Mitsubishi Heavy to lead assembly of Japan‑UK‑Italy next‑gen fighter jet

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' Komaki South plant in Aichi Prefecture will serve as the Japanese hub for the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), a trilateral effort by Japan, the United Kingdom and Italy to develop a sixth‑generation fighter jet. The three nations are dividing design and manufacturing tasks, with the UK planning a centre at Warton and Italy at Turin, while British engineers are already working on the aircraft at the Aichi facility.

The programme, launched in 2022, targets deployment of the jet by 2035 amid heightened global security concerns. Mitsubishi Heavy has positioned the fighter‑jet project as its core business after ending work on the Mitsubishi Regional Jet. Canada has joined as an observer, and Germany and Australia have expressed interest in future participation.