Global Combat Air Programme: Meeting Between Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom

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The Minister of Defense, Guido Crosetto, held an important video conference with the Japanese Minister of Defense, Shinjirō Koizumi, and the UK Secretary of State for Defense, John Healey. The focus was on the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), an international sixth-generation aerospace program, "crucial for generating innovative capabilities, even those not traditionally linked to defense, and delivering dual-use projects, along with competitive and technological advantages essential to counter present and future threats and challenges."

"The video conference," said Minister Crosetto, "was an opportunity to reaffirm our strong and shared commitment to the realization of the project, based also on the activities of the two recently activated operational branches of the program: the International Government Organization (GIGO) and the Joint Venture 'Edgewing,' which brings together international aerospace industry leaders BAE Systems (UK), Leonardo (Italy), and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co. Ltd. (Japan)."

The need to ensure maximum effort ahead of the signing of the first, imminent international contract was reiterated; a contract that will kick off concrete activities to deliver the program's first aircraft by 2035.