The defense ministers of Japan, Britain, and Italy have agreed to expedite the development of a next-generation fighter jet, with plans to finalize the first public-private contract by 2025, according to Japanese media reports. During a meeting in Naples on Saturday, Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, alongside British and Italian counterparts John Healey and Guido Crosetto, confirmed the ambitious timeline for deploying the aircraft by 2035.
The project, known as the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), is a trilateral collaboration between the UK, Italy, and Japan to create advanced fighter jets. Nakatani also revealed that Masami Oka, former vice minister of defense for international affairs, will lead the initiative.
The ministers met on the sidelines of the G7’s first-ever defense ministerial meeting, with the GCAP International Government Organization (GIGO) set to be established in Britain later this year to oversee the aircraft’s development.–News Desk