UK pulls the throttle on Tempest next-gen fighter

The UK has started building its first sixth-generation fighter demonstrator, aiming to field a next-gen combat aircraft by 2035. The UK is steaming ahead with the program despite cost issues with similar fighter projects and questions of strategic value in the evolving air power space.

This month, the UK Defense Journal reported that the UK’s defense industry, including BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, MBDA UK and the UK Ministry of Defense (MOD), has started manufacturing the first Tempest crewed combat air demonstrator.

The Tempest initiative, announced in July 2022, evaluates advanced technologies like stealth capabilities. It intends to prepare the aircraft for flight within three years and aim for a new combat aircraft by 2035.

Paul Wilde, head of Tempest at BAE Systems, emphasized the project’s significance in maintaining the UK’s combat aircraft design and production leadership, as stated by UK Defense Journal.

The source says that the program leverages innovative digital techniques and has conducted over 215 hours of simulation flights in Warton, Lancashire.

UK Defense Journal mentions that the flying technology demonstrator will provide valuable data for developing new combat aircraft, utilizing advanced manufacturing technologies like 3D printing.

It notes that the Tempest program, part of the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) involving the UK, Italy and Japan, showcased a new concept model with an evolved design at the Farnborough International Airshow 2024, reflecting the rapid progress and international collaboration in designing the next-generation fighter jet.

Further, Nikkei reported this month that the defense ministers of Japan, the UK and Italy convened in London to reaffirm their commitment to the GCAP