When it comes to designing a 6th Gen CTOL FJ expertise in designing the lift fan for a STOVL engine isn’t exactly top of the essential criteria.
Which is why RR is working away with MHI on a new engine including things such as E2SG, Leonardo on a next generation radar - without US partnership etc.
I think there is a general feeling in both Europe, Japan and elsewhere that we have lost our own expertise and become too dependent on US technology.