Joint Venture for Sixth-Generation Stealth Fighter Jet

BAE Systems (LON:BAES), Leonardo, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries have announced a joint venture to develop a sixth-generation stealth fighter jet, targeting operational readiness by 2035.

Overview of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP)

The GCAP aims to create a supersonic stealth fighter designed to serve beyond 2070. Each partner company—BAE Systems from the U.K., Leonardo from Italy, and Mitsubishi's subsidiary Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement—holds an equal 33.3% stake in the venture.

Responsibilities and Structure

A joint statement released on Friday outlined the responsibilities for the aircraft's design, development, and delivery, including future upgrades while the jet is operational. The venture will be headquartered in Reading, U.K., and is expected to become operational by mid-2025, with collaboration across partner nations. The initial CEO will be appointed from Italy.

International Support

This collaboration is backed by an international treaty among the U.K., Italy, and Japan, and plans to include a fleet of drones as well as advanced computational systems for real-time decision-making. Leonardo's CEO, Roberto Cingolani, likened this project to large-scale space initiatives.

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