Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) UK-Japan-Italy

Maro.Kyo said:
Since Japan is planning to develop their own UAS adjunct in cooperation with the US, while UK is going to develop their collaborative combat drone with Germany, I wonder what Italy will do? Join hands with Spain? Conversely, I wonder how high the possibilities are for Spain and Italy to join in on Brit-German UAS programme.

It seems like everyone rather wants their own piece of the UAS pie, since it is definitely going to grow into a huge market. Perhaps even bigger than that of manned fighter demand in the future? I think how things are turning out in the SCAF front in regards to the new French UCAV is quite indicative. Iirc, UCAV was supposed to be Germany's responsibility.

I think Italy could soldier alone if they need to do so on developing combat UAS, both financially and technologically, but I'd imagine that they would definitely want at least one partner for the economy of scale.
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I mean it is as the french UCAV is something outside of FCAS and not the Remote Carrier which are the actual UCAV's off FCAS
 
Maro.Kyo said:
Since Japan is planning to develop their own UAS adjunct in cooperation with the US, while UK is going to develop their collaborative combat drone with Germany, I wonder what Italy will do? Join hands with Spain? Conversely, I wonder how high the possibilities are for Spain and Italy to join in on Brit-German UAS programme.

It seems like everyone rather wants their own piece of the UAS pie, since it is definitely going to grow into a huge market. Perhaps even bigger than that of manned fighter demand in the future? I think how things are turning out in the SCAF front in regards to the new French UCAV is quite indicative. Iirc, UCAV was supposed to be Germany's responsibility.

I think Italy could soldier alone if they need to do so on developing combat UAS, both financially and technologically, but I'd imagine that they would definitely want at least one partner for the economy of scale.
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Well, it may depend on how expensive the CCAs are.

If you have subsonic, relatively small BVRAAM-carriers, you can probably make those at any place that can make a cruise missile. Even if you have supersonic BVRAAM-carriers, those are probably going to be about the right size for a J85 to push around. Lots of places still using that engine, since it powers the F-5E. And it's supposed to be pretty simple to maintain.
 
Here I put reconstructed point cloud model of delta wing version of GACP concept model @JA2024.
I used nerf technique to reconstruction from photos.
Very noisy, but this will help you.
Maybe over 80MB file size load, pls be careful.
skfb.ly

GCAP model delta wing version @ JA2024 - 3D model by damawo

Re-constructed using nerfacto-Nerfstudio. SfM was done by Metashape. - GCAP model delta wing version @ JA2024 - 3D model by damawo
skfb.ly skfb.ly
 
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A couple of updates on GCAP;

The Financial Times reports that Starmer has agreed to continue funding the programme, pre-empting the strategic defence review due next year, to allay fears from the other partners. A formal announcement is due soon, presumably around the same time the partners are due to sign the joint venture agreement, which they want to do by year's end.

Also, Italy's parliament today formally approved the GCAP Convention, preparing the way for setting up the GIGO joint venture. The British and Japanese parliaments have both already approved, so things should start to move relatively quickly now.

breakingdefense.com

UK 'needs' GCAP future fighter to counter growth of Russian and Chinese stealth jets: Air Chief - Breaking Defense

The joint British, Italian and Japanese effort has been the subject of uncertainty in recent months after UK Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard refused to make a long term commitment to it on grounds that doing so could "prejudge" the outcome of a new strategic defense review, set to report in...
breakingdefense.com breakingdefense.com
 
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FighterJock said:
That is so true Scott Kenny, After all the problems with the four nation EFA (Typhoon) program I would not let any more take part than than the initial GCAP member countries.
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Well you could allways only take people who want the same and then make it only changable if all or atleast 80% of them agree
 
Desertfox said:
What if the 4th country is the US?
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Not as crazy as some might think. Will it happen? Probably not, but in some ways it would make sense.

Tempest will perhaps do ~80% of what the US wants out of NGAD, they are designed in-part for the same theatre. If the other 20% can be achieved through CCAs, some other niche platform or even specific equipment added to Tempest then it might make sense to join up with local production.
 
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Broken said:
Not as crazy as some might think. Will it happen? Probably not, but in some ways it would make sense.

Tempest will likely do ~80% of what the US wants out of NGAD, they are designed in-part for the same theatre. If the other 20% can be achieved through CCAs, some other niche platform or even specific equipment added to Tempest then it might make sense to join up with local production.
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Hmmm... US GCAPs, CCAs, armed SR-72, B-21s with AAMs and targeting provided by satellite constellation.
 

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