Japan, Italy and UK Build New 6th-Gen Stealth Fighter

By Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization

(Washington D.C.) Japan, Italy, and the UK have aligned to engineer a new 6th-generation stealth fighter called the Global Air Combat Program (GACP) designed to build upon and strengthen their respective growing F-35 fleets.

Stealth Collaboration

Surging forward with a new collaborative, multinational 6th-generation stealth fighter jet makes sense given that Italy and the UK are F-35 customers and Japan recently made a large, multi-billion-dollar F-35 purchase. The intent seems to fly a new 6th-generation aircraft alongside the fast-growing multi-national fleet of F-35s to support NATO, deter China, or potentially prevail in an air engagement should a conflict occur. Bringing this vision to operational reality will require that the new 6th-generation aircraft be securely and successfully “networked” with F-35s and even 4th-generation platforms.

Japanese Self-Defense Forces are acquiring dozens of F-35s to replace F-4 fighters and the addition of a 6th-generation platform might be intended to decrease or at least challenge China’s regular air provocations wherein PLA Air Force fighter jets operate near the Japanese coastline.

Following the initial announcement regarding the GACP last year, the Pentagon and Japan’s Ministry of Defense released a joint, collaborative statement, published in a report in cnn.com.

“The United States supports Japan’s security and defense cooperation with like minded allies and partners, including with the United Kingdom and Italy – two close partners of both of our countries – on the development of its next fighter aircraft,” the U.S.-Japan statement said.

Strength in Partnership

A statement from Italy, Japan, and the UK when GACP was announced made it clear the platform was intended to support both Europe and the Pacific. The three-country statement also emphasized interoperability, something which would clearly build upon existing success with the F-35s Multi-function Advanced Data Link technology linking F-35s from all countries to one another. This is something a 6th-generation aircraft would likely be integrated with. 

“Future interoperability with the United States, with NATO and with our partners across Europe, the Indo-Pacific and globally – is reflected in the name we have chosen for our program. This concept will be at the center of its development,” the statement said.