BAE Systems Tempest

Development of the Tempest began in 2015.[5]

On 16 July 2018, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) published its Combat Air Strategy. The key elements of this are:[6][7]

• Continue development of the Typhoon.
• Implement the Future Combat Air System Technology Initiative which was established by the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review.
• Study of Typhoon replacement programmes.
• "Build on or establish new [international] partnerships to deliver future requirements."
• Focus on affordability.

The document describes combat air as "An aircraft, manned or unmanned, whose prime function is to conduct air-to-air and/or air-to-surface combat operations in a hostile and/or contested environment, whilst having the ability to concurrently conduct surveillance, reconnaissance, electronic warfare and command and control tasks."[7] On the same day, the Tempest programme was introduced at the Farnborough Airshow as part of the Combat Air Strategy to maintain UK's combat aircraft development capabilities.[8]

The Tempest will be a sixth-generation jet fighter incorporating several new technologies including deep learning AI, ability to fly unmanned, swarming drones, directed-energy weapons,[9] virtual cockpit in helmet[10][11] and hypersonic weapons.[12] £2 billion was earmarked until 2025.[13][9] It was developed by a group called Team Tempest, consisting of the BAE Systems, project leader and systems integrator; Rolls-Royce, working on power and propulsion; Leonardo S.p.A., working on sensors, electronics and avionics; MBDA, working on weapons;[9][14][11] and the Royal Air Force (RAF) Rapid Capabilities Office.[8][10] The maiden flight is anticipated to occur by 2025 ahead of entry into service by 2035.[10][15] Tempest will replace the Eurofighter Typhoon in RAF service.[9] The RAF's Second World War Hawker Tempest fighter also followed a Typhoon.[16] Some technology developed for Tempest will be implemented in Typhoon.[13]

In 2018 it was reported that the MoD was in talks with officials from Sweden about a common fighter jet aircraft.[17][18][9] On 8 February 2019, it was reported that the MoD and BAE Systems planned to approach the Indian MoD and Air Force regarding collaboration for the design and manufacture of the Tempest.[19]

In July 2019, Team Tempest revealed that they planned to use a Boeing 757 as a testbed for technology developed for Tempest.[20] The aircraft, named Excalibur, will be the only stealth fighter testbed outside the United States.[21]

On 29 July 2021, the project moved into the Concept and Assessment phase, with BAE Systems being awarded a £250 million contract to advance the design.[22]

On 18 July 2022, the UK announced that a demonstrator aircraft would be flown for the first time "within the next five years". According to the MOD press release, the demonstrator's development is already underway at the BAE Systems facility near Preston, England and it has already been flown in simulators.[23]

A mock-up of the Tempest at the DSEI fair in 2019

Tempest will be modular, both to be easily role-adapted to fit the particular mission as well as have easily upgradeable components during its lifetime.[40] It has delta-wings and a pair of outwards-pointing vertical stabilisers.[15] It will incorporate stealth technology, be able to fly unmanned, and use swarming technology to control drones. It will incorporate artificial intelligence deep learning and carry directed-energy weapons.[40][9][12] The aircraft will have a Cooperative Engagement Capability which is the ability to share data and messages with other aircraft and coordinate actions.[15][12] Tempest will feature a virtual cockpit shown on a pilot's helmet-mounted display[40] using a Striker II unit,[11] and an adaptive cycle engine that utilises composite materials and improved manufacturing process to be lightweight and have better thermal management while still keeping costs low.[15][10]

Leonardo has proposed a radar warning receiver that is four times as accurate at 1/10th of the size of current units.[41]

The aircraft has a slightly raised rear fuselage section, to accommodate “S-shaped” ducting behind its twin-engine inlets, to reduce its frontal radar cross-section.[42] Its two engines are placed deep inside the fuselage to minimise radar and infrared signatures.[15]

The aircraft's two generators are able to provide 10 times more electrical power than the Typhoon's.[5][43] One of the generators serves as an electrical starter, eliminating the need of a mechanical or compressed-air starting system for the engine.[44]

The pilot's helmet will monitor brain signals and other medical data, amassing a unique biometric and psychometric information database for each pilot, that will grow the more the pilot flies. The aircraft's AI will work in conjunction with the database to assist the pilot, for example taking over flight controls if the pilot blacks out due to g-force or increasing its own workload when the pilot is overwhelmed or under increased stress e.g. taking over terminal guidance after weapon deployment if the pilot's attention is focused on a more imminent threat to the aircraft. The AI is also intended to act as a gatekeeper that will parse the overwhelming quantity of sensor and intelligence data collected by the aircraft to identify key threats, while throttling the rate processed data is provided to the pilot to prevent the pilot being overloaded.[45][46]

• BAE Systems Replica
• F/A-XX program
• Flygsystem 2020
• Future of the Royal Air Force
• Future Combat Air System
• Global Combat Air Programme
• HAL Combat Air Teaming System
• Mikoyan PAK DP
• Mitsubishi F-X ― Merged into the: Global Combat Air Program
• Next Generation Air Dominance

Tempest at the RAF