Japan, the United Kingdom (UK), and Italy announced the new Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) which aims to produce a sixth-generation fighter jet by 2035 by integrating the F-X and Tempest future combat aircraft programs Image Courtesy AP
Tokyo: Since emerging as the strongest Asian power in the late 19th century, Japan has relied heavily on Britain for defence technology. In fact, the ships which had helped Japan defeat the formidable navy of Russia during the Russo-Japanese War of 1905 had been built in Britain and Italy.
Now, over a century later, Japan has again turned to these European nations in its bid to boost its military capabilities as it gears up to confront an increasingly assertive China.
In a joint leaders’ statement issued last week, Japan, the United Kingdom (UK), and Italy announced the new Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) which aims to produce a sixth-generation fighter jet by 2035 by integrating the F-X and Tempest future combat aircraft programs.
This fighter aircraft is expected to replace the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s (JASDF’s) existing fleet of 91 MHI F-2 multirole fighter jets.
Surprisingly, Japan chose to ignore the United States (US) – its closest ally since the Second World War – for such a crucial defence program.
There are five main reasons behind Japan’s decision to choose Britain and Italy instead of the United States (US).
1) Japan decided to choose the BAE Systems of the UK as a collaborative partner instead of US defence firm Lockheed Martin as the developmental timeframes of the F-X and Tempest programs are compatible with each other.
2) Japan, Italy and the UK share common tactical requirements for the future sixth-generation fighter jet. Both Japan and the United Kingdom (UK) aim to acquire a sixth-generation multi-role stealth fighter with a long cruising ability and twin engines with superb missile loading capacity.
3) Japan, the UK and Italy will also be able to reduce development costs and technological risks by collaborating as a single country will find it extremely difficult to meet the huge expense of developing new sixth-generation fighter aircraft.
4) Another reason that compelled Japan to look at the UK and Italy for this program was the refusal by the United States (US) and Lockheed Martin to share confidential technological information.
Japan wants access to crucial technology such as the source code of the new fighter jet in order to allow the JASDF to come up with independent and localized upgrades. Without technological details such as the source code Japan will not be able to come up with customised modifications of the new fighter jet.
The UK had offered to cooperate with Japan in joint research and basic design of the engine and radar, which played a crucial role in the Japanese decision for joint collaboration.
5) Japan, Britain, and Italy are also aiming to jointly increase the number of defence production units, reduce and share the cost of mass production and sell their sixth-generation fighter aircraft.
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