Saudi Arabia reportedly wants to join the effort, but Japan is said to be wary of letting Riyadh in.
A senior British defense told The Financial Times that the UK views "Saudi Arabia as a key partner in the fighter program and we are working to ensure strong progress as soon as possible."
AdvertisementAdvertisementJapan also fears Saudi Arabia might want to export the cutting-edge jet to adversaries, such as China and Russia, or use its veto power to prevent Tokyo from exporting it to one of its allies.
Indonesia, for example, has joined South Korea's KF-21 Boramae project, which aims to produce a quasi-stealth fighter jet by the late 2020s.
AdvertisementAdvertisementOn the other side of Asia, Azerbaijan recently joined Turkey's TF Kaan stealth fighter project.
Persons:
Bill Bostock, milch, Shigeto Kondo, Pascal Rossignol, GCAP, Tempest, China's, Paul Iddon
Organizations:
Service, Global Combat Air Program, The Financial Times, Financial Times, Britain's Telegraph, Japanese Institute of, Eastern, Al, KF, Indo, Getty, South Korea's KF, Turkey's TF, JF, 51st Paris Air Show, REUTERS, Rafale
Locations:
Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Wall, Silicon, Tokyo, British, London, Saudi, China, Russia, Jakarta, AFP, Indonesia, Asia, Azerbaijan, Ankara, Pakistan, Baku