Italy-UK-Japan fighter jet programme could open up to others - Italian Defence Minister

IHI

26/01/2024 07:57

ROME, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Italy, Japan and Britain could
open up a programme aimed at developing an advanced fighter jet
to other countries, but at a later stage, Italy's defence
minister said in an interview published on Friday.   
    The three countries in December signed an international
treaty to set up the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) - the
first major defence industry collaboration merging the separate
next-generation fighter efforts of the countries. 
    "We will not open (the programme) to others until the
initial phase will be closed," Guido Crosetto told Italian daily
Il Corriere della Sera, adding many countries were interested in
entering but without directly answering a question on interest
from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. 
    "Afterwards, with everyone's agreement, we could widen it to
other countries," Crosetto added.     
    The aim is to see the combat aircraft in flight by 2035. The
joint development phase is expected to begin in 2025.
    Reuters previously reported that the GCAP may welcome other
nations as junior partners, with Saudi Arabia among the
contenders as it would bring money and a lucrative market to a
project expected to cost tens of billions of dollars.
    

 (Reporting by Giulia Segreti, editing by Alvise Armellini)
 ((Giulia.Segreti@tr.com; +39.06.80307714;))