“We are moving at pace to meet the deadlines set for GCAP”

Marco Zoff, former Managing Director – Aircraft Division at Leonardo, in an exclusive interview with our correspondent Jay Menon, patiently answers a flurry of questions.  “Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) is only possible because the companies involved have been open to pooling our mutual and shared experiences. And, GCAP is open to further international engagement,” Zoff says. Excerpts from the interview:

Q: How does the GCAP align with Leonardo’s long-term strategic objectives, and what unique contributions does Leonardo bring to this trilateral partnership?

A: The future of Leonardo is focused upon creating new, interoperable, multi-domain technologiesthat will underpin global security. We are looking to consolidate and further accelerate both our capabilities and our alliances, GCAP being a notable example, while developing new ones. The progress made in the first 12 months since our CEO Roberto Cingolani launched our Industrial Plan in March 2024 is very promising. In this context, GCAP is a core part of Leonardo’s long-term strategy. It will drive the technological

development and long-term growth of the economies of the countries involved, creating highly skilled jobs and supporting defence sector ecosystems throughout the supply chain. Leonardo brings its comprehensive expertise as a full-spectrum aircraft and defence electronics developer, covering all aspects of airframe and systems integration. Among the subsystems, I would also highlight the importance of weapons management as a key area of contribution.

Q: What are the key disruptive technologies being developed under GCAP, and how do they differentiate this program from other next-generation fighter initiatives?

A: GCAP includes the development of a range of cutting-edge technologies from engines to sensors. It is too early to compare these directly to other next-generation programmes, but we can say that the GCAP core fighter will be one of the world’s most advanced, interoperable, adaptable and connected fighter jets in service. Technologies will include an advanced intelligent weapons system, a software-driven interactive cockpit and Integrated Sensing, Non-Kinetic Effects & Integrated Communications Systems (ISANKE & ICS).

Looking at the programme as a whole, it is clear that data and digitalisation will be at the heart of GCAP. Indeed, the key difference that will set the core fighter apart from previous generations of combat aircraft is that it will be able to fuse and integrate the vast amount of information that will be available in the battle-space. This extends beyond the aircraft itself: the GCAP core fighter will be part of a ‘system of systems’ that will operate across five domains – air, land, sea, space and cyber – and will connect to other, crewed and uncrewed peripheral systems. This has been described as “a flying network of supercomputers”, which is a good way of thinking about the digital-focused programme.

Q: Can you elaborate on the collaborative framework between Leonardo, BAE Systems, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and how responsibilities are distributed among the partners?

A: Leonardo (Italy), Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co Ltd (JAIEC) and BAE Systems (UK) have reached an agreement to form a new company under a business joint venture for GCAP, subject to regulatory approvals. Discussions are ongoing and there will be more information on how this will work in practice later in the year. For now, we can say that the new joint venture will serve as the prime contractor for GCAP. It will be accountable for the design, development and delivery of the next generation combat aircraft and will remain the design authority for GCAP for the life of the product. Each partner will hold a 33.3 per cent shareholding in the new joint venture, with a collaborative framework ensuring that each partner can contribute its specialised knowledge, fostering innovation and efficiency throughout the development process.

Q: With over 1,000 companies involved across the three nations, how is Leonardo ensuring effective integration and coordination within this extensive supply chain?

A: Leonardo addresses this complexity through a robust integration strategy that includes theestablishment of digital engineering platforms, modular design approaches and regular coordination forums with suppliers. By implementing cloud-based platforms and advanced simulation tools, Leonardo ensures seamless communication and collaboration among suppliers, reducing lead times and enhancing product quality. One key initiative is the ‘GCAP Acceleration Initiative’ launched by the Italian Ministry of Defence and promoted in partnership with Cefriel - Milan Polytechnic University’s Centre for Digital Innovation, AIAD - National Organisation of Italian Companies for Aerospace, Defence and Security and Leonardo, as a strategic partner of the GCAP, as well as Italy’s leading companies various domains, Avio Aero, Elettronica, and MBDA Italia. The initiative aims to speed up technological innovation by inviting startups, companies, research centres and national universities to propose solutions for application across the system-of-systems that GCAP will operate within. A unique benefit for Leonardo is that we are GCAP partners in both Italy and the UK. Leonardo is Italy’s overall industry strategic lead for the programme, and we are also the UK’s industry lead for advanced electronics. Therefore, Leonardo plays a strategic role amongst tier one ‘lead sub-system integrators’ (LSSIs), including as a partner and shareholder in the effector domain through the involvement of MBDA (which itself is involved in both Italy and the UK). This involvement highlights Leonardo’s deep integration within the defence value chain and reinforces our position as a driving force in delivering next-generation capabilities through trusted industrial partnerships.

GCAP is not merely a technological frontier for next-generation platforms; it serves as a catalyst for advancing each nation’s entire industrial ecosystem. By driving innovation in areas such as secure communications, artificial intelligence, digital technologies, and cybersecurity, GCAP strengthens our national supply chains at every tier. This ensures that technological progress permeates throughout each country, bolstering national resilience and economic growth.

Q: What challenges and opportunities have arisen from the cross-cultural collaboration

inherent in GCAP, and how are they being addressed?

A: GCAP is only possible because the companies involved have been open to pooling our mutual and shared experiences. There has been a strong spirit of trilateral cooperation and collaboration and I have had the pleasure of working with a team committed to making progress in a mutually beneficial way. There has been a clear drive to prioritise the interests of the programme over those of individual companies.

The new joint venture will have operations and joint teams working in each of the partner nations. It will be headquartered in the UK, to ensure maximum alignment and collaboration with the GCAP International Government Organisation (GIGO) which will also be headquartered in the UK. With a co-located headquarters, we can encourage knowledge sharing and collaboration to achieve our common goals.

The strong alignment between the three cultures involved brings out the best not only in terms of technology, but also in processes, mindset, and the ability to tackle challenges together. This represents a new collaborative model built on mutual trust and a shared vision.

I expect the joint venture to continue the progress that I have seen so far, with people from three nations acknowledging and respecting the diverse cultures, personal and professional differences of each country represented.

Q: Is GCAP designed with export opportunities in mind, and are there plans to involve

additional partner nations beyond Italy, the UK, and Japan?

GCAP is expected to be an attractive prospect for export customers. The core fighter aircraft’s scalable and modular design allows for customisation to meet the specific needs of different nations, enhancing its appeal in international markets. At the same time, the involvement of multiple nations in the development process demonstrates a commitment to global defence partnerships, increasing the program’s credibility and attractiveness to potential customers.

In terms of additional partner nations, this is a question for the respective governments. We have always been clear that GCAP is open to further international engagement.

Q: How is digital engineering and virtual prototyping being utilized in GCAP to accelerate development and reduce costs?

A: I should note first that digitalisation is a core part of Leonardo’s industrial plan, being implemented across our whole business, not just limited to GCAP.

That said, GCAP will certainly see major benefits in terms of both cost and schedule from our digitalisation initiatives. Digitalisation will impact both internal processes and the development of the GCAP core fighter itself. Internally, the main focus will be on production, with optimisation and efficiency solutions, advanced product lifecycle management, and a shared cloud for planning.

When it comes to the development of the GCAP core fighter, we will use a Digital Twin approach to optimise the entire life cycle, utilising advanced AI systems and simulation. This will see the creation of virtual replicas of the aircraft, enabling simulations of performance and identification of potential issues before anything physical is built, accelerating the programme and keeping costs down. At the same time, collaborative platforms will be employed to facilitate real-time communication and coordination among design teams across the different partner locations.

Q: What initiatives are in place to attract and develop the next generation of engineers and specialists essential for GCAP’s success?

All the partners will be looking to hire large numbers of talented individuals in order to deliver GCAP. Each nation will have a range of initiatives designed to attract this talent.

Beyond its technological ambitions, GCAP is acting as a national accelerator in each nation for cultivating high-level talent. By fostering advancements in AI, secure communications, and digital innovation, the programme is creating opportunities to attract, develop, and retain skilled professionals. This focus on human capital not only addresses current skill gaps but also positions each nation at the forefront of technological leadership, ensuring long-term competitiveness and innovation.

One thing that is clear however is that the programme is attractive to talent in itself: Which young engineer would not want to work on our nation’s most exciting technological project, which could provide a career for a generation!

Q: In what ways is GCAP addressing sustainability, both in terms of aircraft design and the broader environmental impact of defence manufacturing?

A: It is right that within GCAP we take environmental sustainability seriously. Leonardo is already a leader in the sector when it comes to sustainability – for example we have a goal to reduce emissions / flight hour equivalent by 52 per cent from our solutions by 2030, compared to 2020, and train more than 500 key suppliers on strategic sustainability topics by 2027. These commitments, along with many others, have seen us included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for the 15th consecutive year and rated by S&P as the highest score in aerospace and defence out of 103 companies for the 6th consecutive year.

On GCAP, advances like digital twin engineering will enable us to reduce design and

manufacturing waste by working digitally first. We will also be able to reduce the number of flight tests required before the aircraft goes into service, emitting less carbon during the development programme.

Beyond Leonardo, our GCAP partners are all making major efforts in sustainability, and I am

confident that we will be able to make responsible business decisions to limit our programme’s impact on the environment.

Q: Could you provide an overview of the upcoming milestones for GCAP, and how Leonardo is preparing to meet these critical deadlines? 

A: We are moving at pace to meet the deadlines set for GCAP and are due to begin the formal

development phase this year. All phases of the development lifecycle -from digital engineering to full-rate production - have been mapped out to ensure that we can deliver a next-generation platform in line with our ambitious schedule. Leonardo is ensuring that the cutting-edge technology, systems integration, and manufacturing capabilities are in place ready to meet these critical milestones.

Thank You!