The leading defense electronics companies from Japan, the United Kingdom, and Italy have formed a consortium to design and develop the sensor and communication systems of the trinational program for the future sixth-generation fighter, known as the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP).
The agreement was reached by Mitsubishi Electric (Japan), Leonardo UK (United Kingdom), Leonardo, and ELT Group (Italy). These companies had announced in March 2023, during the DSEI Japan exhibition, the signing of a collaboration agreement, which was formalized in August 2025 through a consortium agreement.
The group, named GCAP Electronics Evolution (G2E), is preparing to receive a contract from Edgewing, the joint venture created in June by BAE Systems (UK), Leonardo (Italy), and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co. (Japan), responsible for the design and construction of the future combat aircraft.
The consortium will be in charge of developing the Integrated Sensing and Non-Kinetic Effects & Integrated Communications Systems (ISANKE & ICS), considered one of the core components of the GCAP. In addition, it will be responsible for the Through-Life Support Service (TLSS) throughout the fighter’s entire life cycle.
According to the partners, the system will allow the integration and exploitation of large volumes of information in complex operational environments, marking a key difference compared to previous generations of fighters. The consortium’s leadership will be based in Reading, United Kingdom, near the headquarters of the GCAP International Government Organisation (GIGO), which represents the defense ministries of the three nations.
Program background
In June, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Japan announced the creation of Edgewing as the joint venture tasked with leading the design and development of the future sixth-generation fighter. The organization will be headquartered in Reading, with strategic offices in Italy and Japan. Marco Zoff, former general manager of Leonardo’s aeronautics division, was appointed to lead the project.
The goal is for the aircraft to achieve operational capability by 2035 and maintain technological relevance beyond 2070, strengthening trilateral defense cooperation.
In July, BAE Systems confirmed that the prototype’s first flight remains scheduled for 2027. The British company released an image of the final design, which will serve as a testbed to validate critical technologies.
The prototype, still without an official name though speculated to carry the “Tempest” designation, will feature twin canted tails, two engines, and a larger cropped delta wing compared to earlier models. It will include components from existing platforms, such as the EJ200 engines from the Eurofighter Typhoon, with the aim of accelerating development and reducing technical risks.
“The prototype is already two-thirds structurally complete, with the main fuselage, wings, and vertical stabilizers taking shape. Final assembly, testing, and validation stages will begin shortly to meet the goal of flying in 2027,” the British company explained.
Next steps
With the formation of the G2E consortium, the three nations are advancing in parallel on the development of the platform and its mission systems. The schedule aims to meet the deadlines set by the GCAP, which calls for the fighter’s entry into service in 2035.
Images for illustrative purposes only.
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AloJapan.com