Rolls-Royce, Avio Aero, and IHI Expand GCAP Partnership for Next-Gen Fighter Engine
Rolls-Royce, Avio Aero, and IHI have expanded their partnership to speed up development of the power and propulsion system for the next-generation fighter aircraft under the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP). This marks a transition from national contracting to fully integrated international collaboration.
The three companies have signed an evolved collaboration agreement to engage directly with Edgewing, the joint venture between BAE Systems, Leonardo, and JAIEC of Japan. This new agreement allows for a truly international, one-team approach, as stated by Phil Townley, director of Rolls-Royce. The partners are making significant progress on the engine demonstrator and advancing technologies in additive manufacturing, cooling systems, and high-pressure compressor design.
Atsushi Sato, president of IHI Corporation, highlighted the collaboration's significance in creating an engine that will deliver unmatched performance for GCAP while reinforcing the shared industrial foundations of the UK, Italy, and Japan. Pierfederico Scarpa, senior vice president of Avio Aero, expressed pride in contributing to the partnership and shaping the future of the three nations' aerospace collaboration. The search results do not provide specific information about who has taken the leadership of the Joint Venture Edgewing.
The expansion of the partnership between Rolls-Royce, Avio Aero, and IHI is set to fast-track the development of the power and propulsion system for GCAP. The new agreement fosters a truly international, collaborative approach, with the partners working together to advance combat air propulsion technology and meet GCAP's first flight timeline. The successful test of a revolutionary combustor using Additive Layer Manufacturing techniques further demonstrates the potential of their collaborative efforts.
