Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, Japanese Defense
Minister NAKATANI Gen and UK Defence Minister have welcomed recent progress
made on the GCAP, which was outlined by the Prime Ministers of
the three countries who met in the margins of the G20 Summit in
Brazil on 19 November 2024.
1. Acknowledging the progress made since the launching of the
GCAP in December 2022, the Defence Ministers from Italy, Japan
and the UK welcomed the approval by all three parliaments of the
“CONVENTION ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE GLOBAL COMBAT AIR
PROGRAMME - GCAP INTERNATIONAL GOVERNMENT ORGANISATION”. The
convention lays a solid basis for delivering a next-generation
fighter aircraft by 2035 and for further enhancing the defence
industrial base of each country.
2. The three ministers concurred that the headquarters of the
GCAP International Government Organisation (GIGO) will be in
the UK, and will stand up imminently. In view of the spirit of
equal partnership among the three countries that has
characterised the programme from the outset, the first chief
executive of the GIGO's GCAP Agency will be from Japan, and the
first leader of the proposed Joint Venture - which is being
established by industry partners - will be from Italy. Mr.
OKA Masami is the Japanese government's nominee for the GCAP
Agency Chief Executive.
3. The three ministers also welcomed the progress made by
industry partners who will soon sign a Joint Venture Agreement to
create the new company that will lead GCAP delivery. The proposed
Joint Venture will be headquartered in the UK with the GIGO to
achieve maximum alignment. Both entities will work together with
teams from across the three nations to support capable,
affordable and timely programme delivery, including the 2035 in
service date.
4. The three ministers have reaffirmed their strong commitment to
the programme, to deepening trilateral cooperation for the shared
objectives of GCAP and ensuring its continued success.
