Italy pitches Germany observer status in fighter jet program
Rome, London and Tokyo are driving the Global Combat Air Program, which aims to put a sixth-generation fighter jet into service by the mid-2030s.
Italy has proposed granting Germany observer status in a joint fighter jet program alongside the United Kingdom and Japan, countering a report that it had opposed Berlin's involvement. The Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) aims to develop a sixth-generation stealth fighter jet to be operational by the mid-2030s. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius anticipated a decision on Germany's participation by the end of March, following the cancellation of a similar project with France.
The Financial Times had reported earlier that Italy had turned down a UK proposal to allow Germany a more significant role in the program, stating that Italy was instead seeking a limited observer role without involvement in the aircraft's design or development. Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto strongly denied these claims, emphasizing Italy's openness to welcoming Germany into GCAP.
The Italian ministry of defense clarified that the proposal was aimed at facilitating information-sharing and accelerating Germany's potential full membership. The UK also indicated that discussions on expanding the program would be coordinated with GCAP partners, expressing openness to considering other nations' participation while maintaining the project's progress.
GCAP has faced budget challenges, but its leaders have asserted it remains on schedule. Germany's Pistorius suggested an alternative to GCAP could involve Airbus collaborating with European partners for a project targeting the early 2040s.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
