Fighter jet greenlit by Starmer
Kier Starmer has greenlit a joint fighter jet development programme with Italy and Japan, after a series of defence expenditure. This comes amid plans that the planned fighter could be axed, a source has revealed.
The Labour government under Prime Minister Keir Starmer has now determined that the plan is an important defence project and that it is also significant for improving diplomatic relations with both Italy and Japan, as well as helping to create more jobs, the same source has claimed.
The UK government will undergo a review of its defence strategy during the first half of next year. The UK is also involved with developing nuclear submarines for the AUKUS project with the United States and Australia. But concerns have raised over the substantial cost of the development of the next-generation fighter jet.
Starting from next year, the fighter jet program will be entering its new phase. This will start with the full-scale design of the future aircraft. It is expected to enter service around 2035 and will come with the latest in artificial intelligence and advanced stealth technology.
Masami Oka, a Japanese former vice minister of defence for international affairs, has been appointed the leader for the international organisation that will manage the programme, known as the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP).
The organisation, known as the GCAP International Government Organization or GIGO, is expected to be formally established in the UK later in 2024.
Leaders from the UK, Italy, and Japan reached an agreement in October for the planned fighter jet in a meeting in the Italian city of Naples. Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Britain’s BAE Systems plc, and Italy’s Leonardo S.p.A. were the companies confirmed to be contracted for the development of the project.
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