During his speech at DSEI Japan, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace highlighted the significance of establishing long-term industry partnerships for the success of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP).
He expressed gratitude for the warm welcome his team received in Japan, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between nations and industries.
Wallace drew a parallel with Honda Formula One’s entry into global motorsport in 1964, which led to six constructors championships, six driver championships, and 223 podiums, including 89 race victories.
He stressed that the partnership between Japan and the UK in advanced engineering spans several decades and will continue with GCAP, which aims to create a sixth-generation fighter.
Wallace expressed his excitement about GCAP’s potential to fuse the best of all technologies from the partnering nations, adding that they will be partners and customers in the project.
He emphasized the importance of this strategic partnership between liberal open democracies, who believe in the rule of law and upholding international values threatened in today’s world.
Wallace clarified that GCAP is a long-term programme, not a short-term project, and likened it to a marriage rather than a love affair.
He explained that the AUKUS project, which aims to develop the next generation of nuclear attack submarines involving the United States, Australia, and the UK, is also a long-term programme.
Wallace expressed that the three partners have to maintain forward momentum and keep each other going, as there is no going back once the nations commit to the project.
Wallace added that industry must share the overall responsibility for delivering a requirement to defend nations, which should go above individual industry self-interest or shareholder interest.
He urged the partnering industries to look across to other industries, as ministers and Chief of Air Staffs’ job is to defend their nations, which is their top priority.
Wallace expressed his excitement about GCAP’s potential to help other industries and complement other developments.
The UK has committed to investing £2 billion up to 2025 and £10 billion over the next ten years for GCAP.
The overall development programme is expected to be above £25 billion over the next decade, with the goal of sharing designs and reaching development by 2025.
The sixth-generation fighter is expected to be in service to Japan by 2035, a milestone that must be met by all partners.
Wallace emphasized the importance of keeping momentum and delivering on commitments, adding that the agreement of system requirements is the next milestone this year.
He stressed that the requirements should be common among all three air forces and kept consistent.
The development phase is expected to begin in 2025, and the flying phase is towards the end of the decade or early 2030s.
Wallace expressed his pride in the world-leading companies, including BAE, Mitsubishi, Leonardo, Rolls Royce, and IHI, that are involved in the project.
He urged the partnering industries to unlock the potential of SMEs to collaborate, adding that the sixth-generation fighter will lay the foundation for thousands of jobs for all countries and taxpayers contributing to making this project a reality.
»Speech by UK Defence Secretary at DSEI Japan«
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