Rolls-Royce, Avio Aero, IHI Expand Partnership to Develop Aerial Propulsion System

Rolls-Royce, Avio Aero, and IHI expanded their international partnership by signing a new collaboration agreement, allowing them to engage with the Edgewing joint venture (BAE Systems, Leonardo, and JAIEC) for the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP). Through these collaborations, the partners aim to accelerate the development of power and propulsion systems for next-generation fighter aircraft.

“This new agreement is a pivotal step, as it allows us to move from national programs to a truly international, one-team approach,” said Phil Townley, Director of Defense Aerospace & Future Programs, Rolls-Royce. “By combining our complementary expertise, we’re accelerating technology breakthroughs in materials, manufacturing, and design that will power GCAP and strengthen the defense industrial base across the United Kingdom, Italy and Japan.”

The signing marks a transition from domestic contracting to fully integrated international partnership, allowing for the detailed design and development of GCAP’s new fighter engine. It also builds on the successful progress of the centerline engine demonstrator, which leverages advanced combat air-propulsion technology to meet the program’s first flight timeline.

Concept of next-generation GCAP fighter | Image Credit: Rolls-Royce

“At Avio Aero, we are proud to contribute our well-established expertise and knowledge in the design, development, and production of advanced engine technologies to this key international partnership,” said Pierfederico Scarpa, Senior Vice President Marketing & Sales, Avio Aero. “By working in lockstep with Rolls-Royce and IHI, we are not just developing the power and propulsion system for GCAP, we are shaping the future of the three nations’ aerospace collaboration.”

Currently, the international partners are progressing on the engine demonstrator, technologies for additive manufacturing, cooling systems, high-pressure compressor design, and more. Their engineering teams performed several trilateral reviews to approve the engine demonstrator design, which follows the completed joint design iterations and hardware procurement.

“This collaboration represents a new era for combat air propulsion,” said Atsushi Sato, President Aero Engine, Space ＆ Defense Business Area, IHI Corp. “By combining Japanese innovation in advanced technologies with the strengths of our United Kingdom and Italian partners, we are creating an engine that will deliver unmatched performance for GCAP while also reinforcing the shared industrial foundations of our three nations.”

Recently, the GCAP successfully tested a combustor developed with additive layer manufacturing techniques which produced unique geometric cooling pathways. Enhanced cooling and material technologies allow higher operating temperatures within the turbine, while components may run cooler to improve range, durability, and sustainability across the engine’s lifecycle.

Typhoon EJ200

In May 2025, the U.K. Ministry of Defense’s (MOD) Defense Equipment and Support division granted Rolls-Royce a five-year maintenance, service, and support contract for the EJ200 aero engine that powers the Royal Air Force’s Typhoon combat aircraft fleet: The Typhoon Engine Support Solution (TESS) allows Rolls-Royce to prolong maintenance and repair operations on 130 EJ200 engines.

The MOD’s TESS award will be executed at Rolls-Royce’s U.K. Defense headquarters in Bristol, which leads the research, development, and manufacture of the United Kingdom’s next-generation military power and propulsion technologies. TESS will also establish critical skills for the Royal Air Force, allowing it to deliver rapid air capabilities and fulfill future initiatives, such as the GCAP.