Japan, UK, Italy form Edgewing joint venture for next-gen fighter jet

Private group, with equal investment from 3 companies, eyes 2035 deployment

20250620N next gen fighter jet

The joint venture is being funded equally by the U.K.'s BAE Systems, Italy's Leonardo and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement. (Photo by Tsuyoshi Tamehiro)

SOTARO YUMAE

LONDON -- Japan, the U.K. and Italy announced on Friday the founding of a joint venture named Edgewing to handle the design of the next-generation fighter jet under development by the three countries.

The plan to develop a sixth-generation aircraft whose capabilities exceed current fighters like the U.S. F-35 began in December 2022. The partner countries aim to deploy the new jet in 2035.

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