Italy pushes to expand GCAP fighter jet project as more nations show interest

Italy has opened the possibility of bringing more countries into the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), the next-generation fighter jet initiative being developed jointly by Italy, Britain and Japan, as Rome looks to reduce costs and expand industrial cooperation.

Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said on Tuesday that the project could benefit from wider international participation, with countries including Canada, Germany and Saudi Arabia among those that could potentially join the venture.

“The country most interested at the moment seems to be Canada as an observer; we are fully open to it,” Crosetto told reporters on the sidelines of an event in Rome.

“If Germany or other countries, or Saudi Arabia, were to come in, we would be completely willing, because the more there are, the greater the chances of creating something and bringing down costs,” he said.

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The GCAP programme aims to develop a sixth-generation fighter aircraft by 2035 through a partnership between Britain’s BAE Systems, Italy’s Leonardo and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement (JAIEC), which is supported by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

The project is designed to replace existing fighter aircraft fleets and integrate advanced technologies, including next-generation sensors, artificial intelligence capabilities and enhanced connectivity systems.

Push for wider defence cooperation

Crosetto’s comments come as European countries reassess their defence cooperation plans following the collapse of another major fighter development effort between France and Germany.

Earlier this month, Berlin and Paris agreed to abandon a long-running project aimed at developing a new-generation combat aircraft after failing to resolve disagreements between the defence companies involved.

The breakdown of the Franco-German initiative has increased attention around alternative multinational defence programmes such as GCAP.

Leonardo CEO Roberto Cingolani recently said Germany would be a particularly valuable partner for the GCAP project, citing Berlin’s industrial expertise and experience in advanced defence manufacturing.

Italy believes expanding GCAP membership could strengthen the programme’s financial foundation while allowing more countries to contribute technology, expertise and investment.

Balancing costs and strategic ambitions

The development of advanced fighter aircraft requires significant financial commitments, and defence officials involved in GCAP have emphasised that international cooperation will be critical to keeping the project viable.

The programme represents a strategic effort by Britain, Italy and Japan to maintain independent capabilities in advanced air combat technology amid growing competition from other military powers.

For potential new partners, joining GCAP could provide access to a future fighter ecosystem while supporting domestic defence industries through shared manufacturing and research opportunities.

However, any expansion of the partnership would require agreement among the existing members on issues such as technology sharing, industrial participation and decision-making structures.

With military modernisation becoming a priority for many countries, Italy believes a broader coalition could help turn GCAP into a more economically sustainable and strategically significant defence programme.

With inputs from agencies