£4.6 billion contract awarded to Edgewing marks major milestone in the Global Combat Air Programme as the UK confirms £8.6 billion investment over four years.
The UK, Italy and Japan have signed a £4.6 billion contract to advance the development of a next-generation combat aircraft, marking a significant milestone in the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP).
The contract, awarded through the GCAP Agency to the industry joint venture Edgewing, will fund the next phase of the aircraft's design, including defining key system requirements and carrying out extensive testing. Jointly funded by the three partner nations, the programme remains on track to bring the sixth-generation fighter aircraft into service from 2035.
The agreement follows confirmation in the UK's Defence Investment Plan that £8.6 billion will be invested in GCAP over the next four years, reinforcing the government's long-term commitment to strengthening national security, supporting advanced manufacturing and sustaining thousands of highly skilled jobs across the UK.
Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard MP said:
“The Global Combat Air Programme will give our pilots a cutting-edge stealth fighter jet. Signing this £4.6 billion contract alongside Italy and Japan is a major step forward towards delivery.
This milestone strengthens our partnership with international allies, supports thousands of highly skilled jobs across the UK, and will give the RAF the tools they need to keep the UK safe, all backed by an £8.6bn commitment in the Defence Investment Plan”.
The future combat aircraft will operate alongside the RAF's Typhoon and F-35 fleets, as well as autonomous systems, forming the backbone of a next-generation air combat capability. Designed using advanced digital engineering, artificial intelligence and innovative manufacturing technologies, it will be the most advanced fighter aircraft ever operated by the Royal Air Force.
GCAP is already delivering tangible benefits across the UK defence sector through advances in digital engineering, robotics, augmented reality and additive manufacturing, helping accelerate design, testing and production while driving innovation throughout the supply chain.
The programme currently supports around 4,500 jobs across the UK and works with approximately 600 organisations, strengthening the UK's sovereign industrial base while creating long-term opportunities for skilled workers and manufacturers.
Alongside investment in GCAP, the Defence Investment Plan includes more than £1.1 billion to upgrade and sustain the RAF's Typhoon fleet into the 2040s, £2.2 billion to procure additional F-35 stealth fighter aircraft, and £300 million to begin development of a new UK autonomous combat aircraft.
By combining the industrial expertise and technological capabilities of the UK, Italy and Japan, GCAP is accelerating innovation in digital engineering, advanced propulsion, sensors and data systems, helping deliver one of the world's most advanced future combat air systems.
