The European Commission has approved the creation of a new joint venture that will serve as the lead integrator and prime contractor for the Global Combat Air Programme stealth fighter project.
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The JV – comprising BAE Systems of the United Kingdom, Leonardo of Italy and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co. of Japan – cleared European Union merger laws after the EC, which serves as the executive arm of the EU, found no competition concerns in the Italian or global export markets for a multi-role combat aircraft. The commission said this is due to the lack of horizontal overlaps between the participating companies’ activities in the relevant markets.
Announced in December, the joint venture is part of a 2022 trilateral agreement between the three entities. The JV will be tasked with designing, developing and delivering a sixth-generation combat aircraft intended for deployment by the U.K., Italy, and Japan by 2035. Program responsibilities will be distributed evenly across the three nations. The aircraft is expected to remain in service beyond 2070, with the JV retaining design authority over the aircraft for GCAP’s entire duration.
According to Leonardo, each of the three companies will hold a 33.3 percent stake in the new entity. While the JV will maintain operations and teams in each partner nation, its headquarters will be located in the U.K., where the GCAP International Government Organisation will be based. It is set to be formally established by mid-2025, with its first CEO coming from Italy.