Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP)

The Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) is a multi-national collaborative project involving Italy, the United Kingdom and Japan, with the shared ambition of producing the next-generation fighter aircraft by 2035. Leonardo is a strategic partner of GCAP, alongside BAE Systems in the UK and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co. Ltd. in Japan.

Italy

United Kingdom

Japan

The new ‘system of systems’ will operate across five domains – air, land, sea, space and cyber – and will have the next-generation fighter as its ‘core platform’, connected to other, crewed and uncrewed peripheral systems. 

With its fully digital technological capability, the aircraft will be capable of conducting missions with other assets in a coordinated and collaborative manner, aided by a command, control and communications infrastructure based on artificial intelligence, supercomputing, combat cloud architecture, and adaptive, ultra-fast cyber-resilient datalinks, for high-volume data transmission.

GCAP will drive the technological development and long-term growth of the economies of the countries involved, creating highly skilled jobs and supporting production ecosystems throughout the supply chain. On the Italian front, Leonardo will operate alongside other leading companies in the sector such as Avio Aero, Elettronica and MBDA Italia, and their related supply chains (universities, research centres, SMEs and start-ups).

GCAP is one of the most challenging and futuristic programmes in the Aerospace, Defence and Security sector, ensuring technological sovereignty for generations to come.

Leonardo: the figures

> 750

> 750

people engaged in Engineering (aeronautics, electronics, mechanics, management, information technology and systems engineering) and in Project & Programme Management

4

4

business areas involved: Aircraft, Electronics, Cyber & Security Solutions, and Aerostructures

> 50%

> 50%

of the 100 doctorates launched with leading Italian universities will contribute to the programme

Edgewing

Edgewing is a new joint venture uniting the world-class expertise of BAE Systems, Leonardo and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co. Ltd to lead the delivery of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP).

Join the team

Join Edgewing to contribute to the realization of GCAP, one of the most ambitious international programmes in the Aerospace, Defence and Security industry.

News

‘GCAP Acceleration Initiative’ an open innovation project launched to support development of future system of systems

The opening, until 19 May, of over 40 technology exploration calls, in an open innovation approach, allows the proposal of innovative solutions for the ‘GCAP Acceleration Initiative’ launched by the Italian Ministry of Defence and promoted in partnership with Cefriel - Milan Polytechnic University’s Centre for Digital Innovation, AIAD - National Organisation of Italian Companies for Aerospace, Defence and Security - Leonardo, as a strategic partner of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) programme, and the leading companies in the industry domains, Avio Aero, Elettronica, and MBDA Italia.

‘GCAP Acceleration Initiative’ an open innovation project launched to support development of future system of systems