Major funding boost to progress future fighter jet programme

Published on April 21, 2023

The United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) is awarding a ‘major contract’ to BAE Systems as part of the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) - a trilateral effort with Japan and Italy to develop next-generation fighter jets. The contract is awarded ‘on behalf of’ UK-based companies Leonardo UK, MBDA UK, and Rolls-Royce.

The MoD has allotted, in total, more than £650 million (approximately USD $806 million). The contract will be used for the further development of cutting-edge technologies being integrated into the jets, including advanced sensors, stealth, and supersonic capabilities. Artificial intelligence has frequently been reported as a factor in the development of advanced onboard data analytics and seamless interoperability.

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