GCAP fighter by Edgewing: status and timeline

GCAP fighter

Give three air forces a shared stealth fighter by 2035 that carries far more sensing, computing and electrical power than today's jets, and stays in service beyond 2070.

ProtoStage 2 of 5

In joint design under an 18-month GBP 4.6B contract (July 2026); in-service target 2035.

Updated 20 Jul 2026Checked 11 Oct0 updates this week

Milestones

Next · UK flying demonstrator begins testing key capabilities

GCAP launched by the UK, Italy and Japan9 Dec 2022Complete.
Edgewing joint venture launched20 Jun 2025Complete.
First joint contract, GBP 686M2 Apr 2026Complete.
Full GBP 4.6B design and development contract3 Jul 2026Complete.
UK flying demonstrator begins testing key capabilitiesTarget 2028Current milestone.
Entry into serviceTarget 2035Not yet reached.

Most important updates

Upcoming

2028UK flying demonstrator begins testing key capabilities (next)
2035Entry into service

Current obstacles

Demonstrator scheduleA 2027 first flight was the public target; the UK now commits only to testing key capabilities by mid-2028, with the flight date to be confirmed later.
Compressed timelineDesign, engine, sensors and production must all mature within about nine years to hit 2035, across three national budgets.

Physics limits

Stealth fights with performanceHiding from radar means weapons and fuel inside the body and carefully shaped surfaces. That adds bulk and drag, and limits how freely engineers can shape wings and inlets.
Heat has nowhere to goElectronics, radar and engines make heat, but a stealth jet cannot add big vents or radiators without being seen. Fuel is used as a heat sink, which runs out on long missions.
Engine materials set the ceilingThrust and efficiency rise with turbine temperature, but blades already run above the melting point of their metal, kept alive by cooling air and coatings. Each gain needs new materials.

How it works

4 parts

Stealth

Shaped to stay unseen

Like other stealth jets, it relies on angled surfaces and weapons carried inside the body, which deflect radar waves away from the enemy's receiver.

Power

A flying power station

The new engine must make much more electricity and remove more heat than today's, to run powerful sensors, computing and future energy weapons.

Demonstrator

Test the hard parts first

A crewed supersonic demonstrator with twin engines and a delta wing, built by BAE, checks stealth features and robotic assembly before production.

Industry

One design, three production lines

Edgewing holds the design; BAE Systems, Leonardo and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries share manufacturing and final assembly.

Spec sheet

Spec	GCAP fighter
Partner nations	3 (UK, Italy, Japan)^R (reported)
In-service target	2035^R (reported)
Expected service life	Beyond 2070^R (reported)
Design and development contract	GBP 4.6B (18 months)^R (reported)
Engine subscale component tests	100+^R (reported)
Demonstrator simulator hours	300+^R (reported)

^R reported by the company

Update log

5 updates

About Edgewing

The team behind GCAP fighter

Edgewing

GCAP sixth-generation fighter, design authority

Edgewing is the joint venture of BAE Systems (UK), Leonardo (Italy) and Japan's JAIEC that designs the GCAP fighter for the three countries. Each partner owns a third. It is based in Reading, UK, and stays the aircraft's design authority for its whole life.

Launched in June 2025 as the single prime contractor for GCAP, the UK-Italy-Japan stealth fighter due in service in 2035.
Won its first joint international contract (GBP 686M) in April 2026 and the full GBP 4.6B design contract in July 2026.
Designs the jet; manufacturing goes to BAE Systems, Leonardo, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and their suppliers.

edgewing.com (opens edgewing.com)Company profile →

Founded: 20251 yrs
Headquarters: United Kingdom
Status: Privateof BAE Systems, Leonardo and JAIEC (equal JV)
Valuation: private
Works in: AviationCombat aircraft
Coverage: 1 program · 5 updateslatest 20 Jul 2026checked 11 Oct
Customers: GCAP Agency (opens edgewing.com)
Investors: BAE Systems (opens baesystems.com)Leonardo (opens leonardo.com)Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co. (JAIEC)
Suppliers: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
People: Marco Zoff (opens leonardo.com)Chief Executive OfficerHerman Claesen (opens leonardo.com)Chair of the Board (from BAE Systems)

Spec

GCAP fighter

Partner nations

3 (UK, Italy, Japan)^R (reported)

In-service target

2035^R (reported)

Expected service life

Beyond 2070^R (reported)

Design and development contract

GBP 4.6B (18 months)^R (reported)

Engine subscale component tests

100+^R (reported)

Demonstrator simulator hours

300+^R (reported)

GCAP fighter

Milestones

Most important updates

Upcoming

Current obstacles

Physics limits

How it works

Shaped to stay unseen

A flying power station

Test the hard parts first

One design, three production lines

Spec sheet

Update log

Mon 20 Jul

Fri 3 Jul

Thu 2 Apr

Thu 17 Jul 2025

Fri 20 Jun 2025

About Edgewing

Current obstacles

Physics limits

How it works

Shaped to stay unseen

A flying power station

Test the hard parts first

One design, three production lines

Spec sheet

Update log

Mon 20 Jul

Fri 3 Jul

Thu 2 Apr

Thu 17 Jul 2025

Fri 20 Jun 2025

About Edgewing