Derby-based
Rolls-Royce,
Avio Aero in Italy, and
IHI in Japan have announced a major expansion of their partnership to accelerate development of the power and propulsion system for the next-generation fighter aircraft under the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP).
This marks a shift from national contracting to a fully integrated international collaboration, enabling direct engagement with Edgewing — the joint venture between BAE Systems, Leonardo, and JAIEC of Japan. The agreement lays the foundation for detailed design and development of GCAP’s all-new fighter engine, building on the successful progress of the centreline engine demonstrator.
Engineering teams have completed trilateral design reviews and initiated hardware procurement. A recent milestone includes the successful test of a revolutionary combustor featuring enhanced Additive Layer Manufacturing techniques, enabling complex cooling geometries. These innovations allow higher turbine operating temperatures while improving component durability and range.
Technology breakthroughsPhil Townley, Rolls-Royce’s director of defence aerospace (future programmes), said:
“This new agreement is a pivotal step — it allows us to move from national programmes to a truly international, one-team approach. By combining our complementary expertise, we are accelerating technology breakthroughs in materials, manufacturing and design that will power GCAP and strengthen the defence industrial base across the UK, Italy and Japan.”
Pierfederico Scarpa, Avio Aero senior vice president of marketing and sales, said: “At Avio Aero we are proud to contribute our well-established expertise and knowledge in the design, development and production of advanced engine technologies to this key international partnership. By working in lockstep with Rolls-Royce and IHI, we are not just developing the power and propulsion system for GCAP, we are shaping the future of the three nations aerospace collaboration.”
Atsushi Sato, IHI Corporation’s president aero engine, space and defence business area, said:
“This collaboration represents a new era for combat air propulsion. By combining Japanese innovation in advanced technologies with the strengths of our UK and Italian partners, we are creating an engine that will deliver unmatched performance for GCAP while also reinforcing the shared industrial foundations of our three nations.”
The propulsion consortium continues to advance technologies in additive manufacturing (AM), cooling systems, and high-pressure compressor design, driving innovation and industrial collaboration across three nations to deliver the fighter engine of the future.