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

[kqcke for you]

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.

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]

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

Ah, right. I've mixed thing up a bit. Though, that makes things even more puzzling how this new UAS would fit in the FCAS and SCAF ecosystem...

 

[Forest Green]

Germany, UK strike 'first-of-its-kind' defense deal prioritizing deep strike weapons and drones - Breaking Defense

"It is particularly important to me that we cooperate even more closely to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank and to close critical capability gaps, for instance in the field of long-range strike weapons," said Boris Pistorius, Germany's defense minister.

breakingdefense.com

 

[Scott Kenny]

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.

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.

 

[Broken]

I do not understand the rationale in developing combat drones with a country where putting weapons on a drone is deeply controversial.

 

[Scott Kenny]

I do not understand the rationale in developing combat drones with a country where putting weapons on a drone is deeply controversial.

I suspect that there's a lot less controversy about air-to-air weapons on drones.