Edgewing Ramps Up Work on Sixth-Gen GCAP Fighter | Aviation International News

Farnborough Airshow 2026

Full Speed Ahead for GCAP

£4.6 billion contract accelerates concept assessment for the GCAP

Edgewing/GCAP — Welcome to your future fighter: a full-scale mock-up of a representative GCAP design is on show outside the joint Edgewing/GCAP Agency display next to Hall 5. © David McIntosh/AIN

By David Donald • Contributor - UK

July 21, 2026

Since its formulation in December 2024, the joint venture between BAE Systems, Leonardo, and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement—named Edgewing in June 2025—has been ramping up its operations to meet an aggressive timeline for fielding of the Global Combat Air Programme, due to enter service in 2035. This is the new “sixth-generation” fighter being developed and fielded on an equal basis by Italy, Japan, and the UK.

Edgewing acts as the prime contractor for the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) and, as such, is the industrial entity that is developing and delivering the aircraft. It received its first contract in April, with £686 million allocated for investment in key technology development. A second contract, worth £4.6 billion, was awarded earlier in July to fund the concept assessment phase, which is due to complete in December 2027, as well as continued technology development.

The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background.

The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background.

The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background.

The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background.

KlasJet Wins FAA Approval for U.S. ACMI Operations

Company targets seasonal peaks and capacity shortfalls

Boeing 737 from the rear, on the ground

Vertical Expands UK eVTOL Aircraft Manufacturing Site

Expanded facility at Cotswold Airport precedes final mass-production location

Vertical VX4 prototype being rolled into new hangar

Bye’s eFlyer 2 Electric Trainer Makes First Flight

Conforming prototype flew for about five minutes near Denver

eFlyer 2 in flight

Starfighters Space Sells Mach 2 Testing by the Sortie

Company says F-104 Starfighter jets offer a “wind tunnel in the sky”

Two Starfighters Space F-104s in flight

Australia Boosts Capability With Trio of ISR Platforms

Fleet now includes MQ-4C Triton, MC-55A Peregrine and the P-8A Poseidon

Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon and MC-55A Peregrine aircraft

Textron Aviation Marks Rollout of 500th Latitude

Aircraft entered service in 2015

Textron Aviation rollout of 500th Cessna Citation Latitude

Piaggio Marks Avanti’s Ruby Anniversary, 40+ Evo Sales

More than 270 Avanti variants have been delivered across four decades

Piaggio Aerospace Avanti Evo aircraft

F-35 Buy Approved As Saudis Struggle to Counter Houthi Threat

Trump administration says $24.3 billion deal will bolster Saudi Arabia's self-defense capability

Formation of three F-35As against clouds