Abu dhabi: The British Ministry of Defence announced that the £4.6 billion contract awarded to industry joint venture Edgewing, funded jointly by the three partner nations, will advance the next stage of the aircraft's design.
According to Emirates News Agency, the contract, signed today, is a key milestone for the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), a groundbreaking collaboration between the UK, Japan, and Italy to develop a sixth-generation combat aircraft, targeted to enter service in 2035.
It comes just after the Defence Investment Plan (DIP) confirmed this week that the UK would invest £8.6bn into the programme over four years.
Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard said: ''The Global Combat Air Programme will give our pilots a cutting-edge stealth fighter jet. Signing this £4.6 billion contract alongside Italy and Japan is a major step forward towards delivery.''