UK courts Germany to join GCAP fighter program after Franco-German split

London is inviting Berlin to join the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) with Italy and Japan, seeking to exploit the collapse of the Franco-German FCAS project. The move signals a realignment in European defense cooperation, with Germany potentially shifting from a French-led to a UK-led fighter jet initiative. Uncertainty remains over Berlin's response and the impact on European defense industrial consolidation.