Global Combat Air Program (GCAP)

Investments into Eurofighter’s long-term evolution could support European FCAS plans, industry says.

Facing tight deadlines and a rapid pace of development, GCAP’s industry partners seek the right ingredients for a joint workflow.

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

Industry partners in the three-nation Global Combat Air Program have reached a further collaboration agreement.

QinetiQ is adapting the four-engine airliner to become an Airborne Technology Demonstrator to support radar and sensor integration work for future programs.

Next-generation fighters will be available when Australia searches for a replacement for a squadron of Boeing F/A-18E/Fs in the mid-2030s.

Eurofighter upgrades are being paced by the four nations’ future combat air programs and national needs.

Leonardo has been awarded a €134 million ($151 million) contract that will enable aerospace engineering company 2Excel Aviation to begin modifying the Boeing 757 airliner.

European missile manufacturer MBDA's Orchestrike technology will allow multiple weapons to communicate their status and position to each other­.

The UK's crewed, supersonic, low-observable demonstrator will use the Eurojet EJ200 engine from the Eurofighter Typhoon.

Excel purchased two Boeing 757s to support the development of the FTA, named Excalibur, under contract from Leonardo.

Avio Aero is the Italian propulsion partner on the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), along with the UK’s Rolls-Royce and Japan’s IHI Corporation.

The £656 million ($822 million) contract was awarded to BAE Systems on April 14.

Japan’s Mitsubishi Electric, Leonardo UK and both Leonardo and Elettronica from Italy are collaborating on the Global Combat Air Program’s (GCAP) electronics.

The agreements come just more than a month since the GCAP enterprise was formed.

Industrial and governmental joint ventures would allow more national partners to join the program and benefit from volume.

Officials are envisioning the creation of both industrial and government joint ventures.

As current fourth and fifth-generation fighters evolve and find new customers, attention is turning to next-generation efforts.

Having partnered with the U.S. on the F-16-derived Mitsubishi F-2, Japan is breaking with tradition and merging its F-X project into GCAP.

The UK and Italy’s Tempest Future Combat Air System project is merging with Japan’s F-X fighter effort.