A joint fighter jet development program involving Britain, Japan and Italy could come under review in Britain under the new Labour Party government amid concerns over costs, local media reported Friday.
The program "is feared to be at risk of being axed as part of a major defense review" by the new government led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who took office on July 5, The Times reported.
The newspaper also cited remarks by Luke Pollard, the armed forces minister, who was quoted as saying Thursday that the program was "really important," but it was "not right for me to prejudge what might happen in the defense review."
Treasury officials are believed to have raised concerns with the previous government about the project called the Global Combat Air Program because the Ministry of Defense cannot tell them how much its development will eventually cost, according to The Times.
One senior Treasury official suggested it should choose between "AUKUS or GCAP," referring to a partnership involving Australia, Britain and the United States that aims to deliver nuclear-powered submarines to Canberra, the newspaper said, citing sources.
Japan, Britain and Italy agreed in December 2022 to develop a next-generation fighter aircraft by 2035 in a bid to bolster their defense partnerships, reflecting the tough security environment amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine and China's maritime assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region.
Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara is planning a five-day visit to Britain and Sweden starting Monday, during which he will attend a trilateral ministerial meeting in London with Britain and Italy, according to the Japanese government.
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