National defense industry leaders of the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) – Leonardo (Italy), Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Japan) and BAE Systems (UK) – warmly welcomed the signing of the Convention on the Establishment of “GCAP International Government Organization (GIGO)” by their respective governments.
Ministers from Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom signed the treaty, which represents a major agreement in the shared design and delivery of a next-generation fighter aircraft by 2035. The agreement, signed just 12 months after the program was established GCAP, strengthens its momentum and strong trilateral cooperation between partners.
Discussions on the future joint corporate structure for the implementation of GCAP continue and representatives of BAE Systems, Leonardo and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries met recently in Tokyo. In September this year, the industrial partners announced a collaboration agreement to support ongoing discussions on long-term collaboration agreements and the maturity of capability requirements for the next generation of combat aircraft.
Herman Claesen, Managing Director, Future Combat Air Systems, BAE Systems Air, said: “We enthusiastically welcome the agreement signed today by the governments of Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom and the continued progress made with our industrial partners towards a joint collaboration that will enable us to deliver the next generation of combat aircraft. We are proud to represent the UK in this exciting and forward-thinking partnership, which will provide a crucial defense capability and help maintain the UK's sovereignty in air combat capability.".
Guglielmo Maviglia, GCAP Program Director, Leonardo, added: “It is with great enthusiasm that we welcome the announcement made today by our governments and we are proud to be part of the GCAP together with our partners. The GCAP, which will see the development of an innovative technological platform, is outlining a new path for industrial collaboration on an international scale. Thanks to its ambition, the program will protect and increase the competitiveness of our industries at an international level for the benefit of the entire system".
Hitoshi Shiraishi, Senior Fellow, GCAP, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, emphasized: “We would like to express our appreciation for the signing of the treaty by the governments of Italy, the United Kingdom and Japan. Upon completion of this treaty, we will work even more closely with our partners in Italy and the United Kingdom to promote the GCAP. We We will also work to ensure that GCAP helps strengthen Japan's defense capabilities.".
Today's trilateral ministerial statement confirms that the top positions of the new government organization GIGO and the future Industrial organization will initially be assigned to Japan and Italy respectively and that their respective headquarters will be based in the United Kingdom.
The Global Combat Air Program is an extremely significant program for the security, political and economic prosperity of Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom and, through effective Company General Use transfer of knowledge and technologies, will contribute to developing combat capability aircraft and to guarantee the technological sovereignty of each nation for the benefit of future generations.
Today there are approximately 9000 people working on the GCAP program worldwide and more than 1000 suppliers in partner nations.
