Lords Committee examines the UK’s Global Combat Aircraft Programme
Tuesday 5 March 2024
Tomorrow, Wednesday 6 March, the House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committee will hear from defence experts on the Global Combat Aircraft Programme (GCAP). The GCAP is a project to develop jointly with Japan and Italy a sixth-generation combat aircraft and associated systems.
The sessions will consider the aims and risks associated with the GCAP, as well as the specifics of the treaty setting up the GCAP International Government Organisation.
The first session will start at 10:30am and both sessions will be available to watch live or on demand at Parliament TV or attend in person in Committee Room 1, Palace of Westminster.
Giving evidence will be:
10.30am
- Professor Justin Bronk, Senior Research Fellow, Royal United Services Institute (RUSI); and
- Tony Osborne, London Bureau Chief, Aviation Week.
11.15am
- Lucia Retter, Research Leader, RAND Europe; and
- Professor Trevor Taylor, Professorial Research Fellow, RUSI.
Questions will include:
- What are the key features of the UK Government’s plan for a sixth-generation fighter, and what distinguishes it from the UK’s existing capabilities?
- How does the Global Combat Aircraft Programme compare with rival programmes planned by the US and some of our European partners?
- What do we know about the plans of the UK’s adversaries, in particular China and Russia, in this area?
- From what we know of the programme to date, how well is GCAP progressing? How realistic is the timeline for delivery?
- What are the lessons from past major defence projects for maintaining cost control for a project of this kind?
