Italy Opens Door to Germany Joining GCAP Amid FCAS Tensions

Italy has left open the possibility of Germany joining the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), the venture Rome is advancing with the United Kingdom and Japan to produce a sixth-generation fighter aircraft by 2035. The prospect emerges amid escalating friction between Berlin and Paris over the separate European Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme.

Speaking at a parliamentary hearing, Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said that a number of countries had expressed an interest in participating in GCAP. “Germany could probably join this project in the future,” he said. He added that Australia, Saudi Arabia and Canada had also made enquiries.

GCAP and potential new partners

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan, BAE Systems of the United Kingdom and Italy’s Leonardo lead GCAP. Its objective is to develop a stealth combat aircraft able to operate alongside drones and collaborative combat systems. Crosetto stressed that the three founding countries had established cooperation on an equal basis. “The more countries that join, the larger the critical mass we can invest in, the more intellectual capacity we can bring together, the greater the economic return and the less it will cost us,” the minister said.

The Franco-German dispute within FCAS

Italy’s interest in attracting further partners coincides with the tensions surrounding FCAS, the European project launched in 2017 and valued at 100 billion euros. Led by France, Germany and Spain, and involving Dassault Aviation, Airbus Defence & Space and Indra, the programme is intended to replace the Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon around 2040.

Yet disagreements between Paris and Berlin have become more pronounced. Sources close to the talks say that the German Ministry of Defence recently considered possible alternatives with Airbus as progress remained limited. The main disputes concern the allocation of work and technological leadership within the Next-Generation Weapon System (NGWS), which includes the future crewed New Generation Fighter (NGF) and several connected systems.

In July, reports said that Dassault had suggested taking responsibility for as much as 80% of NGWS work, prompting resistance in Berlin. French officials rejected that figure, although the discussion further exposed the absence of agreement.

German MP Andreas Schwarz cautioned in comments to Politico: “At some point the [German] Parliament will have to say: ‘Either we need this aircraft or we don’t need it,’” underlining the delays and risks confronting the programme.

Options under consideration in Germany

Against this backdrop, Germany is weighing several possible paths. These include deepening cooperation with Spain, bringing in Sweden through Saab, or investigating a convergence with the United Kingdom, which leads GCAP. The latter option presents questions over a possible conflict of interest because BAE Systems leads development of the Tempest fighter within the same programme.

Sweden is viewed as a technically feasible choice because of Saab’s work on the Gripen and its expertise in avionics, sensors and lightweight structures.

The matter has also been discussed politically. In Madrid, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said alongside Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez: “We share the assessment that the current situation is unsatisfactory. We are not making progress with this project. Both of us spoke with the French government and we want a solution as soon as possible.”

German government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius, meanwhile, stated: “The distribution of burdens and work in this armament project must be carried out in accordance with the contract,” adding that coordination with Madrid was under way.

With FCAS tensions still unresolved, Italy argues that admitting additional GCAP participants could strengthen the programme’s industrial, technological and financial viability. Crosetto’s comments indicate that Rome wants to present itself as a country able to draw in partners in a strategically important area for European and Indo-Pacific defence. Should Germany reconsider its position in FCAS, a potential move towards GCAP would alter the balance of power in both programmes and in the continent’s future combat-air architecture.