UK Prime Minister Burnham invites Germany to join sixth‑generation fighter programme
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On 8 October, Prime Minister Andy Burnham proposed German participation in the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) during his first official visit to Germany, presenting the idea to Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Berlin said German Defence Ministers will examine the cooperation but clarified that no decision or preliminary choice has been made, noting the proposal follows the failure of the Franco‑German SCAF fighter project and coincides with the officialisation of a German‑British friendship and cooperation treaty on the same day.
GCAP, led by Edgewing—a joint venture of BAE Systems, Leonardo and JAIEC—aims to field a sixth‑generation fighter in 2035 for the UK, Italy and Japan, with potential exports, and stems from the merger of the UK Tempest and Japan F‑X programmes established in late 2022.