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A concept photo of the fighter to be developed under the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP).
Japan, Italy and the United Kingdom, on Friday, Announced joint cooperation to develop next-generation fighter aircraft by 2035.
The Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) will merge the UK-led Future Air Combat System (FACS) – also known as “Tempest” – which includes Italy as a participant with the Japanese FX programme.
The United States supports trilateral cooperation, And both the US and Japan are boosting their cooperation in a number of areas, according to a joint US-Japan statement issued by Japan’s defense ministry on Friday. The two countries began cooperating through a series of discussions on autonomous system capabilities, which could complement Japan’s next-generation fighter program and other platforms, with both sides agreeing to begin concrete cooperation within the next year.
“Such efforts between the United States and Japan greatly strengthen the US-Japan alliance and strengthen our cooperation with like-minded partners, further enabling a joint response to future threats in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond,” the joint statement said. the statement read.
The program between the UK, Italy and Japan is designed for future interoperability with the United States, NATO and the three nations’ partners across Europe, the Indo-Pacific and globally, according to a joint statement by the three nations’ prime ministers. .
“Through GCAP, we will build on our long-standing defense relationship. GCAP will accelerate our advanced military capability and technological advantage. It will deepen our defense cooperation, science and technology collaboration, integrated supply chain and strengthen our defense industrial base,” the statement read.
At a press conference on Friday, Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada was asked about the decision to pursue cooperation with the UK and Italy instead of the US, saying that Japan’s decision was based on the fact that it wanted joint cooperation with countries that would deploy the system. Has a program deadline that matches the Japanese deadline.
“And now we have reached the stage of joint development by three countries, Japan, the United Kingdom and Italy. The US All three countries support development cooperation, all of which are US allies, and we will continue to work closely with the US, including to ensure interoperability,” Hamada said.
Japan’s decision comes as it moves to issue three key documents this month, namely the National Security Strategy (NSS), National Defense Program Guidelines and the Mid-Term Defense Program (MTDP), which will cover defense spending for a five-year period. takes It also comes at a time when Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his government have vowed to increase defense spending and capabilities, including to enable Japan to retaliate against bases and installations in the territory of countries that attack Japan, which it views as threats. is From Russia, China and North Korea.
On Tuesday, Hamada said in his regular press that the Defense Ministry is evaluating the capabilities and equipment that the Japan Self-Defense Forces will acquire after Kishida informed him that the allocation for the MTDP will increase by one and a half times from 2023 to 2027. Unlike the 2019 to 2023 plan.
After the meeting, Hamada and Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki held a press conference where Hamada said Kishida instructed the two to ensure that 43 trillion yen, or $318 billion, is allocated for the next 2023-2027 plan, which begins in April 2023. is The current 2019-2023 plan had only 27.47 trillion yen, or $197 billion. Both ministers said the Japanese prime minister had instructed them to take steps by the end of the year to secure the 43 trillion yen target. On November 28, Kishida instructed the two ministers to secure funding to enable Japan to have a defense budget of 2 percent of its gross domestic product in fiscal year 2027.
Japan’s focus on increasing its defense spending and capabilities has been fueled by its concerns about its security posture with nearby Russia, China and North Korea. All three countries have undertaken activities that Japan views as threats to regional stability, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, China’s continued claims to the Senkaku Islands and Taiwan, North Korea’s continued launch of ballistic missiles, and joint naval and air activity between Russia and China. is Japan.
On Tuesday, Japan’s defense chief said the defense ministry and the JSDF are focusing on standoff defense capabilities, as well as comprehensive missile air defense capabilities, unmanned asset defense capabilities, cross-area operations capabilities, command and control and intelligence-related capabilities. functions, mobile deployment capabilities, and sustainability and resilience while emphasizing elements such as defense production and technology infrastructure and personnel infrastructure. Hamada said the ministry aims to finalize specific plans for these capabilities by the end of this year.
Regarding the December 2 agreement between the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan and the conservative Komito on the acquisition of counterattack capabilities, Hamada said that the acquisition of such capabilities would not change Japan’s position that it would only act in self-defense.
“There has been no change in our view that Japan can exercise the right of self-defense only when an armed attack occurs, and that a so-called preemptive strike is not allowed,” Hamada said.
As a junior partner in Japan’s ruling coalition, Kometo had previously objected to acquiring these capabilities, possibly violating the war-renouncing Article 9 of the Japanese constitution. Both sides agreed that the use of force by the JSDF would require parliamentary approval for the use of counter-strikes as per existing rules and that the use of those capabilities, once approved, would be limited to the minimum level necessary depending on the situation. .
Hamada declined to go into specifics about a possible reorganization of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force’s 15th Brigade, based at Camp Naha, Okinawa. Japanese media reports, citing sources, said the brigade would add an additional infantry regiment to its existing supplementary infantry regiment, an anti-aircraft battery, a reconnaissance company and support units, for a total of 2,200 personnel, which would take up the brigade. Number of employees 3000. He would reorganize the brigade into the Okinawa Defense Group. The 15th Brigade’s mission is to defend the Nansei island chain, which includes the disputed Senkaku Islands claimed by China and Taiwan.
Japan’s defense chief said he was aware there were differing views on deploying additional troops.
“But I believe that the deployment of troops in the southwestern region will demonstrate Japan’s intention not to allow the status quo to be changed by force, enhance resistance and response capabilities against attacks on the islands, and lead to the safety and security of the people,” Hamada said.
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