Germany and Japan to Explore Fighter Jet Cooperation After Merz-Takaichi Talks
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in Tokyo on 28 October 2026, after meeting Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, that Germany is examining whether it could play a role in the GCAP fighter programme. No decision has been made. Jiji Press reported that the two leaders agreed to promptly study the possibility of Germany joining, and Reuters quoted Merz as saying the two countries’ defence ministers will meet soon on the issue.
Last updated: 29 October 2026
What was said in Tokyo
According to Reuters, Merz said Berlin is “assessing all of its options” and that talks on dividing industrial work among the existing GCAP partners are at an advanced stage. Takaichi did not mention GCAP by name; she said Japan would promote defence industry cooperation in areas where the two countries’ capabilities are mutually complementary.
On timing, Tokyo’s expectation is clear: Japan wants Germany’s answer by early 2027. Merz said Berlin may not meet that deadline. Jiji added that Merz said Germany could also consider cooperating with Sweden on fighter development.
What GCAP is
The Global Combat Air Programme is the next-generation fighter effort run by the United Kingdom, Italy and Japan; in Britain the aircraft is also known as Tempest. Reuters says the jet is due to enter service in 2035. The joint venture responsible for design and development, Edgewing, was set up in June 2025 with BAE Systems, Leonardo and Japan’s JAIEC each holding a third, headquartered in Reading, UK. The three governments oversee the programme through GIGO.
Why FCAS collapsed and why Berlin is looking elsewhere
The fighter pillar of the Franco-German FCAS project ended in June 2026. Euronews reports that the core dispute was between Airbus and Dassault over leadership, intellectual property and sharing of sensitive technology: Dassault wanted to lead as prime contractor, Airbus rejected a subordinate role. Work on the “combat cloud” is expected to continue, and Dassault is expected to develop a Rafale successor on its own. Germany and Spain have not yet picked a new route.
Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury said the company is working with the German and Spanish governments on a next-generation fighter and named GCAP as a possible solution, according to Air Data News. Airbus Defence and Space chief Michael Schoellhorn said Germany and Spain need to settle their fighter strategy soon.
Does Germany have other options?
Yes. Reports based on Politico in October say internal German defence ministry assessments favour building a new programme with Sweden and Spain over joining GCAP (the report’s date varies between sources and we could not reach the original). The same accounts cite an objection that GCAP is built around a maritime scenario while Germany wants a platform for continental European operations. Envanter Medya covered this in Germany weighs a fighter with Sweden and Spain instead of GCAP.
Joining GCAP late would mean negotiating inside a programme whose structure is largely set. Air Data News judges GCAP’s governance, workshare and development to be further along than a new German-Spanish-Swedish effort would be; that is the outlet’s assessment, not an official statement.
The Turkish context: KAAN
None of the sources links Türkiye formally to GCAP or FCAS, and this development involves no Turkish decision. Still, Europe’s redrawn fighter map is useful background for KAAN. What the sources support:
- KAAN’s first prototype flew in February 2024. In May 2026 the SSB and TUSAŞ signed for a first batch of 20 Block-10 jets at SAHA; SSB head Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün said deliveries would run from 2028 to the end of 2030 (Breaking Defense).
- Prototypes use US-made GE F110 engines; the target for the domestic TF35000 is 2032 (Breaking Defense).
- Indonesia agreed to buy 48 KAAN in 2025. TUSAŞ said deliveries would be spread over 120 months with production and engineering sharing with two Indonesian firms; no official price was published (Hürriyet Daily News).
Hürriyet Daily News calls KAAN a fifth-generation fighter, while GCAP is described as sixth-generation, so we do not compare them directly. For Türkiye’s bridge-fleet search, see Turkey Still Awaits Qatar’s Eurofighter Contract.
What to watch
The German-Japanese defence ministers’ meeting, Berlin’s internal assessment and Japan’s early-2027 expectation. For now, Germany has neither joined GCAP nor decided to; it has only said it will study the option.
Frequently asked questions
Has Germany joined GCAP?
No. Merz said Germany is examining whether it could play a role; no decision has been taken.
Who are GCAP’s partners?
The United Kingdom, Italy and Japan. The aircraft is due to enter service in 2035.
Why did FCAS fail?
Euronews reports a dispute between Airbus and Dassault over leadership, intellectual property and technology sharing; the fighter pillar ended in June 2026.
When does Japan want an answer?
By early 2027, though Merz said Germany may not be able to meet that timeline.
Sources
- Reuters via The Star: https://www.thestar.com.my/news/world/2026/10/28/germany-weighs-role-in-gcap-fighter-jet-program-says-merz-on-japan-visit
- Nippon.com / Jiji Press: https://www.nippon.com/en/articles/-/56521
- Air Data News: https://www.airdatanews.com/german-chancellor-confirms-gcap-talks-as-airbus-pushes-for-quick-fighter-decision/
- Euronews on FCAS: https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/06/09/why-the-franco-german-fcas-fighter-jet-project-has-failed
- Migflug summarising Politico: https://migflug.com/afterburner/germany-gcap-talks-sixth-generation-fighter-politico-2026/
- The Aviationist on GCAP-Edgewing: https://theaviationist.com/2026/04/02/gcap-awards-first-contract-edgewing/
- Breaking Defense on KAAN: https://breakingdefense.com/2026/05/turkish-air-force-contracts-its-first-batch-of-indigenous-kaan-jets/
- Hürriyet Daily News on KAAN-Indonesia: https://hurriyetdailynews.com/tusas-signs-kaan-export-deal-with-indonesia-211839
