16 IN VIEW
Special report by Ged Henderson
TEMPEST PROGRAMME GETS £656M TECH BOOST
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded a contract extension worth £656m to BAE Systems to progress the concept and technology of the next generation combat aircraft, known as Tempest in the UK.
The new funding will build on the ground- breaking science, research and engineering already completed under the first phase of the contract delivered by the Tempest partners, BAE Systems, Leonardo UK, MBDA UK and Rolls-Royce.
They will now progress more than 60 cutting- edge tech demonstrations, digital concepts and new technologies.
These innovations, together with work undertaken in conjunction with the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) partners in Japan and Italy, will help shape the final requirements of a new stealth fighter with supersonic capability.
It is also good news for Lancashire’s aerospace sector. Much of BAE’ Systems’ work will be undertaken at its plants in Samlesbury and Warton, which employ a workforce of around 10,000.
The aircraft is designed to be equipped with state-of-the-art sensing and protection capabilities, making it one of the world’s most advanced, interoperable, adaptable and connected fighter jets.
There are already more than 2,800
people working on the project in the UK
Herman Claesen, managing director, future combat air systems - BAE Systems’ Air Sector, said: “This contract reflects the continued commitment by the UK government and ensures we continue to mature this significant programme and the vital technology pipeline that will drive innovation into - and beyond - the combat air sector for decades to come.
“This important work is at the core of the newly created Global Combat Air Programme; a
major international partnership and ambitious endeavour between the UK, Japan and Italy with the shared goal to deliver the next generation of combat air fighter jets.”
UK defence secretary Ben Wallace, MP for Wyre and Preston North, added: “The next tranche of funding for future combat air will help fuse the combined technologies and expertise we have with our international partners – both in Europe and the Pacific - to deliver this world-leading fighter jet by 2035, protecting our skies for decades to come.”
The UK’s ‘Team Tempest’ and MoD have been working in partnership since 2018 to research, evaluate and develop a host of next generation future combat air systems capabilities.
The programme will span many decades, creating thousands of jobs and economic value to the UK, Italy and Japan while sustaining critical sovereign skills for the three nations.
There are already more than 2,800 people working on the project in the UK, with almost 600 organisations on contract, including SMEs and academic institutions.
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