Britain, Japan and Italy have chosen Reading, England, as the headquarters for their joint programme to build a future fighter jet, officials announced on Wednesday.
The decision, announced during high-level talks between British Defence Secretary John Healey and Japanese Defence Minister Gen Nakatani, marks a significant step in deepening defence ties between the countries.
The new headquarters will oversee the development of the advanced Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), a joint effort between the three countries to design and develop the next generation stealth fighter.
The joint venture aims to develop a fighter capable of competing with the US F-35.
The announcement came as the UK and Japan began the Vigilant Isles exercise in Japan, where more than 100 British troops from the 16th Air Assault Brigade are training alongside the Japanese Ground Self-Defence Force on the island of Kyushu.
The exercise, now in its third year, is aimed at improving interoperability between the armed forces of both countries. Notably, the UK is the only European country to hold bilateral military exercises on Japanese territory, highlighting the growing military co-operation between the two countries.
Security in the Indo-Pacific region
During their meeting in London, Healey and Nakatani also discussed the growing importance of security in the Indo-Pacific region and the need for further co-operation in the face of global instability.
Healy reiterated the UK’s commitment to strengthening ties with Japan, saying, “With growing instability around the world, it is more important than ever to strengthen co-operation with our international partners such as Japan.”
More than 3,500 engineers and programmers are currently working on GCAP in the UK and the programme is expected to create hundreds of skilled jobs in the coming years.
In December 2024, BAE Systems (UK), Leonardo (Italy) and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co. Ltd. (JAIEC) signed a joint venture agreement to create a new company to lead the programme, which will also be headquartered in the UK.
