The leaders of Japan, Britain, and Italy recently convened in Brazil to explore the possibility of Saudi Arabia joining the development of a next-generation fighter aircraft as part of the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP). This collaborative effort aims to jointly create a sixth-generation stealth fighter, with discussions highlighting the advantages and drawbacks of Saudi Arabia's inclusion in the program.
During the Group of 20 summit in Brazil, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba of Japan, along with his counterparts Keir Starmer of Britain and Giorgia Meloni of Italy, engaged in talks concerning the expansion of the participation in GCAP to include Saudi Arabia. The British government later confirmed that the leaders deliberated on the matter, acknowledging Saudi Arabia's interest in being part of the initiative.
Despite the initial agreement among Japan, Britain, and Italy to jointly develop the next-generation fighter aircraft, concerns surfaced about the potential challenges posed by Saudi Arabia's involvement. While Britain and Italy were open to Saudi participation, highlighting the financial contributions and geopolitical benefits, Japan raised apprehensions due to the perceived complexity of negotiations and the impact on project timelines.