World’s Second 6th-Gen Stealth Aircraft Gets Nod From UK PM Keir Starmer

The world’s second 6th-Generation fully-stealth fighter aircraft has gained impetus with Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer giving the green signal for the strategically important project being co-developed by G7 member states – UK, Italy, and Japan. The approval was given last week.

Prime Minister Starmer and his cabinet gave the approval for the Global Combat Aircraft Programme or GCAP, and a formal announcement of the project is likely in the next few weeks, according to a report in the Financial Times.

The GCAP programme aims to counter a rising threat from Russia and China. The project will merge two different military programs – UK and Italy’s Tempest Project, for which the UK had already pledged the initial 2-billion-pounds, and Japan’s F-X programme.

Italy, Japan, and the UK had signed a treaty in December last year, however, there was uncertainty over UK’s participation due to the Labour Party’s Strategic Defence Review or SDR which could scrap UK’s participation on grounds of high costs. However, with Prime Minister Starmer’s go-ahead, those fears have been laid to rest.

Image Credit: baesystems.com

The final cost of the multi-billion-dollar project is not known yet, but the target to develop and commission the stealth fighter jet has been set for 2035. The project is being jointly developed by British aircraft manufacturer BAE Systems, engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce, Italy’s Leonardo Aerospace, and Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

According to the trilateral agreement, the joint GCAP government headquarters will be based in the UK. “UK is a proud member of the Global Combat Air Programme, working together with our partners Japan and Italy, we are fully focused on delivering a next-generation combat aircraft for 2035,” UK’s Defence Ministry said.

If the deadlines are met, the GCAP supersonic, 6th generation stealth fighter aircraft will become only the second such fighter jet in the world after the United States’ B-21 Raider Bomber which is manufactured by Northrop Grumman.

THE ‘B-21 RAIDER’ BOMBER

The B-21 Raider bomber has 6th generation stealth technology, advanced networking capabilities and an open systems architecture. It is made with stealth materials which defeat the anti-access, area-denial systems it faces.

Photo Credit: northropgrumman.com

It is capable of delivering both conventional and nuclear payloads. It also has the ability to use a broad mix of stand-off and direct attack munitions. It is the world’s first digital bomber with the aircraft ops based on cloud technology.

Currently the “world’s most advanced strike aircraft”, the B-21 Raider is named in honour of the Doolittle Raid of World War II when 80 airmen, led by Lt. Col. James “Jimmy” Doolittle, and 16 B-25 Mitchell medium bombers set off on a mission that changed the course of World War II. The actions of these 80 volunteers were instrumental in shifting momentum in the Pacific theatre. This marked the raid as a catalyst to a multitude of future progress in US air superiority from land or sea. The courageous spirit of the Doolittle Raiders is the inspiration behind the name of the B-21 Raider.