Airbus executives are due to meet counterparts at BAE Systems to explore whether the European aircraft manufacturer could join the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), a British-led effort to develop a next-generation stealth fighter, the Financial Times reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the matter.
The discussions could open a path for greater European industrial participation in the multinational defense project, which Britain, Italy and Japan launched in 2022 with the aim of developing an advanced combat aircraft by 2035. The programme is led by Britain’s BAE Systems, Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Italy’s Leonardo.
Airbus’s potential involvement would introduce another major European aerospace player into a project already structured around three national industrial partners. It would also raise questions about how development responsibilities, manufacturing work and operational participation could be divided among the countries and companies involved.
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An Airbus spokesperson said the company was open to partnerships, provided they offered German, Spanish and wider European industry substantial and equal participation in development, production and operational use.
The spokesperson added that German and Spanish political leaders would need to make a prompt policy decision to establish a clear development roadmap and industrial structure, regardless of the partnership model eventually selected.
The discussions are not expected to focus exclusively on whether Airbus could join the fighter programme. According to the Financial Times report, executives will also consider alternative areas for cooperation, including autonomous collaborative combat aircraft and the digital systems that connect military platforms.
Collaborative combat aircraft are designed to operate alongside crewed fighter jets, potentially carrying out surveillance, electronic warfare and other missions. Their integration with conventional aircraft is becoming an increasingly important part of next-generation air combat, where operational effectiveness depends on coordinating information and capabilities across multiple platforms.
Another potential area of cooperation is the so-called combat cloud, a digital backbone that would allow data to be exchanged among fighter jets, drones, and sensors such as ground radar.
Such systems are central to modern military operations because they allow forces to combine information from different sources and coordinate responses more quickly. Cooperation on this technology could provide a route for Airbus to contribute capabilities without necessarily becoming a full partner in every aspect of GCAP’s aircraft development.
Joining a multinational fighter programme involves more than supplying components or technology. It can require agreement on intellectual property, production responsibilities, export controls, maintenance arrangements and the conditions under which participating countries can operate and upgrade the aircraft.
Airbus’s demand for substantial and equal participation for German, Spanish and European industry suggests that the terms of any agreement would be central to its decision. The company is seeking a clearly defined role rather than participation without corresponding influence over the programme’s development and industrial structure.
GCAP is one of two major European and allied efforts to develop next-generation combat aircraft. Its expansion could strengthen cooperation across the European defense industry, but it would also require governments and contractors to reconcile different industrial priorities and national requirements.
The discussions come after British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said earlier this month that the United Kingdom was open to Germany joining GCAP. Canada became an observer in July, marking the programme’s first expansion and potentially creating a route towards deeper involvement. Saudi Arabia has also long been identified as a country interested in joining.
These developments indicate growing interest in the programme beyond its original three partners. However, observer status, political openness to participation and full membership represent different levels of involvement. Additional countries would need to agree on the financial commitments, technology access and industrial responsibilities attached to any deeper role.
However, Airbus’ position on equal participation is believed to be a reflection of the need to secure a meaningful role for Germany and Spain, as well as the broader European aerospace sector, in a programme that could shape military aviation for decades.
Any agreement would have to address how additional industrial capacity could be incorporated without undermining the existing partnership among BAE Systems, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Leonardo. Expanding the number of participants could bring additional expertise and resources, but it could also complicate governance and decisions over design, manufacturing and technology sharing.
The outcome will depend on whether the companies and governments can establish a workable division of responsibilities while keeping the programme on course for its 2035 target.
For now, the planned discussions represent an exploration of possible cooperation rather than a confirmed Airbus entry into GCAP. The scope of any partnership, the role of German and Spanish industry and the balance between aircraft development and supporting technologies remain unresolved. Those decisions will determine whether the talks lead to a formal expansion of the programme or more limited cooperation in areas such as autonomous aircraft and digital combat systems.