The new facility in Turin will bring together engineers from Italy, Japan and the UK, contributing to the development of the new GCAP combat aircraft.
Edgewing has opened a new engineering facility in Turin, in northern Italy, expanding its industrial footprint as the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) continues to move forward with the development of a next-generation combat aircraft for Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom. The site, inaugurated on Oct. 9, 2026, is the first additional Edgewing engineering hub to open outside the company’s headquarters in Reading, UK.
The Turin facility will bring together personnel from the three partner nations to work on the program, contributing to the development of the new GCAP combat aircraft. Specifically, according to Edgewing, it will be responsible for engineering work of the aircraft systems and sub systems.
.@EdgewingLtd, the JV between #Leonardo, @BAESystemsInc and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co. Ltd. (JAIEC), inaugurated its new facility today in Turin, marking a significant step forward for the Global Combat Air Programme (@GCAP_int), developed by Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom. Turin is the first additional #Edgewing site to open for engineering activities since the joint GCAP Agency-Edgewing headquarters was established in Reading, UK, in 2025.
The inauguration ceremony featured remarks by H.E. Ono Hikariko, Ambassador of Japan to Italy; H.E. @sblhickey, British Ambassador to Italy; Maj. Gen. Domenico Ciotti, Director of the 2nd Department “Armament Programmes Coordination” of the Italian National Armaments Directorate; @AndreaTronzano, Piedmont Regional Minister for Economic Development, Internationalisation and Finance; Michela Favaro, Deputy Mayor of Turin; Lorenzo Mariani, CEO and General Manager of Leonardo; Marco Zoff, CEO of Edgewing and Gen. Is. C. Giuseppe Lupoli, Managing Director of Edgewing Italy.
Lorenzo Mariani stated: “GCAP will ensure technological sovereignty for generations to come and I am proud that hundreds of engineers here in Turin, and thousands more around the country, will contribute to its success. Leonardo is proud to support Edgewing as the programme continues to drive technological development and long-term economic growth.”
Read the press relase: https://t.co/yJtHynZeWt
To learn more: https://t.co/d5DcLBQXDA
— Leonardo (@Leonardo_live) October 9, 2026
“GCAP represents the next generation of technology, and this new site represents an opportunity for many to join Edgewing and work on some of the world’s most advanced digitally-driven engineering,” said Giuseppe Lupoli, General Manager of Edgewing in Italy. “I look forward to welcoming colleagues from across our three partner nations to Turin as we embark on this journey together.”
The facility is expected to host more than 300 employees from the three countries by the end of 2027, with a second building planned for the same year. This number is set to drastically increase, as the site is expected to employ more than 1,000 people at full operational capacity.
Today Edgewing gets a bit bigger. Watch this space for more 👀 https://t.co/c4jjdlSLwX
— Edgewing (@EdgewingLtd) October 9, 2026
Edgewing also plans to open additional facilities in Nagoya, Japan, and Warton, UK, establishing a network of engineering hubs across all three partner nations. The company says it “is combining the pioneering mindset of a start-up with the scale to deliver the programme.”
“Our new site in Italy is the latest step in Edgewing’s rapid growth as an organisation, as we scale up the company across our three nations,” said Marco Zoff, CEO of Edgewing. “Ready to disrupt the defence industry by delivering dramatically quicker than previous generation programmes, the innovation and energy we can access here in Turin will underpin our acceleration.”
From AI-enabled decision support to rapid capability updates and greater versatility, Edgewing is designing the GCAP combat aircraft for the demands of the future battlespace.
Take a closer look at some of the capabilities shaping our aircraft ✈️ https://t.co/FDp0bNKqBP
— Edgewing (@EdgewingLtd) September 25, 2026
A new international engineering organization
Edgewing was established in 2025 as the industrial lead and design authority for GCAP. The joint venture is equally owned by the UK’s BAE Systems, Italy’s Leonardo and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co. Ltd. (JAIEC), representing the three national aerospace industries.
Instead of separate national contracts, as seen in traditional multinational programs, GCAP is moving toward a common development framework under which Edgewing will be accountable for the aircraft’s design and development throughout its service life, including engineering, airworthiness and certification. The company is headquartered in Reading, UK, alongside the GCAP Agency, the organization responsible for managing and coordinating the program on behalf of the three countries.
The new Turin site, as mentioned earlier, is the first additional global engineering hub to open under this structure. The facility will host engineers from all three countries, initially including personnel seconded from Edgewing’s partner companies.
The opening also builds on Leonardo’s established presence in the city. The company employs nearly 1,800 people at its Turin site, which has evolved from a manufacturing facility for the Tornado and AMX into one focused on engineering, research and development for future aerospace technologies.
The new Edgewing site in Turin also adds to an aerospace ecosystem that already makes Piedmont one of Italy’s most important regions for advanced engineering. According to figures provided by Leonardo, the company employs approximately 5,200 people across its facilities in Piedmont, including Turin, Caselle Torinese and Cameri.
GCAP moves into its next development phase
The opening of the Turin facility follows two major international contracts awarded by the GCAP Agency to Edgewing in 2026. The first, signed on April 1, was worth £686 million (approximately € 809.7 million) and funded key design and engineering activities.
A second contract, signed on July 3, was worth £4.6 billion (€5.4 billion) and is intended to support completion of the advanced concept and assessment phase, and further joint detailed design and development. Together, the two contracts represent more than £5.2 billion (6.1 billion) in funding committed through international agreements between the GCAP Agency and Edgewing.
GCAP also welcomed Canada as its first observer on July 21, 2026. The designation marks an initial step in expanding engagement with other countries, although observer status does not in itself make Canada a program partner.
The next major milestone is the completion of the advanced concept and assessment phase, which will be followed by further detailed design and development activities. The longer-term ambition is to deliver a next-generation stealth fighter capable of operating in heavily contested airspace, conducting long-range surveillance and strike missions, and coordinating with other assets.
