The UK Ministry of Defence announced on December 23 that the UK and Japan plan to jointly develop an engine prototype for jet fighters. At present, both countries are advancing the development of next-generation fighter jets. The UK's next-generation fighter jet is called the "Storm" and is referred to as the sixth generation fighter jet, while Japan's next-generation fighter jet project is the F-X. It is currently unclear whether it is the sixth or fifth generation fighter jet. In addition, this latest agreement is only part of the expanding military relationship between the two countries, which also includes sharing air-to-air missile technology. The UK Japan engine development project is the flagship project in this agreement, and joint engine demonstration work is expected to begin early next year. The UK will invest ￡ 30 million in "planning, digital design, and innovative manufacturing development".

In addition, the UK Ministry of Defence has stated that the UK will provide ￡ 200 million in funding for the development of a complete engine integrated power system, which will be located at the Rolls Royce Filton plant in Bristol, UK. In addition, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and Ishikawa Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) from Japan, as well as BAE Systems from the UK, will also participate.

At present, the details of expected performance have not been announced. At this stage, it is unclear whether the so-called demonstration engine will be installed on the flight test bench or only used for ground static testing. It is also uncertain whether the "Storm" and F-X fighter jets will use a common engine. However, the reason for joint development is that both fighter jets are twin engine fighters with similar engine requirements.

Source: Military of Strong Countries