Italy's parliament approves 8.8 billion euros for GCAP jet fighter programme

ROME, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Italy's ​parliament on ⁠Thursday backed an almost 9-billion-euro ($10.7 billion) ​funding plan for a jet-fighter programme with Britain and Japan, a flagship defence project whose expected ​costs ‌have more than tripled from early estimates.

The Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) was launched ⁠by Italy, Britain and Japan in December 2022 ⁠to deliver a next-generation fighter ​by 2035, integrating crewed and uncrewed platforms, sensors and data networks.

The defence committee of the lower house of parliament approved a government proposal to commit 8.77 ​billion ‌euros for GCAP's initial phases, to be spent by 2037, a parliamentary document showed.

The committee's vote is final, so the full chamber does not need to sign off.

Italy now expects early-phase GCAP costs to reach 18.6 billion ​euros, up from around 6 billion euros at 2021 prices when the programme ‌was first drawn up, the document showed.

"That projected cost estimate has been updated over time to take ‌into account rising technology-maturation, testing, development and design costs," the document said.

GCAP is being developed by a joint venture of Britain's BAE Systems, Italy's Leonardo ​and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement (JAIEC), which is backed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

The Italian approval comes as ‌the rival French-German-Spanish Future Combat Air System programme faces industrial friction and looming political decisions on its future.

In December, Italy said Germany and Australia could be interested ⁠in joining ⁠GCAP. Italian media reported that Prime Minister Giorgia ‌Meloni and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz discussed the issue at a summit in Rome last ​month.

Italian Foreign Minister ​Antonio Tajani said on Wednesday he was open to ‌potential expansion. "If there are other countries (willing to join), I am personally not against," he told broadcaster Sky tg24.

BAE Systems

Leonardo