Multibillion-dollar contract secures ‘major step forward’ for GCAP fighter jet

ROME — Japan, Italy and the U.K. have handed a £4.6 billion ($6.1 billion) development contract to their national champions building the GCAP jet, days after the U.K. freed up crucial cash to make it happen following a months long hold-up.

The three nations said on Friday they had handed the 18-month contract to Edgewing, the industrial consortium grouping firms building the sixth-generation fighter.

The announcement came three days after the announcement of the U.K.’s delayed Defence Investment Plan (DIP), which contained funds for the fighter.

“The £4.6 billion contract will enable completion of the advanced concept and assessment phase of the program, and further joint detailed design and development,” the tri-nation agency running the program announced.

As the partners awaited the publication of the DIP this spring, they handed firms a £686 million stop-gap contract to keep work going until June 30.

To the relief of the partner firms, the DIP - which was released on the same day the stop gap contract expired - committed £8.6 billion ($11.4 billion) over four years to the program, more than the £6 billion expected.

The U.K.’s delay in finding the GCAP money sparked criticism from Japan, which is anxious to get a sixth-generation jet flying by the planned GCAP delivery date of 2035.

Japan’s prime minister reportedly threatened to pull out of a planned visit to the U.K. before the G7 in June if the U.K. failed to promise funding.

The signing of the contract comes days ahead of the opening of the U.K. Farnborough airshow this month.

U.K. defense procurement minister Luke Pollard called the contract “a major step forward towards delivery” of the GCAP.

He added, “This milestone strengthens our partnership with international allies, supports thousands of highly skilled jobs across the UK, and will give the RAF the tools they need to keep the UK safe, all backed by an £8.6 billion commitment in the defense investment plan.”

Edgewing, the industrial consortium running the program teams local champions BAE Systems, Leonardo, and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co. Ltd. (JAIEC).

Edgewing is now expected to hand its own contracts to tri-nation consortia managing the electronics and propulsion on the jet.

Tom Kington is the Italy correspondent for Defense News.

罗马——日本、意大利和英国向各自国家的GCAP喷气式飞机制造商授予了一份价值46亿英镑（61亿美元）的开发合同。此前，英国在经历了数月的拖延后，终于释放了关键资金，促成了该项目的启动。

这三个国家周五表示，他们已将这份为期 18 个月的合同授予了 Edgewing，这是一个由多家公司组成的工业财团，负责建造第六代战斗机。

该消息是在英国推迟公布国防投资计划（DIP）三天后发布的，该计划包含了用于该战斗机的资金。

“这份价值 46 亿英镑的合同将使该项目的先进概念和评估阶段得以完成，并进一步开展联合详细设计和开发工作，”负责该项目的三国机构宣布。

今年春天，在等待 DIP 公布期间，合作伙伴向各公司提供了一份价值 6.86 亿英镑的临时合同，以维持工程运转至 6 月 30 日。

令合作公司松了一口气的是，在临时合同到期当天发放的DIP（国防投资计划）承诺在四年内向该计划提供86亿英镑（114亿美元）的资金，超过了预期的60亿英镑。

英国迟迟未能筹集到 GCAP 资金，引发了日本的批评。日本急于在 2035 年 GCAP 计划交付日期之前让第六代喷气式飞机投入使用。

据报道，日本首相威胁称，如果英国不承诺提供资金，他将取消原定于6月G7峰会前对英国的访问。

合同签署日期距离本月英国范堡罗航展开幕仅几天之遥。

英国国防采购大臣卢克·波拉德称该合同是“向交付GCAP迈出的重要一步”。

他补充道：“这一里程碑加强了我们与国际盟友的伙伴关系，支持了英国各地数千个高技能就业岗位，并将为英国皇家空军提供维护英国安全所需的工具，所有这一切都得到了国防投资计划中 86 亿英镑承诺的支持。”

负责运营该项目的工业联盟 Edgewing 旗下拥有当地龙头企业 BAE Systems、Leonardo 和日本飞机工业增强有限公司 (JAIEC)。

Edgewing 预计将把负责管理喷气式飞机电子设备和推进系统的三国财团的合同交给三国联合体。

汤姆·金顿是《防务新闻》驻意大利记者。