaboration with allies like the United States.
This is according to a statement released on Friday.
By 2035, the new jet, which is anticipated to be completed, is anticipated to incorporate cutting-edge air warfare technology, including high-tech sensors and stealth capabilities, developed by the various nations.
In a joint statement, the three countries said the “ambitious endeavour” would “accelerate our advanced military capability and technological advantage” at a time when “threats and aggression are increasing” worldwide.
A series of pictures accompanying their announcement showed an artist’s rendition of the sleek new jets soaring past Mount Fuji, over London, and over Rome.
They did not provide a price tag, but the three nations had already invested enormous sums of money in the research and development of fighter jets. These efforts would be consolidated into the cooperative venture known as the Global Combat Air Programme.
“We share (an) ambition for this aircraft to be the centrepiece of a wider combat air system that will function across multiple domains,” the statement said.
That includes “future interoperability with the United States, with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and with our partners” in Europe, Asia and worldwide, it explained.
In a separate joint statement with Japan’s defense ministry, the US Department of Defense stated that it supported the project.
The US-Japan statement said, “We have begun important collaboration through a series of discussions on autonomous systems capabilities, which could complement Japan’s next fighter program among other platforms.”
With Italy, Britain has already been collaborating on the Tempest fighter jet project, which was unveiled in 2018 to much fanfare.
The goal was to create a twin-engined stealth aircraft by 2035 that could be flown by a human pilot or an automated system, could not be seen by radar, and had features like laser-directed weapons and a virtual cockpit.
