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| UK Will Join Japan And Italy For Production Of AI-Technological Fighter Jets |
London - The UK will join Japan and Italy in producing fighter jets with artificial intelligence (AI) technology which are expected to be able to fly without pilots. Britain will spend 10 billion pounds for the latest generation of fighter jets.
The Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) aims to take off in 2035 and combine British, Japanese and Italian technology to create the world's most advanced combat aircraft.
The big investment comes amid British generals' frustration over the underfunding of the Army in the Budget. The GCAP will be a replacement for the Typhoon fighter jets that will be withdrawn from the military in the mid-2030s.
It will incorporate all the research and development that has been completed on the future 'Tempest' aircraft project. Japan will also provide all of the technology that will be used for the next generation of fighter jets as part of the collaboration. Meanwhile, Italy has also joined the GCAP but is understood to be a junior partner.
Speaking in Japan, UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said "We will be investing £2 billion in GCAP through 2025 and £10 billion over the next ten years." "The overall development program will be above £25 billion. Hopefully we will achieve development by 2025 and operational by 2035 – an important milestone, a milestone that we all have to meet and make happen," he continued as quoted by the Daily Mail.
The manufacturers involved in this project include BAE and Rolls-Royce from England, Leonardo from Italy and Mitsubishi from Japan. Dozens of smaller UK companies will also be included. Britain and Japan are expected to cover 80 percent of the costs, with Italy taking the rest.