This article summarizes reporting by Reuters by Angelo Amante.

Italy is actively courting new international partners, including Germany and Saudi Arabia, to join the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) in an effort to distribute the sixth-generation fighter’s escalating development costs. The overture follows the recent collapse of a rival European fighter project, positioning the trilateral alliance of the United Kingdom, Italy, and Japan to potentially absorb displaced industrial partners.

Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto announced the expansion strategy in Rome on June 23, 2026. According to Reuters, Crosetto emphasized that broadening the coalition would increase the program’s viability by sharing the massive financial burden required to field the advanced aircraft by its 2035 target date.

Expanding the international coalition

The GCAP initiative formally launched in December 2022 to develop a next-generation combat aircraft. While the core partnership remains between the UK Ministry of Defence, the Italian Ministry of Defence, and the Japanese Ministry of Defense, Italian leadership is now publicly identifying specific nations for potential inclusion.

Crosetto noted that Canada has expressed interest in joining the program as an observer, an arrangement Italy fully supports. Beyond observer status, the defense minister explicitly named Germany and Saudi Arabia as candidates for deeper involvement. He stated that adding these nations would improve the chances of successfully delivering the aircraft while driving down overall costs.

The invitation to Germany is particularly notable given the shifting landscape of European defense procurement. Earlier in June 2026, Germany and France abandoned the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) due to unresolvable industrial disputes between Airbus and Dassault Aviation. The dissolution of FCAS leaves Germany without a domestic sixth-generation fighter program, making GCAP a logical alternative. Leonardo S.p.A. Chief Executive Officer Lorenzo Mariani previously signaled support for this pivot on June 9, 2026, noting that Germany would bring valuable industrial expertise to the joint venture.

Financial pressures and upcoming milestones

Italy’s push for new partners aligns with a sharp increase in its domestic financial commitments to the project. In January 2026, the Italian Ministry of Defence informed its parliament that the estimated cost for the first two phases of GCAP had tripled. The projected expense rose from an initial estimate of €6 billion to €18.6 billion ($21.8 billion) as technology maturation and development requirements became clearer, according to Defense News.

Despite the rising costs, the core partners are advancing toward binding agreements. Breaking Defense reported that the UK is expected to sign a new international contract for the next phase of GCAP by the end of June 2026. This pending agreement, valued at £686 million ($905 million) for design and development work, follows mid-June meetings between UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi aimed at accelerating the program’s timeline.

AirPro News analysis

We view the potential integration of Germany into GCAP as a major realignment of the European aerospace sector. If Berlin formally pivots to the UK-Italy-Japan consortium, it would consolidate European sixth-generation fighter development under a single umbrella. However, integrating a partner of Germany’s industrial weight will require complex renegotiations of workshare. The current industrial arrangement is carefully balanced among BAE Systems, Leonardo, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Adding German contractors to the Edgewing joint venture would dilute the existing partners’ shares, potentially complicating the rapid development schedule required to meet the 2035 in-service target.

Sources: Reuters

The Hungarian Air Force completed the expansion of its fighter fleet on June 23, 2026, with the arrival of two Saab JAS 39 Gripen C aircraft at Kecskemét Air Base. The delivery finalizes a four-aircraft contract amendment signed in 2024, bringing Hungary’s total Gripen inventory to 18 airframes.

In a press release issued on June 24, 2026, Swedish manufacturers Saab AB confirmed the final handover in coordination with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) and the Hungarian Ministry of Defence. The expanded fleet strengthens Hungary’s capacity to patrol its national airspace and contribute to integrated North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) air defense operations.

Fleet expansion and operational history

The arrival of the final two fighters concludes a procurement process initiated on February 23, 2024, when the Hungarian Ministry of Defence and the FMV signed a contract amendment for four additional aircraft. The first two jets from this order were delivered in April 2026. All four new additions are operated by the 101st Aviation Wing.

With this delivery, the Hungarian Air Force now operates a total of 18 Saab JAS 39 Gripen aircraft, comprising 16 single-seat Gripen C models and two twin-seat Gripen D variants. The milestone coincides with the 20th anniversary of Gripen operations in Hungary, following an initial 2001 agreement for 14 airframes that officially entered service in 2006.

“We are proud of the Hungarian Air Force, which has now operated Gripen fighters for 20 years. Thanks to the support and service contract, the Hungarian Gripen fleet will maintain high availability and be continuously upgraded to fulfill all mission requirements for at least a decade ahead,” said Lars Tossman, Senior Vice President and Head of Saab Business Area Aeronautics.

Strategic context and industrial partnerships

The 2024 contract amendment for the four additional fighters was finalized during a period of geopolitical realignment, coinciding with Hungary’s ratification of Sweden’s accession to NATO. The expanded fleet directly supports Hungary’s commitments to the alliance, enhancing interoperability and regional air policing capabilities.

Beyond aircraft procurement, Saab and the Hungarian Ministry of Defence maintain a Memorandum of Understanding focused on high-technology industrial development. This agreement includes the establishment of an Aviation Development Centre and a Centre of Excellence for virtual reality technologies within Hungary. Saab also holds a long-term support and service contract designed to maintain and upgrade the Hungarian Gripen fleet beyond 2035.

AirPro News analysis

The completion of this four-aircraft order underscores the enduring utility of the Saab JAS 39 Gripen C/D platform for European air forces balancing budget constraints with NATO interoperability requirements. While Saab’s corporate communications occasionally present minor discrepancies regarding the exact signing month of the 2024 amendment, the rapid two-year turnaround from the February 2024 contract finalization to the June 2026 delivery highlights an efficient industrial pipeline. We view the accompanying industrial agreements, particularly the virtual reality Centre of Excellence, as a strategic mechanism for Saab to embed its support infrastructure deeply within operator nations, ensuring long-term revenue streams well beyond the initial airframe delivery.

Sources: Saab AB

Volatus Aerospace Inc. has officially opened a 53,000-square-foot manufacturing and systems integration facility at Montreal-Mirabel International Airport (YMX), establishing a dedicated domestic production base for its autonomous defence and commercial drones systems.

Announced in a company press release on June 23, 2026, the new site at the YMX Innovation Centre will serve as the primary manufacturing hub for the company’s V-Series aircraft and drone docking stations. The facility is designed to fulfill orders across Canada and allied North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member states, directly supporting Canada’s recently outlined Defence Industrial Strategy by localizing critical aerospace supply chains.

Scaling domestic production capabilities

Production operations at the Mirabel site are already underway, beginning with the assembly of drone docking stations. Manufacturing lines for the company’s larger autonomous platforms are scheduled to follow shortly. The facility provides the physical footprint required to integrate, test, and deploy these systems at scale for public safety, industrial, and military operators.

“Our Mirabel facility is a strategic investment in Canadian manufacturing capability,” Volatus Aerospace Chief Executive Officer Glen Lynch stated in the release. “By expanding our ability to manufacture, integrate, test, and deploy advanced autonomous systems domestically, we are strengthening our ability to serve customers while contributing to the industrial capacity needed to support Canada’s economic growth, create high-value jobs, and strengthen sovereign capability in critical technology sectors.”

Lynch noted that demand for autonomous systems is growing across multiple sectors. He indicated that the new facility positions Volatus as a strategic partner capable of delivering solutions at scale for both domestic and international customers.

Integrating the V-Series and V-Cortex AI

The Mirabel plant will serve as the assembly point for the V-Series aircraft family, which includes the V100, V200, and V300 Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS). Volatus acquired the intellectual property for these fixed-wing platforms from UK-based Caliburn Holdings LLP in late 2025 to expand its portfolio of NATO-aligned defence products. The aircraft are primarily designed for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions.

Vehicles rolling off the Mirabel line will be equipped with the company’s proprietary V-Cortex AI Flight Controller and Autonomy Operating System. Volatus debuted the domestically developed autonomy stack at the CANSEC 2026 tradeshow on May 27, 2026. Integrating the V-Cortex system directly during the manufacturing process allows the company to offer a fully sovereign technology package to defence and public safety clients.

The establishment of the Mirabel facility coincides with a broader push by the Canadian government to build sovereign capacity in critical technology sectors. Canada’s recently released Defence Industrial Strategy emphasizes the need to strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains for advanced military hardware.

AirPro News analysis

The opening of the Mirabel facility represents a significant maturation step for Volatus Aerospace as it transitions from a technology integrator and service provider to an original equipment manufacturer (OEM). By securing a 53,000-square-foot footprint at a major aerospace hub like Montreal-Mirabel International Airport, the company is positioning itself to compete for larger federal and NATO procurement contracts. The strategic pairing of the acquired V-Series airframes with the domestically developed V-Cortex AI system addresses a growing requirement among Western militaries for autonomous platforms that are free from geopolitical supply chain vulnerabilities. We expect the company’s near-term success will depend on how quickly it can ramp up the V-Series production lines to meet the stated international demand.

Sources: Volatus Aerospace Inc.