Report: Japan, UK, Italy tighten engine pact for sixth-gen fighter

A multinational engine consortium developing the next-generation fighter engine for the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) has taken a key step toward integration, aligning more closely with the program’s aircraft developers as preparations advance for first flight.

The consortium—comprised of Japan’s IHI, the UK’s Rolls-Royce, and Italy’s Avio Aero—announced a new cooperation agreement with Edge Wing, a joint venture formed by BAE Systems, Leonardo, and JAIEC, the Japanese Aircraft Industry Promotion Corporation.

According to a joint statement, the expanded collaboration will accelerate development of the XFP30 engine demonstrator and streamline the transition from national contracts to a unified international framework. The move is intended to deepen joint engineering efforts and lay the groundwork for full production of GCAP’s sixth-generation fighter engine.

“This collaboration represents a new era for combat air propulsion,” said Atsushi Sato, Executive Vice President and Head of the Aerospace and Defense Business Area at IHI. “By combining Japanese innovation in advanced technologies with the strengths of our UK and Italian partners, we are creating an engine that will deliver unmatched performance for GCAP while also reinforcing the shared industrial foundations of our three nations.”

GCAP is a trilateral initiative led by Japan, the United Kingdom, and Italy to develop a sixth-generation combat aircraft by the mid-2030s. Its engine is expected to feature multiple cutting-edge technologies, including advanced cooling, high-temperature materials, and additive manufacturing.

Development of the XFP30 prototype, designed to de-risk core technologies for the final production engine, is progressing rapidly. Engineers from IHI, Rolls-Royce, and Avio Aero have begun procuring hardware and conducting joint design reviews.

One of the program’s recent technical milestones was the successful test of a novel combustor manufactured using advanced additive layer manufacturing (ALM). According to the consortium, the new combustor incorporates complex geometries to enable enhanced cooling pathways. This allows the turbine to operate at higher temperatures while reducing component wear, thereby extending the engine’s durability and operational efficiency.

Pierfederico Scarpa, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sales at Avio Aero, noted, “We are proud to contribute our well-established expertise and knowledge in the design, development and production of advanced engine technologies to this key international partnership. By working in lockstep with Rolls-Royce and IHI, we are not just developing the power and propulsion system for GCAP, we are shaping the future of the three nations aerospace collaboration.”

Phil Townley, Director of Future Combat Programs at Rolls-Royce, called the agreement “a major step forward” and said it will transform GCAP “from a set of national programs to a true international team.” Townley added, “By combining our complementary expertise, we’re accelerating technology breakthroughs in materials, manufacturing and design that will power GCAP and strengthen the defence industrial base across the UK, Italy and Japan.”

The team says the engine development effort reflects a shift toward faster, more collaborative approaches in international defense programs. Joint teams have been working out of shared locations and conducting regular multi-national design reviews—an approach that consortium members believe can serve as a model for future global programs.

The GCAP engine is expected to power a future fleet of stealth-capable fighters under joint development by the UK, Italy, and Japan. First flight of the demonstrator platform is anticipated within the next few years.