Airbus executives are expected to meet BAE Systems counterparts in the coming weeks to explore a possible role for the European group in the UK-Italy-Japan Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), which aims to deliver a next-generation stealth fighter around 2035. The preliminary talks are not expected to produce an agreement, with Airbus seeking substantial participation for German, Spanish and wider European industry.
GCAP was launched in 2022 and is led industrially by BAE Systems, Italy’s Leonardo and Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Airbus and BAE already cooperate through the Eurofighter Typhoon programme, also involving Leonardo.
Potential cooperation could cover more than the crewed fighter, including autonomous Collaborative Combat Aircraft and the programme’s “combat cloud” digital architecture for linking aircraft, drones, sensors and radar. Airbus Defence and Space chief executive Mike Schoellhorn has indicated that the company wants a key role rather than a limited manufacturing assignment.
The discussions follow the reported collapse of the Franco-German-Spanish Future Combat Air System project, prompting Germany to examine alternatives including GCAP. German participation could bring additional financing and orders, but Airbus involvement would require political decisions in Germany and Spain and agreement with the existing partners. Workshare, intellectual-property arrangements and participation terms remain unresolved.