Contributor - UK

David Donald

The Anglo-Italian-Japanese consortium developing the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) sixth-generation fighter has unveiled the latest iteration of the aircraft’s design. New models and graphics show a configuration with a large, near-delta shaped wing, broadly similar to that of other sixth-generation fighter projects taking shape in Europe and on the U.S.
That the configurations are similar is no great surprise, as operational requirements are similar, said Herman Claesen, BAE Systems’ managing director for future combat air systems. “They all need to go far, carry lots of stuff, and to do it with low observability,” he stressed.
Claesen, along with Italian and Japanese industry counterparts Guglielmo Maviglia (Leonardo) and Hitoshi Shiraishi (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries), reported that work continues at a rapid pace as the program nears its next major milestone, the full launch of a multi-year detailed design and development phase. The shape of the aircraft is beginning to crystallize as the team “homes in on the final outer mold line,” said Claesen—although what's underneath the skin is more important.
Digital design and evaluation tools have permitted a much higher rate of development than previously possible, particularly in terms of reconfigurations of various elements. Making development easier is a joint set of requirements, with Italian, Japanese and the UK governments having adapted national protocols to permit the levels of security access required to establish a detailed requirement.
The aircraft and its systems are designed to operate in a fully interoperable environment, both with other allied forces and other own-force assets such as F-35 and Typhoon. In the case of the F-35, all three nations operate the type and see the GCAP as a complementary asset bringing considerable additional capability to the existing force mix.
Also nearing maturation is the detailed industrial workshare plan. Learning from past multi-national programs such as Tornado and Typhoon, the GCAP model will likely “look different.” The plan calls for completion next year. While the GCAP aircraft is intended for export sales, it remains feasible for additional nations to join the industrial effort, but not at the expense of the development timeline.
That timeline has seen rapid progress from the first announcement of the enterprise in December 2022, underlined in the following September by a collaboration agreement by the three national industrial leads (BAE Systems, Leonardo, MHI). The governments signed a treaty in December to deliver a combat aircraft by 2035.
The nature of what that “in-service date” comprises remains undefined, but it is assumed that it will be the date at which aircraft get handed over to the air forces for them to start working up for operations. The open-architecture nature of the GCAP concept means that the traditional notion of “full operational capability” is not valid, as the platform will be constantly refined, modified, and updated throughout its service life.
Each of the countries is also conducting national technology demonstration programs that can flow technology into GCAP, such as the UK’s Future Combat Air System. That began in 2018 and is expected to produce a flying demonstrator in 2027.
For all three participants, GCAP is a major strategic program that provides operational advantages, technological sovereignty, and the prospect of generating thousands of highly-skilled jobs. The economic benefits are considerable, while those in technology—particularly in crucial fields such as digitization, artificial intelligence, and cyber security—can spin off into many other sectors.

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

New-look Global Combat Air Program On Course for Next Phase Launch

Global Combat Air Program core platform sports a new look

The Anglo-Italian-Japanese consortium developing the Global Combat Air Program sixth-generation fighter unveils latest iteration of the aircraft’s design.

New-look GCAP On Course for Next Phase Launch

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

It comes on the heels of the G800's FAA and EASA certification.

Gulfstream Racks Up 700th City Pair Record

Charles Alcock

News and developments about aircraft engines, including turbofan, turboprop, turboshaft and piston.

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

Dutch start-up aims to bring regional airliner to market in 2030

Cormorant Prepares to Start Testing Hybrid-Electric Demonstrator

Curt Epstein

Phenom and Praetor backlog now stands at $7.6 billion

Embraer Executive Jets Reaches New Backlog High

Jessica Reed

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

Aftermarket growth bolsters revenues as manufacturer continues post-strike recovery

Textron Aviation 1Q Jet Deliveries Dip, T-props Surge

Chad Trautvetter

Company hits on all cylinders as it ramps up G700 deliveries and prepares for G800 service entry

Gulfstream Deliveries, Revenues, and Earnings Soar in Q1

Kerry Lynch

G700 has already contributed 80 speed records to Gulfstream’s fleetwide 700 total

G700 Flight Brings Gulfstream Fleet to 700th Speed Record 

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

A preliminary full-scale example of the planned S-A2 model achieved its first tethered flight on March 1 

Supernal Confirms First Flight of eVTOL Tech Demonstrator

News about simulators and training procedures, as well as workforce.

Farnborough Airshow 2024

In this article

BAE Systems

Leonardo

Mitsubishi

More In Aircraft