The brief
- 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.
Technical approach
Structure
One design team for three countries
Work once split across three national contracts now runs under one company and one customer agency, so design choices are made once, not three times.
Build
Design here, build with the owners
Edgewing owns the design; BAE Systems, Leonardo and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries build parts and assemble jets, sharing work across the nations.
De-risking
Fly the risky parts early
A crewed supersonic stealth demonstrator built by BAE in Lancashire tests shaping, digital design and robotic assembly before the real jet is fixed.
Power
An engine built for electricity and heat
Rolls-Royce, IHI and Avio Aero design an engine that also makes large amounts of electrical power and sheds heat for sensors and future weapons.
