UK, Japan, Italy sign defense agreement to develop stealth fighter

Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom have inked an international agreement within the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) military program to develop a cutting-edge stealth fighter with supersonic capability that is expected to come into operation by 2035, the UK Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

"The UK has signed an international Treaty with Japan and Italy for a future combat air programme that aims to develop an innovative stealth fighter with supersonic capability and equipped with cutting-edge technology … This combat air aircraft, due to take to the skies by 2035, aims to harness next-generation technologies," the ministry said in a statement.

The supersonic stealth jet will be equipped with "a powerful radar" able to provide 10,000 times more data than current systems and deliver "a battle-winning advantage," the statement read.

The joint development phase within the program was set to launch in 2025, the ministry added.

UK Defense Secretary Grant Shapps held a meeting with Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara and Italian defense chief Guido Crosetto in Tokyo earlier in the day. The signing of the defense agreement marked one year after the formal launch of the GCAP program and stressed "the positive progress in the development of this next-generation fighter jet," the statement read.

Earlier, the Russian state corporation Rostec announced that Russia has completed scientific work on creating a test stand for testing the new generation PAK DA (Perspective Aviation Complex of Long-Range Aviation) bomber. The new bomber is being developed by Tupolev. It is expected to enter service in 2027. The bomber is being developed with extensive use of radar stealth technology, according to Rostec.