GCAP partners launch Edgewing JV to deliver next generation combat aircraft

The three partners in the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), BAE Systems, Leonardo and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co, have launched a new Joint Venture company, Edgewing, to deliver a major part of the project.

Edgewing will be accountable for the design and development of the 6th generation combat aircraft and will remain the design authority for the life of the product, which is expected to go out beyond 2070.

The newly formed entity will play a central role in achieving the program’s ambitious goals – including the in-service date of 2035 – while setting a new benchmark for trilateral industrial partnership across Europe and Asia, says BAE Systems in a media statement.

Marco Zoff, formerly Managing Director of Leonardo’s Aircraft Division, will be the inaugural CEO of Edgewing.

“We are incredibly excited to launch Edgewing at the heart of the Global Combat Air Programme,” he said. “By uniting the strengths of our talented people in UK, Italy, and Japan, we are not only delivering the next-generation combat air system—we aim to set a new global standard for partnership, innovation and trust. Together, we will push boundaries, embrace agility, enhance our national supply chains and create a legacy of security and prosperity for our nations and future generations.”

“We welcome the launch of Edgewing, which represents an important step forward in what will be a truly international joint development programme,” said Mr Masami Oka, Chief Executive of the GCAP International Government Organisation (GIGO). “Effective and empowered collaboration between the GIGO and Edgewing will be critical for the success of GCAP. I am confident that together we can establish a new model of partnership that will promote international integration, mutual trust and a shared commitment to our future.”

The Company will have operations and joint teams working in each of the partner nations and will be headquartered in the UK, to ensure maximum alignment and collaboration with the GIGO.