A partnership involving Italy, Britain and Japan to build an advanced front-line fighter jet will likely be extended to Saudi Arabia, the Italian foreign minister said on Wednesday.
The three countries agreed in December 2022 on the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), the first major defense industry collaboration merging the separate next-generation fighter efforts of the countries.
"The deal we have with Britain and Japan ... I think will now be extended to Saudi Arabia," Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said.
Earlier this month, the three countries said they were discussing a broadening of the project, following a meeting in Brazil between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her Japanese and British counterparts Shigeru Ishiba and Keir Starmer.
The partners aim to see the combat aircraft in flight around the middle of next decade. Firms including Leonardo, BAE Systems and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries have been involved in the project.
Reuters previously reported that Saudi Arabia was among the candidates to become a junior partner in the GCAP, as it would bring money and a lucrative market to a project expected to cost tens of billions of dollars.
© Thomson Reuters 2024.
14 Comments
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Mr Kipling
They have no technical skills that can be useful to this project unless the Saudis will be manufacturing the bone cutters to dismember journalists? Or are they there to supply some cash?
Samit Basu
@Mr Kipling
Saudi share of design and production work will be handled by Saudi subsidiaries of BAE, Rolls-Royce, and Leonardo.
Saudi Arabia wants things happening on its soil to jump start an industry and train young engineers mentored by seasoned British and Italian engineers.
socrateos
No. No Democratic country should be allowed.
Peter14
Saudi's bring two things only-
Provide funds for development and will be a future operator/customer.
But having Saudi's on board will taint the project. They are not really respected as a nation. A monarchy that still does not treat women as equal. And in many ways treats women as second class or outright slaves.
But the cash will come in handy so we can pretend the Saudis are "stand up" guys.
Desert Tortoise
The Saudis are vile beyond description. Japan has in the past opposed Saudi involvement and I hope they prevent this from happening.
Agent_Neo
To be honest, human rights issues in Saudi Arabia are irrelevant at this point. However, the fact that Saudi Arabia is currently fighting Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Iran is not good news for strengthening relations, especially considering the large number of civilian casualties that have occurred.
Mr Kipling
samit....
So as I said, they have nothing to add. Having a few trainees in UK and Italian companies counts for nothing.
GBR48
The other partners need Saudi money. The UK is particularly skint. There are no ethics in the arms trade, so that issue is not relevant.
Samit Basu
@Desert Tortoise
UK is broke, Italy is broke, Japan is broke, Saudi sits on mountain of dollar bills to spend, so they offer $1 billion to some soccer player(Mbappe) to play in their league for one year....
@Mr Kipling
Saudis have what UK, Italy, and Japan don't have, money.
Desert Tortoise
Since when?
HopeSpringsEternal
Better make it unmanned, as Elon Musk knows WELL the F-35 is a total failure from a cost performance standpoint and just how limited humans are vs. AI.
falseflagsteve
The Saudis! No way Pedro! The rulers there are sadistic monsters that control the people with an iron fist and treat women horrid.
HopeSpringsEternal
Reality is including Saudi is this project is just another tool to keep them away from their China/BRICS option.
Saudi is ultimate play both sides multi-polar world along with India. They're no fan of the US$ either, their Treasury holdings are rapidly on the way to ZERO!!!
voiceofokinawa
If Eron Musk is right, who says in another article that a future war will be fought with drones and unmanned aircraft, this joint project to build next generation fighter jets is a nonstarter after all.
Likewise, the construction, now underway, of the Henoko new base in Okinawa for Ospreys will be the waste of tax money and destruction of precious mother nature.