Coming at an already busy time, with Edgewing headquarters working hard in preparation to accept the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP)’s first international contract, the show was nevertheless a good opportunity to meet stakeholders face-to-face, as well as to take the pulse of the international community on the future of combat air.
Reflecting on the week, here are five themes that particularly stood out:
1. There is huge interest in, and enthusiasm for, GCAP
Excitement for GCAP was palpable throughout the week, and not just from people directly involved in the programme. Our panel session saw the Aerospace Forum filled to capacity, while a media briefing from our electronics domain partners was standing room only. While all this was going on, the GCAP/Edgewing stand hosted a busy schedule of national delegations. I was particularly pleased to see a number of SME companies approaching our procurement team to see how they could get involved in the programme, as we are building Edgewing to be an accessible partner for our three nations’ wider innovation ecosystems.
This high level of interest reflects the unprecedented nature of the GCAP programme. We are at a time in which global threats are developing more quickly than ever, demanding an entirely new model for building our next combat aircraft. We face major challenges, on schedule and budget, to produce a system that has never been built before. But we have the backing of three governments and three national industries to take a new approach. I think people are very interested to see how we’re going to make a success of all this.
2. We’re keen to demonstrate that Edgewing is different
Conversations I had during the exhibition showed that we’re on a journey to firmly embed just how different Edgewing will be compared to previous generation international collaborations. This is natural as we’re a new company and what we’re doing hasn’t been done before: GCAP is the first time in history that three major nations have come together to create a real prime contractor, empowered to deliver on behalf of their industrial leads. It bears repeating that Edgewing will be fully responsible for the design and development of the GCAP aircraft and will remain the design authority for the aircraft throughout its life.
This is also the first time that an international programme has formed a single, decision-making client, the GCAP International Government Organisation (GIGO), for industry to directly collaborate with. For those with experience of other international programmes, this is a completely different model based on maximum transparency and close, regular engagement. For example, it is breaking with traditional practice for the Chief Executive of the customer organisation, in this case Masami Oka of the GIGO, and the CEO of the industry prime to work in the same part of the same building, our offices 10 metres from each other. We are building a collaboration culture from the ground up that is primed to succeed.
3. The commitment by the three nations is stronger than ever
Recognising the close trinational partnership that has already been firmly established under GCAP, it was still good for me to hear the vocal and sustained support for the programme from our three governments throughout the exhibition.
During the event, I was pleased to welcome Minister Guido Crosetto from Italy, Air Chief Marshal Smyth from the UK and Senior Advisor to the Minister of Defence Wakamiya from Japan to our stand. In addition, at a GCAP stakeholder event mid-week, we were honoured by speeches from Wakamiya san, Major General Ciotti from the Italian Ministry of Defence and the UK’s new Minister for Defence Procurement, Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard MP, who took the time to join us and reinforce the importance of the programme despite him having only been in position for less than 48 hours. This sense of unity and commitment between multiple nations is something that feels unique to the GCAP endeavour.
4. Our rate of progress is surprising some observers
Some of the people I met were surprised at the speed at which Edgewing is moving forward, something that is unmatched in major defence programmes. Having launched at the end of June as a new international company, just five months after our shareholder companies reached agreement to form a joint venture, we are on-track to accept an international contract in the next three or four months. This is unprecedentedly fast.
For me, the success we have seen so far is proof-of-concept that we can do things differently, that we are capable of leaving behind the models of the past to form something entirely new. When, as we are on-track to do, we sign the international contract on-schedule, it will be another indicator that this new approach is working and, importantly, can continue to work as we deliver the GCAP aircraft.
5. GCAP is laying the right foundations for success
During DSEI, it was perceptible that the industry centre of gravity within GCAP is quickly transitioning to Edgewing, with an emphasis on putting the programme first to make it a success. This is reflective of the values that we’re deliberately building into the foundations of Edgewing: unity, trust, empowerment, drive and daring to go beyond.
This extends to our unique relationship with our customer too. Edgewing and the GIGO are establishing a shared enterprise mindset with a totally new ‘extended company’ approach in service of a simple target: delivering the sixth generation GCAP aircraft when it is needed by our three nations. Co-located, with our teams freely mixing, it already feels like a completely new approach to doing business.
I am mindful of the immense amount we still need to deliver, starting with getting Edgewing ready to accept the first international contract. Yet, as we stand in mid-September, following DSEI, I firmly believe that we’re making the best possible start.