UK-Japan-Italy fighter plans Japan design center with '1,000' staff
The United Kingdom, Japan and Italy's Global Combat Air Programme is planning a new fighter design center in Japan that could accommodate approximately 1,000 engineers and other personnel. The proposed facility in Nagoya is expected to begin operating in 2027, supporting work coordinated through Edgewing, the multinational joint venture established for development of the next-generation combat aircraft. It would complement engineering operations in Britain and Italy, bringing participating companies and technical teams into a common international design structure. The partners continue to target the 2035 timeframe for delivering the future fighter, while the Japanese center remains a planned development facility rather than an operational site.