The UK will be the headquarters of a joint project with Italy and Japan to create a new “next generation” of fighter jet defense systems that experts say are “critical to global security”.
Under the agreement, all three countries will work together to develop military aircraft with supersonic capabilities and advanced technologies. The Ministry of Defense hopes the planes, dubbed Tempest in the UK, will begin flying by 2035 as a successor to the RAF Typhoon fighters.
“Our world-leading fighter program is vital to global security and we continue to make extremely positive progress in delivering new fighter aircraft to our air forces,” Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said in a message to his Japanese and Italian counterparts. . analogues. Minoru Kihara and Guido Crosetto are in Tokyo to confirm the deal.
Each country’s parliament must ratify the agreement, which aims to have military aircraft in the air by 2035. The joint development phase of the program is planned to begin in 2025.
Both the joint government headquarters for the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) and its industrial counterpart will be based in the UK. The first director of the government organization will be from Japan, and the first head of the business organization will be from Italy, Britain said.
Defense analysts say the ambitious project would combine existing national defense plans in each country to develop aircraft to counter security threats from Russia and China. It is hoped that these aircraft will be able to fly much faster and more economically than previous aircraft such as the Eurofighter Typhoon.
The supersonic stealth plane will be equipped with a radar capable of providing 10,000 times more data than existing systems, the government says. Pilots can use virtual reality in the aircraft’s digital cockpit and display important information directly in front of them.
The onboard weapons system will use artificial intelligence and machine learning to “maximize the impact” the arsenal can have, the Defense Ministry said.
“From our UK headquarters we will also make important decisions together and quickly, working with our close partners Italy and Japan, as well as our impressive defense industry, to create an outstanding aircraft.”
British company BAE Systems, Italian company Leonardo, European rocket manufacturer MBDA and engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce, as well as Japanese company Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Japanese avionics manufacturer Mitsubishi Electric, as well as engine manufacturers IHI Corporation and Avio Aero. involved.
Source: I News
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