Rome: The United Kingdom, Italy and Japan jointly presented a concept model of a next-generation fighter jet, which is planned to be put into service in 2035, Italian aerospace and defense company Leonardo said.
“The three nations of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) – UK, Italy, and Japan – have unveiled a new concept model of their next generation combat aircraft at Farnborough International Airshow,” the company said in a statement on Monday.
The statement added the new model differs from previous concepts in its increased wingspan to improve the aerodynamics of the aircraft.
“The combat aircraft, set to be in service in 2035, will be one of the world’s most advanced, interoperable, adaptable and connected fighter jets in service, boasting an intelligent weapons system, a software-driven interactive cockpit, integrated sensors and a powerful next generation radar capable of providing 10,000 times more data than current systems, giving it a battle-winning advantage,” the statement read.
In December 2022, the leaders of Japan, Italy and the UK agreed on a joint development of a new generation fighter jet. It will replace the F-2 jets in Japan, and the Eurofighter Typhoon jets in Italy and the UK. In December 2023, the three states inked an international agreement within the GCAP program to develop a stealth fighter with supersonic capability.
