Italy Signals Expansion for Global Combat Air Programme

With eyes on cost-sharing and industrial synergy, Italy is signaling a willingness to open the Global Combat Air Programme to new international partners. Defense Minister Guido Crosetto identified Canada as a leading observer, while noting that the door remains open to nations like Germany and Saudi Arabia for the 2035 jet project.

Editorial·June 23, 2026·reads: 3,113

Italy Signals Expansion for Global Combat Air Programme

The GCAP initiative, a high-stakes collaboration between Britain’s BAE Systems, Italy’s Leonardo, and Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, aims to field a next-generation fighter within the next decade. Crosetto emphasized that expanding the coalition is a strategic move to dilute the massive development costs inherent in modern aerospace engineering.

The search for new partners gains urgency following the recent collapse of a competing Franco-German fighter jet project, which stalled due to irreconcilable disputes between defense contractors. Leonardo’s leadership has already signaled that Berlin would be a highly desirable addition, citing the potential for German industrial expertise to strengthen the program’s technical foundation. By inviting broader participation, the current partners hope to stabilize the project’s trajectory and ensure the development remains on schedule for its 2035 deployment.