Leonardo: Mariani opens up to Germany in the GCAP; benefits, but risk of delays (FT)
Positivo’s new partner brings industrial resources and expertise
Germany’s involvement in the GCAP programme for the next-generation fighter, following the failure of the alternative FCAS project by Berlin and Paris, could prolong the timeline but would bring “long-term benefits”. This was emphasised by Leonardo’s CEO, Lorenzo Mariani, in an interview with the Financial Times regarding the future of the programme, which sees Italia, Japan and the United Kingdom as allies, with Leonardo, alongside BAE Systems and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement, acting as lead industrial partners within the 50-50 joint venture Edgewing.
"If we were to bring a new country on board now, with the same rights as the other three, this could create some difficulties," said the manager, "but 'the long-term benefits are clear'." “These programmes are always very demanding in terms of investment. They usually require more resources than initially anticipated. Therefore, having another partner with both financial resources and industrial expertise would be beneficial,” said Mariani. Airbus’s defence division, which was due to work on the FCAS programme alongside Dassault Aviation, is already a partner of Leonardo and BAE in the Eurofighter Typhoon programme, which is expected to be replaced by the GCAP from 2035.
The Financial Times notes that Germany’s potential interest in the GCAP comes at a delicate time, given the British government’s uncertainty over whether to proceed with its defence investment plans – an issue that led to the resignation of Defence Secretary John Healey in recent weeks. “Air combat,” said Mariani, “is such a vital sector for the United Kingdom that it will never abandon this priority.” GCAP’s first international contract with the Edgewing joint venture, signed in April for £686 million, is due to expire at the end of June: new funding for these activities is therefore expected, which London has also committed to providing.
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