UK Prime Minister approves joint development of new stealth fighter jet with Italy and Japan

The UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, has approved the Global Combat Aircraft Programme (GCAP), a joint project with Italy and Japan to develop a 6th-generation stealth fighter jet. This decision follows previous uncertainty about the UK's involvement. The GCAP will merge the UK's Tempest Project and Japan's F-X programme. The project aims to address security concerns from Russia and China, with a target completion date set for 2035. The final cost of the project is not yet known. The joint headquarters for the GCAP will be located in the UK, with key contributions from BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, Leonardo Aerospace, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.