A concept model of the new "Tempest" next-generation combat aircraft was unveiled today at the Farnborough International Airshow.
The jet is being developed under the collaborative Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) - a joint project by Italy's Leonardo, UK's BAE and Japans Mitsubishi Heavy Industries - and represents the future for the UK's military air capability.
The project was first launched as a successor to the Typhoon in 2018 and will include innovative capabilities from intelligent weapons systems to integrated sensors and communications, and a software-driven interactive cockpit. It will also include a radar that provides thousands of times more data than current systems.
The concept model, roughly the size of a tennis court, displays the aircraft's large wingspan that is said will improve aerodynamics.
The design was developed using the latest innovative digital tools and techniques, including virtual reality and CG modelling. It's set to be in service by 2035.
Guglielmo Maviglia, Chief Global Combat Air Programme Officer, Leonardo, said:
“The pace of the programme is extraordinary, building on a solid foundation and industrial legacy in each country and government-led partnership. Since the treaty was signed in December 2023, the programme has seen strong commitment from each partner. Each brings different, but complementary, qualities and requirements. We are now working closely together to exchange knowledge, address common challenges and achieve common goals. The programme is immensely important for Italy, for Leonardo, including our UK-based business, and for wider Italian industry. GCAP represents the future of combat air in a System of Systems perspective for our generations to come.”
Herman Claesen, Managing Director, Future Combat Air Systems, BAE Systems, said:
“In the 18 months since the launch of the Global Combat Air Programme, we’ve been working closely with our industrial partners in Italy and Japan under the collaboration agreement, and also with the three governments, to understand and align requirements for a next generation combat aircraft.
“The new model, unveiled at Farnborough International Airshow, shows notable progress in the design and concepting of this future fighter jet. We’ll continue to test and evolve the design, as we move closer towards the next phase of the programme.”
Hitoshi Shiraishi, Senior Fellow, GCAP, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd, said:
“MHI considers any project to be a valuable opportunity to deepen our knowledge. In particular, since GCAP is a three-country joint development programme between Japan, UK and Italy, we expect to obtain better results and deeper knowledge than ever before by combining the different cultures, experiences and knowledge of the three industries involved.
“I also hope that this GCAP programme, with the broad participation of Japan’s defence companies, will foster innovation in the country’s industrial sector such as digital transformation, as well as the development of human resources in the field of science and technology.”
In a press release jointly shared by the partners, GCAP was stated to be a strategically important partnership for the governments of the three nations. They highlighted the significance of the programme for the security and prosperity of each nation, with tens of thousands of jobs to be created for specialists in all three countries.
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