Talk of Germany joining GCAP fighter program grows, but Japanese concerns persist

An attendee sits in the cockpit of a full scale mock-up of a Global Combat Air Program fighter jet at the Farnborough International Airshow in Farnborough, England, in July. | REUTERS

Nov 4, 2026

Talk of Berlin joining a trilateral next-generation fighter jet project with Japan, Britain and Italy gained steam this week after the German defense chief expressed interest — though Japanese concerns about further delays remain.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and British defense chief Wes Streeting discussed during a meeting on Monday in Berlin the possibility of Germany participating in the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP).

But Pistorius acknowledged the complexity of joining the three partners, which held five years of arduous negotiations to reach a deal on the fighter program.

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