Historic Defense Collaboration
TOKYO, Dec 6 (Reuters) – In a groundbreaking move, Japan, Britain, and Italy are poised to sign a pivotal treaty in Tokyo next week. This treaty will lay the foundation for a joint organisation and industry group dedicated to the development of their planned state-of-the-art jet fighter. This initiative marks a significant milestone in defense collaboration, bringing together three of the world’s leading nations in aerospace technology.
An inter-governmental body will be established to oversee this ambitious venture, with key industry players such as Britain’s BAE Systems PLC, Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and Italy’s Leonardo at the helm. This consortium will be responsible for allocating tasks across various teams within the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), focusing on critical aspects such as engine development and avionics.
Despite the confidentiality surrounding the negotiations, it has been disclosed that Japan and Britain are set to play a dominant role in GCAP, each taking approximately a 40% share of the workload. This detail emerges amidst previous speculation which was categorically dismissed by Rome as “speculative”. The defense ministries involved have yet to make an official statement, and representatives from the respective embassies have not commented on the matter.
The ratification of this treaty by the parliaments of the participating countries will solidify a partnership initiated a year prior, which saw London and Tokyo merge their next-generation fighter projects in a landmark defense industry collaboration. Leadership of the project is expected to rotate among the three nations, with Japan’s Masami Oka, a seasoned advisor to the defense ministry, tipped as the inaugural leader.
