The GCAP Electronics Evolution consortium, spanning Italian, Japanese and UK defence electronics firms, has been contracted to further develop the sensing and communications systems for the tri-national sixth-generation fighter programme.
G2E CONSORTIUM SECURES SENSING AND COMMUNICATIONS CONTRACT FOR GCAP
An 18-month contract has been awarded to the companies of the GCAP Electronics Evolution (G2E) consortium to further develop integrated sensing and communications for the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), the tri-national UK, Italy and Japan effort to field a sixth-generation fighter aircraft, targeted for service entry around 2035. The contract was awarded by Edgewing, the joint venture established by Leonardo S.p.A., Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co. Ltd. (JAIEC) and BAE Systems plc that is responsible for the aircraft’s design and development, following Edgewing’s own contract with the GCAP Agency, the government body that manages the programme on behalf of the three nations.
WHAT THE CONSORTIUM WILL DELIVER
G2E brings together ELT Group and Leonardo S.p.A. of Italy, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation of Japan, and Leonardo UK Ltd., as a single strategic enabling partner responsible for the Integrated Sensing And Non-Kinetic Effects and Integrated Communications Systems, referred to as ISANKE and ICS. In practice, this is the system meant to fuse radar, electronic warfare and communications data from across the aircraft into a single picture for the pilot, an approach modern fighter programmes increasingly treat as being as important to combat effectiveness as the airframe or engine itself, since it determines how quickly a crew can build an accurate picture of contested, congested airspace. “This is a significant milestone for the consortium, cementing GCAP Electronics Evolution as a strategic enabling partner within the GCAP enterprise. This contract reflects the progress we have made to transform from national companies to a single international entity. We stand ready to deliver the next critical period in the ongoing development of the programme. We continue to work closely within the GCAP enterprise as our team comes together to join our GCAP Agency and Edgewing partners at the programme HQ in Reading,” said Andrew Howard, G2E Consortium Interim General Manager.
Note: Background figures on GCAP’s timeline and national partners are drawn from public reporting on the programme.
Source and Images: Leonardo
