UK-Japan-Italy Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) News & Technical Analysis

[WatcherZero]

Mitsubishi Electric says it plans to build three plants to produce electronic systems for GCAP and is currently receiving compensation to support assigned personnel and prototypes, it expects the work to contribute to profit in fiscal 29 or 30 but possibly a year earlier.

https://www.reuters.com/business/re...-industrial-build-up-gcap-fighter-2026-08-06/

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/busine...s/mitsubishi-electric-fighter-jet-production/

 

[Forest Green]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2085139611358212573

View: https://x.com/shreedharsingh9/status/2085139611358212573

 

[JS23]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2085140861395103814

View: https://x.com/shreedharsingh9/status/2085140861395103814

An onboard storage system charges during normal, low-demand flight.Discharges alongside both generators during short bursts & which is how the "peak" 1 MW figure is achieved without continuous strain

I do wonder how much time one would need at peak output in a given engagement, on average. And, approaching the problem from the opposite direction, how long the system can maintain peak output.

 

[tico]

I think the 1 MW refers to the combined generating output of the two generators. The original text mentions five times the power of the Eurofighter Typhoon, and I believe the Typhoon’s total generating capacity is under 200 kW. Also, given the presence of energy storage units, this figure does not look like the peak output from a single engine.

 

[fure]

I do wonder how much time one would need at peak output in a given engagement, on average. And, approaching the problem from the opposite direction, how long the system can maintain peak output.

I'm not an engineer, so I don't know much about it, but I'm curious about the storage system used for new fighters. Batteries have relatively low energy density, causing weight and volume issues, and they also generate heat, which causes thermal management problems.

Could 6th-gen fighters use flywheels storage instead? Is it possible to use a flywheels system to control the gyroscopic effect for flight stabilization? Although the GCAP, as I understand it, has a vertical tail, tailless fighters have the same energy requirements.

Edit*: After googling a bit, I realized that I'm dumbass...

 

[Forest Green]

The BAE Systems CAFD: taking a closer look​

https://warsight.com/2026/08/06/the-bae-systems-cafd-taking-a-closer-look/

The nose of the Combat Air Flying Demonstrator is notably broad and flat, giving the aircraft a distinctive appearance.


Tempest configurations. Left to right: P.189-17B, Concept Class Five, Combat Air Flying Demonstrator and the current ‘Big Delta’.

 

[momosir]

That reporter has forgotten about Japan's VV , DMU and GCAP
This is also a CG created by Buchimaru-san.

 

[Jackonicko]

That reporter has forgotten about Japan's VV , DMU and GCAP
This is also a CG created by Buchimaru-san.

The article was about the BAE Systems CAFD, and the illustrations were intended to illustrate BAE's concepting work on Tempest. No-one forgot about Japan's concepting work, it just wasn't relevant to this article.

 

[Jackonicko]

The BAE Systems CAFD: taking a closer look​

https://warsight.com/2026/08/06/the-bae-systems-cafd-taking-a-closer-look/

The nose of the Combat Air Flying Demonstrator is notably broad and flat, giving the aircraft a distinctive appearance.

View attachment 820322
Tempest configurations. Left to right: P.189-17B, Concept Class Five, Combat Air Flying Demonstrator and the current ‘Big Delta’

It's poor form to reproduce all of the article's photos here, all uncredited.

 

[zww11455]

Will GCAP have all-moving vertical tails?

 

[totoro]

It's poor form to reproduce all of the article's photos here, all uncredited.

The poster literally gave the link to the article (freely available to everyone) with photos first. Then added photos as well for easier reference, for people who do not go to the link. He went above and beyond with contributing content to this forum and doesn't need to be scolded. An internet forum is a place for personal use, it's not CNN.

 

[FighterJock]

It will all depend on how the trials go with the CAFD demonstrator zww11455, I would think that the best situation is to go with no V-tails like the rest of the sixth generation and rely on thrust vectored control nozzles for manuvering and of course the control surfaces.

 

[Forest Green]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1770389963927851197

View: https://x.com/RollsRoyce/status/1770389963927851197

https://twitter.com/x/status/1851610480722256083

View: https://x.com/RollsRoyce/status/1851610480722256083

 

[Ron5]

Those nozzles are intriguing. As are the claim(s) made about them.

 

[TylrrTylrr]

Those nozzles are intriguing. As are the claim(s) made about them.

What claims?

 

[Mk_IX_Hawk]

Fluidic thrust vectoring as BAE Magma?

 

[takacosta]

https://aviationweek.com/defense/aircraft-propulsion/debrief-inside-gcap-fighter-engine

https://twitter.com/x/status/2086907690563867050

View: https://x.com/AviationWeek/status/2086907690563867050

https://twitter.com/x/status/2087363736260825223

View: https://x.com/AWN_Japan/status/2087363736260825223


“The new GCAP engine is expected to go beyond simply delivering over 35,000 pounds of thrust, integrating electric assistance via motor-generators on both the low- and high-pressure shafts, a high-pressure compressor derived from the IHI XF9, and even infrared stealth measures through exhaust cooling ducts and heat-sink integration. It is therefore expected to serve as a central hub for aircraft control, rather than merely functioning as an engine."


At last, we are beginning to see the bigger picture of the engine.

 

[Reuben James]

Is that 35,000 pounds with or without afterburner? Unfortunately, I can't read the article.

 

[Ozair]

Is that 35,000 pounds with or without afterburner? Unfortunately, I can't read the article.

Would almost certainly be with afterburner. The F135 is 28k dry thrust and 43k wet so 35k wet, which is right where the F119 sits, feels right.

 

[Forest Green]

Fluidic thrust vectoring as BAE Magma?

I'm sure F1 was doing this a couple of decades ago, except for downforce.

 

[scautomoton]

I'm sure F1 was doing this a couple of decades ago, except for downforce.

Ah yes, the old "F-duct" shenanigans

 

[ayatsuji]

Is that 35,000 pounds with or without afterburner? Unfortunately, I can't read the article.

According to a supplementary note from Aviation Week, it is all speculation on their part.

 

[Brett Davidson]

Ah yes, the old "F-duct" shenanigans

Three production cars use the princple too: two designed by Gordon Murray - the McLaren F1 and his eponymous brand T.50 - while the McMurtry Spierling can suck itself to the ceiling.

 

[WatcherZero]

According to a supplementary note from Aviation Week, it is all speculation on their part.

I doubt the exact engine outputs has been decided yet, they will vary it a bit depending on how heavy the aircraft itself turns out to be but everything I have seen so far says it will be in the 35,000-40,000 lbf 150-180kn range. Also bear in mind if your taking 10x as much energy from the engine for electricity that is less that's available for raw thrust so it will need a higher raw output. I would lean towards it having a higher standard dry thrust and a lower wet thrust boost margin due to emphasis on stealthy heat management.

 

[TSARb]

So GCAP appears to be the FB-22-2 done right, doesn't it?

 

[FighterJock]

That was what I was thinking, the GCAP certainly has elements of the FB-22-2 in it especially with the big wing but it goes beyond certain aspects of the Strike Raptor in many respects.

 

[Ainen]

So GCAP appears to be the FB-22-2 done right, doesn't it?

iirc, fb-22 was more of a stand in interdictor, not dissimilar to supercanberra (from RAF Lutton ofc).
Fighter part was largely solved by vanilla raptor.

Here it's a stand off platform with equally important anti air.

 

[TSARb]

Nice point, Ainen. Thanks!

 

[momosir]

https://leonardocompany.wd3.myworkd...al-Chief-Engineer---Design-Authority_R0032454
Leonardo UK is recruiting engineers for the DEOS (equivalent to the US EO-DAS) for the GCAP program.
Although omitted from the GCAP mockup, the aircraft is slated to be equipped with the DEOS.

 

[Scott Kenny]

iirc, fb-22 was more of a stand in interdictor, not dissimilar to supercanberra (from RAF Lutton ofc).
Fighter part was largely solved by vanilla raptor.

Here it's a stand off platform with equally important anti air.

The description of the GCAP going after the places that build the drones does not sounds like the British intend GCAP to be much of an air-to-air fighter.

Yes, I am aware Japan wants/needs a BARCAP fighter.

 

[timmymagic]

The description of the GCAP going after the places that build the drones does not sounds like the British intend GCAP to be much of an air-to-air fighter.

Yes, I am aware Japan wants/needs a BARCAP fighter.

Our requirement is pretty much identical to Japan's in terms of a fighter.

Distance from Japanese and British airfields to their likely intercept/patrol stations is pretty much identical.

 

[Ainen]

The description of the GCAP going after the places that build the drones does not sounds like the British intend GCAP to be much of an air-to-air fighter.

Yes, I am aware Japan wants/needs a BARCAP fighter.

It's priority. But not like RAF have any other perspective platform for a2a, so it's by default a multirole.
Originally it was expected to be more fighter first, but as time went onwards, strike was emphasized more and more.

 

[timmymagic]

Originally it was expected to be more fighter first, but as time went onwards, strike was emphasized more and more.

With the demise of FOAS et al, and retirement of Tornado in 2019 it wasa always going to be heavily multirole for the UK...and large. Because Typhoon and F-35B could not perform that role.

 

[Kota]

New Japanese budget request

($1.465 billion) GIGO for joint airframe, engine, and avionics design. Also testing of unspecified technologies unique to Japan (probably has to do with the C-2 FTB)

($60 million) Full scale R&D of CCAs with a focus on electronic warfare capabilities.

(Accidentally posted this in the speculation topic when it more belongs here)

 

[damawo]

https://www.mod.go.jp/j/budget/gaisan/r9/gaisanyoukyu.pdf
Another budget request document shows $0.86b for GIGO.

 

[Big_Zukini]

The description of the GCAP going after the places that build the drones does not sounds like the British intend GCAP to be much of an air-to-air fighter.

Yes, I am aware Japan wants/needs a BARCAP fighter.

In 2026 you don't have pure A2A.
You either have a multirole, or a scandal about why an expensive fighter can't multirole.

Current British fighters, even F-35, are sorely lacking in the air to ground department. Practically limited to LGBs with some residual cruise missile capability.
That and the RAF+RN will be doing mostly air patrols on the daily, obviously.

BUT, doesn't mean GCAP is not going to have at least some basic ground attack capability.

 

[Scott Kenny]

In 2026 you don't have pure A2A.
You either have a multirole, or a scandal about why an expensive fighter can't multirole.

Correct, but there's a difference between A2A first A2G second (F-14 and sorta F-22), and A2G first A2A second (F-18 and F-35).

Japan wants/needs an F-14, and I was honestly originally expecting the UK to be the same.

Current British fighters, even F-35, are sorely lacking in the air to ground department. Practically limited to LGBs with some residual cruise missile capability.
That and the RAF+RN will be doing mostly air patrols on the daily, obviously.

That is more a statement about how badly LockMart has fumbled the TR3/Block 4 rollout, and how badly the UK has handled things since retiring Harrier.

 

[Big_Zukini]

Correct, but there's a difference between A2A first A2G second (F-14 and sorta F-22), and A2G first A2A second (F-18 and F-35).

The former approach hasn't been well received anywhere I'm aware of.

Japan wants/needs an F-14, and I was honestly originally expecting the UK to be the same.

What do you mean?

That is more a statement about how badly LockMart has fumbled the TR3/Block 4 rollout, and how badly the UK has handled things since retiring Harrier.

There are reasons to assume Israel may be employing Ice Breaker from F-35s. So that's probably not it.
Also the F-35's A2G loadout in RN+RAF service is almost identical to the RAF Typhoons.

 

[Scott Kenny]

The former approach hasn't been well received anywhere I'm aware of.

We'll see what happens when F-47 shows up. I'm expecting it to be closer to an F-22 than an F-35 in terms of ordnance carried.

But otherwise it was fairly standard in the 1980s and 1990s. F-14 program in particular, though it took until the -D model before the multirole capabilities originally planned for the -C model happened. (Remember, -As were supposed to be the only birds with TF30s, -Bs got F401s, -Cs got the multirole upgrade with F401s)

I don't remember when the F-22 was cleared for 1000lb bombs, but it was used in Syria dropping SDBs and/or 500 or 1000lb JDAMs in Syria in 2014 and 15.

What do you mean?

That Japan in particular wants something that can fly 500nmi and then fly a 2+hr combat air patrol before flying 500nmi back home, and that was more or less what the UK wanted as well.

They may also spec deep bomb bays to hold 2000lb bombs or even deeper than that since a 4-6 hour mission unrefueled means something at least the size of an F-111, but the first mission briefings were for a BARCAP fighter.

There are reasons to assume Israel may be employing Ice Breaker from F-35s. So that's probably not it.

Israel has explicit permission to integrate their own gear and are not beholden to LockMart's timeline.

Also the F-35's A2G loadout in RN+RAF service is almost identical to the RAF Typhoons.

Yes. But that gets back to my comment about how badly the UK has handled things since retiring their last dedicated A2G aircraft.

 

[timmymagic]

Also the F-35's A2G loadout in RN+RAF service is almost identical to the RAF Typhoons.

UK F-35B have 1 A2G weapon...Paveway IV
Typhoon has Storm Shadow, Brimstone, Paveway IV and, could, carry Enhanced Paveway II. APKWS is also now available, and Typhoon has a gun...which UK F-35B do not.

I'm not sure I'd class 1/6th of the available weapons as 'almost identical'.....