The industrial joint venture responsible for the design and development of a next-generation fighter through the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) is now officially up and running and has been named Edgewing.

Combing the expertise of partners BAE Systems, Leonardo and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement – each has a 33.3% stake – the business will be led by chief executive Marco Zoff, a former managing director of Leonardo Aircraft.

GCAP is a tri-national effort involving Italy, Japan and the UK which aims to have a sixth-generation fighter enter service in 2035.

“We are incredibly excited to launch Edgewing at the heart of the Global Combat Air Programme,” says Zoff.

“By uniting the strengths of our talented people in UK, Italy and Japan, we are not only delivering the next-generation combat air system – we aim to set a new global standard for partnership, innovation and trust.”

Edgewing will manage the design and development and remain the design authority for the life of the product, which is expected to extend beyond 2070.

UK Companies House records show Edgewing Systems was incorporated on 20 June. Its directors are listed as Stefano Bortoli – head of Leonardo’s aeronautics business; Herman Claesen – BAE’s managing director FCAS (Future Combat Air System); Declan Holland – BAE strategy and commercial director; Dario Marfe – Leonardo Aircraft executive vice-president, commercial; and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries executives Hitoshi Shiraishi and Akira Sugimoto.

Two BAE-linked companies, Edgewing Aerospace and Edgewing Industries, were established earlier in June.