Italy Criticizes UK Secrecy in GCAP Fighter Jet Project

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto has issued a pointed critique of the United Kingdom’s handling of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), suggesting that London’s opaque approach could jeopardize the future of one of Europe’s most ambitious defense collaborations. In comments reported in Defense News under the headline “‘Madness’: Italy’s Crosetto slams British secrecy on GCAP fighter jet,” Crosetto expressed deep frustration over what he described as a lack of transparency and communication from the UK regarding the sixth-generation fighter jet project.

The GCAP program—a trilateral partnership between the UK, Italy, and Japan—aims to deliver a cutting-edge combat aircraft by 2035, intended to replace existing fleets and ensure air superiority capabilities for participating nations well into the second half of the century. Billed as a beacon of joint defense innovation, the program has been underpinned by promises of equal partnership and shared technological and financial responsibilities.

However, according to Crosetto, Italy has grown increasingly concerned with how information is being managed within the alliance. Speaking to reporters, he described the UK’s behavior as lacking openness, warning that such secrecy contradicts the spirit of equal collaboration and could ultimately force Rome to reconsider its role in the endeavor.

“It’s madness,” Crosetto was quoted as saying. “We started a project together and we don’t even know the decisions that are being made.” The minister did not clarify specific incidents, but his remarks suggest that official channels have left Italian officials out of the loop on key developments, potentially eroding trust at a critical juncture in the program’s development.

British officials have yet to respond publicly to Crosetto’s criticism, but within defense circles the episode has triggered unease about the cohesion of the tri-national partnership. Tensions of this nature are not new in multinational defense projects, where divergent strategic priorities and national industrial interests often complicate cooperation.

The GCAP effort, first announced in December 2022, brought together the UK’s Tempest project and Japan’s F-X fighter initiative. Its formation was heralded as a significant departure from traditional transatlantic defense dependencies, marking Japan’s most substantial non-U.S. military collaboration in the postwar era. Italy’s inclusion bolstered the program’s European dimension, coupling the aerospace expertise of Leonardo and other industrial players with those of BAE Systems and Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

Yet, with key design decisions approaching and broader questions over workshare, intellectual property, and export strategies still unresolved, Crosetto’s outburst signals a possible rift that could weaken the foundation of the alliance. Defense analysts note that building a sixth-generation fighter depends as much on political unity as technological prowess.

This internal friction surfaces at a time when strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific and rising defense budgets in Europe underscore the importance of effective partnerships. For now, Crosetto insists that Italy remains committed to GCAP, but warned that continued marginalization could drive his government to reevaluate its participation.

“The project has value only if we share decisions, not if we are called in after everything has been decided,” he said.

The coming months will likely prove decisive in determining whether GCAP can overcome internal discord and present a unified front, or whether political tensions will undermine what was once cited as a new model for international defense collaboration.