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Global Combat Air Program

Japan currently possesses three types of fighter jets: the F-35, F-15, and F-2. Of these, it will be necessary to start introducing the next generation of fighter jets around 2035, when the F-2 will begin to be retired and reduced in number, and development began in fiscal year 2020. In order to ensure "air superiority" in the world around 2035, it is essential that Japan takes the lead in developing a next-generation fighter jet that (1) enables new ways of fighting that have not been realized by any country, (2) allows for timely and appropriate upgrades to improve capabilities in the future, and (3) has a domestic base that can ensure even higher responsiveness, etc.

The Ministry of Defense, together with the United Kingdom and Italy, will bring together the technologies of the three countries and share costs and risks to develop a superior fighter jet that will ensure future air superiority. On 09 December 2022, the leaders of Japan, the UK and Italy issued the "Joint Leaders' Statement on the Global Combat Aviation Program" regarding cooperation in the joint development of next-generation fighter aircraft. On the same day, the Ministry of Defense and the US Department of Defense issued the "Joint Statement by the Ministry of Defense and the US Department of Defense on Cooperation on Next-Generation Fighter Aircraft." This statement noted "The United States supports Japan’s security and defense cooperation with likeminded allies and partners, including with the United Kingdom and Italy – two close partners of both of our countries – on the development of its next fighter aircraft. "

On December 14, 2023, Japan, Italy and the UK signed a treaty to establish GIGO (GCAP International Government Organisation), an international organisation that will manage GCAP. This agreement will serve as the foundation for broad cooperation with the UK and Italy, and will also contribute greatly to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and European regions amid an increasingly severe security environment. The US also supports such cooperation.

By combining the technologies of each of the three countries and sharing development costs and risks, Japan can develop superior fighter jets that will ensure air superiority in the future. Through increasing the number of mass-produced next-generation fighter aircraft, nurturing the next generation of engineers who will be active internationally, and appropriately sharing production, we will be able to maintain and strengthen our defense production and technological base, and through the development of a full-scale, cutting-edge fighter aircraft, we can expect wide-ranging ripple effects on society as a whole. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, IHI, Mitsubishi Electric, and other Japanese industrial players will participate and will take the lead in driving the joint development while working closely with the government.

"Air superiority" is a state in which friendly aircraft can carry out various operations without significant interference in the event of an armed attack, and ensuring this makes it possible to effectively carry out naval and land operations in that airspace. If air superiority were to be lost, enemy aircraft and missiles would be able to attack not only aircraft in flight, but also ground-based missile units, Aegis ships at sea, and even ports and airports, making it difficult to operate ships and aircraft. In this way, "air superiority" is a fundamental prerequisite for carrying out operations for the defense of our country, and is a "public good" that is indispensable for the defense of our country.

Ensuring "air superiority" is a fundamental prerequisite for carrying out operations for the defense of our country, and is a "public good" that is indispensable for the defense of Japan. For this reason, it is extremely important that fighter jets be able to be rapidly deployed in the airspace surrounding the country and be prepared to deal with aerial attacks by invading enemy aircraft and missiles at greater distances. In light of the importance of fighter jets, each country is focusing on developing them, and neighboring countries are also increasing the number of fourth- and fifth-generation fighter jets and developing fifth-generation aircraft.

In this situation, in order to ensure Japan's "air superiority" in the future, it will enable a new way of fighting that has not been realized in any other country. In the future, Japan will be able to make timely and appropriate modifications to improve capabilities. Furthermore, it has a domestic base that can ensure high responsiveness, etc. It is essential that Japan take the lead in developing the next generation of fighter jets.

For this reason, it is extremely important that fighter jets can be deployed quickly in the airspace around Japan and be prepared to deal with air attacks by enemy aircraft and missiles from longer distances. In light of the importance of fighter jets, many countries are focusing on developing and purchasing fighter jets. Complete dependence on other countries for air superiority, which is a vital public good for various defense operations, will lead to a loss of the initiative in carrying out operations. Based on this, Japan will secure a base for manufacturing fighter aircraft and focus on developing highly capable fighter units that will enable Japan to independently defend itself.

The way fighter planes fight each other ("air-to-air combat") is undergoing major changes due to advances in missile technology and network technology for information sharing. "Dog fights," in which fighter jets engage in close-range combat (within visual range), have shifted to a style of combat in which missiles are fired and avoided from far away, beyond the reach of the naked eye. Today, secrecy through stealth and the fusion of information from multiple high-precision sensors are important. In battles between fighter jets of different generations, it is said that the new generation aircraft has an overwhelming advantage. By one estimate, the F-22 (5th generation aircraft) has a 108 to 0 kill ratio against older generation aircraft.

China is rapidly expanding the number of fourth- and fifth-generation fighter jets it deploys (Su-35, J-10, J-20), and is continuing to develop the latest fifth-generation aircraft, the J-31. It will be necessary to keep an eye on the pace at which fourth- and fifth-generation aircraft will increase in the future. In addition to introducing and deploying the fourth-generation aircraft Su-35, Russia is promoting the development of the fifth-generation aircraft Su-57. It is also developing the large attack drone "Okhotnik" that will fly in coordination with the Su-57. The United States is the world's first country to develop and deploy fifth-generation aircraft (F-22, F-35), and the number of fifth-generation aircraft in its fighter aircraft inventory is increasing.

In December 2010 the "Mid-Term Defense Program (FY2011-FY2015)" stated "We will promote strategic studies of future fighter aircraft so that the development of fighter aircraft can be considered as an option when the time comes to consider the acquisition of a successor to the fighter aircraft (F-2)." In December 2013 the "Mid-Term Defense Program (FY2014-FY2018)" stated "Regarding future fighter aircraft, we will promote strategic studies, including demonstration research, and take necessary measures to accumulate and advance fighter-related technologies domestically so that we can consider development as an option, including the possibility of international joint development, by the time the fighter aircraft (F-2) is retired."

And in December 2018 the "Mid-Term Defense Program (FY2019-FY2023)" stated "With regard to future fighter aircraft, we will acquire fighter aircraft capable of playing a central role in future networked combat by the time the F-2 fighter aircraft are retired. To that end, we will promote the research necessary to achieve this, and will begin development led by Japan at an early stage, with an eye toward international cooperation."

In October 2020 the Japanese MoD contracted with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. as the F-X aircraft manufacturer responsible for the overall integration of the fighter aircraft. Then in ecember 2020 Lockheed Martin of the United States was selected as a candidate company for integration support, and in order to ensure interoperability between Japan and the United States, a new project will be started in cooperation with the United States from fiscal year 2021, and development will be led by Japan while receiving necessary support and cooperation from the United States. In addition, in order to reduce development costs and technical risks, we have decided to continue discussions with the United States and the United Kingdom regarding each system of the next-generation fighter jet, such as the engine and on-board electronic equipment (avionics), and to pursue the possibility of cooperation.

Based on the announcement of the "Direction of International Cooperation on the Next Generation Fighter Jets," Japan and the UK have been continuing discussions with Lockheed Martin regarding the content of support, and have begun joint studies on future networks with the U.S. Air Force and others from August 2021 to ensure interoperability. The Japanese and UK defense authorities have also confirmed that a joint engine demonstration project will begin in January 2022. In addition, the Japanese and UK defense authorities have decided to consider the feasibility of further cooperation at the subsystem level, and therefore to conduct a joint analysis on the degree of commonality.

In December 2022, the "Defense capability development plan" announcement stated "With regard to the next-generation fighter aircraft, we will promote joint development of the next-generation fighter aircraft with the UK and Italy while ensuring freedom of modification and interoperability with allies, so that we can deploy fighter aircraft capable of securing and maintaining air superiority in the future by FY2035, when the fighter aircraft (F-2) are expected to be retired. In this regard, we will work on the development of not only the fighter aircraft themselves, but also systems including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with an eye toward international cooperation."

"We will steadily advance joint development of the next-generation fighter aircraft with the UK and Italy, aiming to complete development by FY2035. We will also promote research and development of combat support unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that will work in conjunction with manned aircraft such as the next-generation fighter aircraft."

"In these research and development projects, in order to realize Japan's leadership, we will secure a domestic production and technological base that realizes freedom of modification and high responsiveness that will enable timely and appropriate capability improvements in the future, on the premise of maintaining the ability to effectively deal with numerically superior enemies."

After several months of negotiations, by merging its national project "FX" into the new "Global Combat Air Programme", Japan joined the United Kingdom and Italy in the creation of the future "Tempest" air combat system. Japan's Prime Minister wrapped up 2022 with a raft of defense-related announcements to address what he called "the most severe and complex security environment since the end of World War Two." The first big announcement came on December 9, when the government revealed it would be developing its next fighter with the UK and Italy. That marked a major shift in policy for a country that had worked with the United States on every major defense-industry collaboration since the end of World War Two.

For some Japanese politicians and bureaucrats, a new era of working with Britain and Italy is a welcome change. Still, Japan couldn't afford to appear to be snubbing the US and there was a great deal of diplomatic work behind the scenes to prepare for the announcement. On December 9, the Pentagon issued a statement saying it supports Japan's plan to work with what it called "like-minded allies and partners." As part of that diplomatic groundwork, Japan and the US agreed to start work next year on the joint development of unmanned aircraft to support the new fighter jet.

Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will team up with the UK's BAE Systems and Italy's Leonardo on a fighter jet they hope to deploy from 2035. Defense Minister Hamada Yasukazu hailed it as the start of a new era of cooperation that will "encourage innovation in our country's broader economy and serve as a foundation for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific as well as European regions."

UK Ambassador to Japan Julia Longbottom said the project underscores the countries' shared commitment to peace and stability: "The Global Combat Air Program is about no one country; it's about partners with shared values working together to develop a capability that is critical to keep us ahead of the threats from elsewhere."

Though the decision to switch partners took some by surprise, there was a strategic and historical rationale. The Air Self-Defense Force's current fighter jets--the F-35, F-15, and F-2--were all built either by US firms or developed as collaborations between US and Japanese firms. This affords the SDF a high degree of interoperability with the US military--something Japan's defense ministry was keen to maintain.

The ministry had been negotiating with US-based Lockheed Martin to make a next-generation jet with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, but the talks hit a stumbling block. The US firm's timeframe did not suit Japan's needs. The fact that US defense officials were reluctant to share sensitive stealth technology, and were also skeptical about the future of manned fighter jets, didn't help. The UK, on the other hand, was looking to update its Eurofighter jet and get the new design in the air from 2035. Italy emerged as a partner because it was a joint developer of the Eurofighter.

There was another factor that influenced the shift away from the US. Japan had not forgotten about an ill-fated effort to collaborate with Washington on jets in the 1980s and '90s. At the time, Japan had a plan to develop its own fighter, but the US was struggling with a huge trade deficit and turned up the pressure on Tokyo to buy its jets instead. After many twists and turns, the two sides agreed to develop aircraft together. The result was the F-2. But it wasn't all smooth sailing. The US appeared reluctant to share information about its technology, and there were accusations that it purloined Japanese technology.

The alliance hit another stumbling block around ten years earlier when Japan asked to buy F-22 jets from the US. The Lockheed Martin F-22 was the world's most advanced stealth fighter jet, and the US didn't want to export it. Instead, Washington pushed Tokyo to buy the more widely used F-35.

Italy, the UK and Japan, through their national industry leads Leonardo, BAE Systems and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, will collaborate in the development of technologies for the sixth generation combat aircraft that will operate within a system of systems concept. In addition to Leonardo, which has already participated in the programme since 2018 through Leonardo UK, the Italian team will involve Avio Aero, Elettronica and MBDA Italia together with the country’s wider innovation and manufacturing ecosystem.

"The decision of the three Governments to strengthen their collaboration in this strategic initiative reflects the effectiveness and promise of the cooperation between the partners” said Leonardo CEO Alessandro Profumo. “This challenging and forward-looking programme for the aerospace and defence industry will guarantee technological autonomy for the countries involved and provide each Armed Forces with unprecedented levels of performance and operational capability. The Global Combat Air Programme will also act as a driving force for the further development of national industry in the decades to come, benefitting future generations. Thanks to our strong presence in the United Kingdom, Leonardo represents two of the partner nations, Italy and the United Kingdom, in the programme".

"The decision of the three Governments to strengthen their collaboration in this strategic initiative reflects the effectiveness and promise of the cooperation between the partners” said Leonardo CEO Alessandro Profumo. “This challenging and forward-looking programme for the aerospace and defence industry will guarantee technological autonomy for the countries involved and provide each Armed Forces with unprecedented levels of performance and operational capability. The Global Combat Air Programme will also act as a driving force for the further development of national industry in the decades to come, benefitting future generations. Thanks to our strong presence in the United Kingdom, Leonardo represents two of the partner nations, Italy and the United Kingdom, in the programme".

The December 2023 "Treaty Establishing the Global Combat Aviation Program (GCAP) Intergovernmental Organization" stipulated that GIGO's headquarters would be in the UK. Also, at a meeting between the Japanese, British and Italian Defense Ministers on the same day, it was agreed that the first Chief Administrator of GIGO would be Japanese, and the first head of the joint venture would be Italian.

On December 22, 2023, the "Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology" and the "Operational Guidelines for the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology" were revised in light of the new "National Security Strategy" formulated in December 2022. Furthermore, on March 26, 2024, the National Security Council and the Cabinet decided on the "Transfer of Finished Products Related to the Global Combat Aviation Program from Japan to Countries Other Than Partner Countries," and the National Security Council partially revised the "Operational Guidelines for the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology."