Edgewing secured a $6.1 billion (£4.6 billion) contract on 3 July 2026 to advance the Global Combat Air Programme’s sixth-generation fighter jet. The 18-month agreement, funded equally by the UK, Italy, and Japan at approximately £1.53 billion each, completes the advanced concept and assessment phase and transitions the program into joint detailed design and development. Awarded by the GCAP Agency to Edgewing—the trinational prime contractor comprising BAE Systems, Leonardo, and JAIEC—this marks the second international contract following an initial £686 million award in April. The deal accelerates tri-national efforts toward a 2035 service entry, replacing Eurofighter Typhoons and Mitsubishi F-2s, while solidifying the industrial alliance among three major aerospace nations.