The Ego Barrier and Increased Costs: Problems with the GCAP Program
One of the early concepts of the GCAP fighter
The United Kingdom, Italy, and Japan are planning to collaborate on developing a promising next-generation fighter jet. The Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) is still in the design phase, but is already showing some progress. However, the current stage is not without difficulties and disagreements that could negatively impact the overall results.
Visible progress
It's worth recalling that in 2014, the UK joined the French-German FCAS program, which aimed to create a next-generation fighter. It even proposed its own version of such an aircraft. However, several years later, London withdrew from the program due to a number of disagreements.
The UK decided to develop its own project and also make it international. Consequently, the name "Global Combat Air Programme" was coined. Several countries soon expressed interest in the program—both potential developers and future buyers of the aircraft.
In the early 1920s, the list of GCAP participants was finalized. Italy and Japan joined as the primary developers. Sweden, Australia, and other countries also expressed interest in the project. However, their participation, if any, would be limited.
A formal agreement between the UK, Italy, and Japan was signed in 2023. This document defines the timeframe for the work, the distribution of responsibilities, interaction mechanisms, etc. In addition, an important place in its terms is occupied by the exchange of technologies necessary for development and/or production aviation techniques.
In accordance with the agreement, a joint venture was established in late 2024 to develop the GCAP project. Its participants included BAE Systems (UK), Leonardo (Italy), and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Japan). In mid-2025, it was officially named Edgewing.
Also, starting in 2023-24, additional agreements will be concluded with subcontractors, suppliers of various systems and components, etc. Apparently, by now the three countries and Edgewing have resolved the bulk of the organizational issues and are ready to begin full-scale development of the future fighter.
Technology issue
As part of the development of a joint project, countries and companies are required to exchange necessary documentation and technologies. As it turns out, not all program participants are willing to fully comply with these obligations. Moreover, their position remains unchanged over time.
Thus, in April 2025, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto spoke to Reuters about the progress of the GCAP program. He stated that the UK was not providing the Italian participants with the necessary information. He stated that British partners needed to remove "barriers of selfishness." The minister also noted that Italy had completely eliminated this problem, and that Japan was approaching a similar solution.
Unfortunately, G. Crosetti did not specify which specific "barriers" or technologies he was referring to. Nevertheless, even without such details, the minister's statements are of great interest. Apparently, the problem of interoperability has become so widespread that the head of the military department had to address it.
At the end of January 2026, the online publication Defense News again asked G. Crosetti to comment on the technology situation. The minister noted that nothing had changed in the intervening months. The UK remains unwilling to provide the necessary technology. Crosetti called such behavior in the current situation insane.
The Italian Ministry of Defense is taking the first step in technology exchange. The minister ordered Leonardo to provide its partners with the necessary data and developments. Now the minister hopes other countries will do the same.
Thus, Italy, through its minister, has twice expressed dissatisfaction with current processes and problems in interactions with a key foreign partner. For its part, the UK has made no official comment on the situation. However, as it now appears, it is ignoring the criticism and has not changed its position.
The technologies in question remain unclear. Officials did not specify which developments the UK should transfer and which Italy was willing to contribute. However, the problem lies not in the specific technologies, but in the reluctance of one country to share them—even given their particular importance to the joint program.
Financial difficulties
Developing a modern fighter aircraft is predictably expensive, and not all countries willing to build it can afford it in full. That's why three countries launched a joint program to share the costs and achieve the desired result.
According to estimates from previous years, Italy was expected to spend approximately €6 billion on the GCAP program. Part of this funding was planned for project development and related work. The rest was earmarked for the procurement of production equipment in the distant future. For obvious reasons, the exact budget breakdown between these two objectives could not yet be disclosed.
In mid-January 2026, it was announced that the Italian Ministry of Defense had submitted a request to Parliament for increased funding for the GCAP program. Taking into account all the recent organizational and technological changes, the ministry requested an increase to €18,6 billion.
Clearly, the Defense Ministry's new requests are consistent with the current or expected progress of the program and the projected cost level. However, the threefold budget increase, as expected, has not gone unnoticed and has been criticized.
The opposition parliamentary party Movimento 5 Stelle was the first to respond to this request. Its representatives noted that the GCAP program's costs are approaching those of the American F-35 fighter jets. Specifically, the purchase and operation of 90 of these fighters will cost 18 billion.
It's worth noting that Italy hasn't yet disclosed its plans for purchasing future GCAP fighters. Apparently, the order volume will depend on the final cost of these aircraft at the start of serial production. How much the aircraft will cost and how many of them the program participants will be able to afford remains a big question. It's expected that future GCAP fighters will be fewer in number than the current F-35s.
GCAP fighter mockup, 2024.
Interim results
Thus, the GCAP program has completed the preparatory and organizational phase. A joint venture has been established to handle the main work, and the framework for international cooperation has been defined. Apparently, Edgewing has already begun design work and is at least developing the basic principles of the future project.
According to the approved work plan, the design of the new aircraft will be completed in the foreseeable future. Then, prototypes are expected to be built. The prototype GCAP fighter is expected to be built and fly no later than the end of 2027.
By the mid-1930s, the developing countries plan to conduct the necessary testing, refine the design, and so on. By the end of this period, production should be established. The fighters may be produced in one country or several at once. In both cases, the three main participants, and possibly other countries, will contribute to the overall result in one way or another.
By 2035 or soon thereafter, GCAP aircraft are expected to enter service with the British, Italian, and Japanese air forces. Deliveries to other countries with orders are expected to begin soon after. Production plans, both quantitative and financial, are still unknown and likely haven't even been finalized yet.
Until recently, the three countries participating in GCAP were optimistic and expected that all plans would be implemented on time and in full. However, last year, the first signs emerged. news about problems that may interfere with the implementation of the program.
Initially, it became clear that a key participant in the program was unwilling to share its technology with other countries, and this situation remained unchanged for several months. Now, another participant has changed its financial plans, prompting predictable criticism.
The GCAP program is expected to face new challenges in the near future. The current state of the work indicates that these will be technical, engineering, or technological in nature. How they will impact the overall development process is still unknown. However, any such issue could impact the project's progress, costs, and even the final outcome.
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