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Italy rebuffs German bid to enter joint fighter jet project

14 November 2026 10:20 (UTC +04:00)

Italy has rebuffed a British push to explore bringing Germany into a programme to build a next-generation fighter jet, instead pressing for Berlin to be given low-level observer status, Financial Times reports, citing three people familiar with the matter.

The UK had led a recent effort to examine the possibility of Germany joining the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), a British-Italian-Japanese project to develop an advanced plane that would reduce their reliance on US fighters.

But Italian defence minister Guido Crosetto used an online meeting with British and Japanese counterparts this week to strongly oppose allowing Germany an equal role in the multibillion-dollar programme, according to the three people.

In a blow to Berlin, Crosetto suggested Germany should instead hold observer status like Canada, which would give it no role in the aircraft’s design or development.

“Italy confirmed its willingness to accept Germany . . . but to speed up the process it was suggested that Germany be an observer,” an Italian government official told the FT.

Tokyo and Rome had both reacted nervously to UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham using a visit to Berlin last month to declare his “openness” to involving Germany in GCAP.

Germany, which has the largest defence budget of any EU nation, could contribute financially to the project and boost orders for the jet.

But Italy and Japan are wary about the prospect of adding a new partner to an already complex programme, officials from both countries told the FT, voicing concern that it would slow down the project.

Officials from both countries also fear their aerospace companies would lose work if German industrial players, including Airbus, joined the programme.

Germany would almost certainly reject observer status, with one German official describing the Italian offer as “unacceptable”. Berlin has made clear it would want to be a full member, making financial contributions and receiving a substantial share of work for its industry in return.

German defence minister Boris Pistorius said this week that, if the three existing GCAP partners were open to Germany joining, the final decision would come down to whether the outcome “would actually be beneficial for Germany — specifically, whether there is a reasonable balance between the work share, the timeline and Germany’s share of the costs”.

The resistance from Italy and Japan underlines the challenges for Berlin as it seeks to find a replacement to a troubled joint fighter jet programme with France that finally collapsed in June.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told French President Emmanuel Macron that it would be better to end the aircraft part of the €100bn Future Combat Air System (FCAS), which had become paralysed by a bitter industrial dispute.

Germany has been looking for alternative options to FCAS together with its surviving partner Spain, which had also been part of the project.

They are also examining the possibility of joining forces with Sweden and its aerospace giant Saab, although political uncertainty in Stockholm risks delaying discussions, with weeks of stalemate following a tight election in September and the risk of a fresh vote.

Pistorius has said he wants to reach a decision by the end of March.

A British official insisted the UK was not pushing for Germany’s inclusion, but simply had closer contacts with Berlin. London believed that Germany should be given a hearing, the official said, while adding that the UK also shared concerns about the timeline. “If they’re jumping on the bus, the bus can’t slow down,” the person said.

This week’s call with Japan and Italy had been aimed at reassuring the two other GCAP partners, and all three had agreed to continue the discussions as a trio, the official said.

The German defence ministry said it did not comment on discussions with its partners.

The UK Ministry of Defence said Britain was “fully committed to delivering GCAP at pace alongside our partners, Italy and Japan” and “open to exploring credible options for future participation by other nations, while keeping the programme on track and delivering our future military capabilities”.