From the F-35 to the new super warplane: Italy ready to invest €9 billion in the GCAP
Rome, along with with the United Kingdom and Japan, is hoping to join a select group of countries capable of designing and governing next-generation combat aircraft systems. It is an expensive gamble, but also an attempt at technological emancipation from the major programmes of the past, in which Italy has often played a subordinate role. The Gcap
represents one of the cornerstones of Italian military planning in the medium to long term and marks a possible change of course from previous programmes, from the Eurofighter to the F-35, in which access to technology and control of capabilities remained largely in the hands of the strongest partners. What is the Global Combat Air Programme? The Gcap is the result of the unification of two previous programmes: the British Tempest and the Japanese FX project. The aim is to develop a sixth-generation air combat system by 2035, intended to progressively replace platforms such as the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Mitsubishi F-2. It is an integrated air system designed to operate in complex warfare contexts, with a strong emphasis on interoperability with allied forces. According to the Defence Multi-Year Planning Document, the Italian contribution to the Gcap is estimated at around €9 billion until 2035.