Confirmation last Friday that UK MOD has awarded a contract extension worth £656 million to BAE Systems in order to further progress concepting and technology of the next generation combat aircraft (Tempest/FCAS/GCAP) is a further and very welcome sign of commitment from UKG for this vital air defence programme.
The new confirmed funding will enable BAE Systems and its industry partners (Rolls-Royce, MBDA UK and Leonardo UK} to build on the already ground-breaking science, research and engineering completed under the first phase of the contract being delivered by members of the UK Tempest partnership.
Working in close collaboration with the MoD, they will now progress the maturity of more than 60 cutting-edge technology demonstrations, digital concepts and new technologies, all of which are critical to the UK’s sovereign defence capability strategy and will help shape the final requirements – together with the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) partners in Japan and Italy for the combat air platform, due to enter service with the Royal Air Force by 2035.
Tempest is designed to be an innovative stealth fighter aircraft with supersonic capability and equipped with state-of-the-art sensing and protection capabilities. The intention is to create an aircraft that will be one of the world’s most advanced, interoperable, adaptable and connected fighter aircraft in service, one that will deliver battle wining next generation weapons to protect the UK and our NATO allies.
In December 2022 UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed that the UK and Italy would be joined by Japan in order to deliver the next generation fighter jet aircraft development. Thus, from that point was born the ‘Global Combat Air Programme’ (GCAP) of which the intention is to combine work from the UK’s Team Tempest and Japan’s F-X programmes.
With a goal of entering service by 2035, the project aims to explore and potentially integrate technologies including the ability to work alongside ‘loyal wingman’ uncrewed aircraft, advanced sensors, cutting-edge weapons and innovative data systems. The intention remains that a new flying demonstrator will be unveiled within the next five years. The demonstrator aircraft which is already in development will be a piloted supersonic aircraft testing a range of new technologies including integration of stealth compatible features.
BAE Systems, which has worked alongside Leonardo UK, MBDA UK, Rolls-Royce and the UK Ministry of Defence on the Tempest project since 2018, previously announced plans to replace most of the aircraft’s physical controls with augmented-reality and virtual-reality (AR and VR) systems projected directly inside the visor of a pilot’s helmet. Known as the ‘wearable cockpit’, the technology is designed to provide pilots and ground operators with split-second advantages, as well as providing ‘instant’ configurability before missions.
New radar technology on the Tempest will also capture data equivalent to the internet traffic of Edinburgh every second and by combining forces with Italy and Japan on the next phase of the programme, the UK aims to utilise their expertise, share costs and ensure that the RAF remains interoperable with its closest partners.
Quoted in the formal MOD statement, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:
“The security of the United Kingdom, both today and for future generations, will always be of paramount importance to this government. That’s why we need to stay at the cutting-edge of advancements in defence technology – outpacing and out-manoeuvring those who seek to do us harm. The international partnership we have announced today with Italy and Japan aims to do just that, underlining that the security of the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions are indivisible. The next-generation of combat aircraft we design will protect us and our allies around the world by harnessing the strength of our world-beating defence industry – creating jobs while saving lives.”
Tempest partners will now work to establish the ‘core platform concept’ and set up the structures needed to deliver the massive defence project, ready to launch the development phase in 2025. Ahead of the development phase, partners will also agree the cost-sharing arrangements. The UK will also assess the national need for any additional capabilities, such as weapons and uncrewed air vehicles.
Rolls-Royce Defence is building “positive momentum” with the international partners to develop power and propulsion technology for the aircraft, said executive vice-president Alex Zino. “In December 2021, we announced a target to jointly design, build and test an engine demonstrator. This work is progressing well and on track to deliver.”
About 2,500 people are already working on the programme in the UK. Beyond the ‘Team Tempest’ partners, more than 580 organisations are already on contract across the UK, including 91 SMEs and 26 academic institutions. The partners have recruited more than 1,000 apprentices and graduates since the launch of the project in 2018.
Last year, a report by professional services network PricewaterhouseCoopers suggested the UK taking a core role in the FCAS/GCAP combat air system could support an average of 21,000 jobs a year and contribute an estimated £26.2bn to the economy by 2050.
More “likeminded countries” could join the project in future, the government said.
Led by BAE Systems the Tempest/FCAS/GCAP programme is driving developments at the cutting edge of technology and there have been a series of advances across UK industry supporting the programme. Various parts of this were showcased at the Farnborough Airshow last year including:
- Rolls-Royce Defence has delivered a new gas turbine demonstrator engine, known as Orpheus, designed, built and tested in under two years to prove innovative technology developments for FCAS. Working with international partners, Rolls Royce have also agreed the next stage of the full-scale engine demonstrator programme.
- BAE Systems has used digital transformation to design and build a representative military fast jet fuselage, demonstrating how innovative technologies can transform the design and manufacturing capability for Tempest. Commercial robots were adapted and utilised, and 65% of the parts were guided into location using automation.
- Leonardo UK and Japan’s Mitsubishi Electric have agreed the concept for a radar technology demonstrator called JAGUAR, first unveiled in February, following the completion of joint concept work and feasibility studies earlier this year.
- Leonardo has also revealed ongoing bilateral work to support the future electronics on-board the FCAS programme. Leonardo in the UK and in Italy are working together on a number of projects with Elettronica in Italy including joint assessment of potential architecture of a common Integrated Sensing and Non-Kinetic Effects (ISANKE) and Integrated Communications System. The work is complementary to ongoing collaboration with Japan on 6th generation sensor capabilities, an area in which Italy will soon be involved.
- MBDA unveiled its concept for a weapon effects management system, to aid the coordination of all available weapons in the battle space using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning enhanced software.
CHW (London – 17th April 2023)
Howard Wheeldon FRAeS
Wheeldon Strategic Advisory Ltd,
M: +44 7710 779785
Skype: chwheeldon
@AirSeaRescue