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The Defence Committee has today (14 January) published a report on the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), welcoming the programme’s progress but cautioning the need to stay on track to meet the in-service target date of 2035.

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The Global Combat Air Programme is an international partnership between the UK, Japan and Italy which will design, manufacture, and deliver a next-generation crewed combat aircraft.

Controlling costs and multi-year funding

With increasing pressure on the defence budget, the report calls for Government and industry to keep tight control of the costs of GCAP. It calls on Government to consider a multi-year funding arrangement to put the programme on a secure footing and provide international partners with confidence in the UK’s ongoing commitment.

Additionally, there must be transparency around the programme’s budget, and information on costs should be made available to Parliament and the public as GCAP proceeds.

Retaining a skilled workforce

The defence industry is facing fierce competition from other sectors for skilled workers. While GCAP is a welcome opportunity to attract new talent into the UK’s combat air industry, the focus cannot just be on the recruitment of new apprentices into industry primes.

Today’s report calls for a holistic approach to recruitment and retention that ensures that the existing Typhoon manufacturing workforce is transitioned onto GCAP. This will be a challenge, given dwindling production of Typhoon in the UK and the gap until full-scale production of Tempest is underway. 

The report calls the failure to capitalise on the success of the Hawk trainer aircraft remarkably short-sighted and deeply regrettable.

Maintaining pace to meet an ambitious timescale

The report describes GCAP’s timescale as ambitious. It underscores the need for delivery structures at governmental and industrial levels to be sufficiently empowered to take timely and binding decisions as the programme progresses.

Chair comment

Chair of the Defence Committee, Tan Dhesi MP, said:

“GCAP is an exciting opportunity to make the fighter jet of the future. The world is an increasingly volatile and dangerous place and new air power capabilities – such as those promised by GCAP – will be essential if we are to meet the challenges ahead.

“While today’s report welcomes GCAP, it also cautions that the MOD must have a firm grip on the programme.

“All too often multilateral defence programmes are beset with soaring costs and mounting delays. GCAP must break the mould.

“GCAP’s timescales are ambitious – we have a window of opportunity now, at this early stage, to make choices that set the programme on the right track. If we are to maintain pace and meet the 2035 target, the programme must be structured to enable the right people to make timely and binding decisions.

“History shows us that costs can easily spiral, but pressures on the UK’s defence budget mean there is no margin for mismanagement.

“The MOD should take a holistic approach to recruitment and skills. While we should seek out and nurture budding talent, the UK already has a workforce with a wealth of experience and expertise. The MOD should work with those skilled workers, including those currently working on Typhoon, to bring them onto GCAP. The UK’s proud history in combat air manufacturing is rooted in its workforce: it’s people that will be key to the success of GCAP, and the MOD must ensure that they are prioritised.”

Further information

• About Parliament: Select committees
• Visiting Parliament: Watch committees