Seven More UK Companies Join Britain’s Next-Generation Tempest Fighter Project

Seven new companies will collaborate with Team Tempest, the pioneering alliance delivering cutting edge technology for a new generation of combat air power. The UK’s Future Combat Air System is the £1.9bn project working to develop the next generation combat aircraft, known as Tempest, which will replace the Typhoon. Launched in 2018, Team Tempest is a group of ambitious industry partners – representing the deep breadth of innovation and expertise across the nation – working in collaboration with the MoD on the UK’s Future Combat Air System (FCAS) project. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace confirmed seven new companies had signed agreements to collaborate on Team Tempest at the virtual 2020 Farnborough International Airshow (FIA Connect).

The alliance is quickly gaining recognition for its work and notched up a world first within two years of launching by designing a generator that delivers unprecedented levels of electrical power. These pioneering companies will bring new innovations and designs, enabling Team Tempest to carry on developing ground-breaking concepts and technologies that will guarantee combat dominance in the air. The alliance is quickly gaining recognition for its work and notched up a world first within two years of launching by designing a generator that delivers unprecedented levels of electrical power. The companies who have signed a partnership are: GE UK, GKN, Collins Aerospace, Martin Baker, QinetiQ, Bombardier and Thales UK, along with UK universities and SMEs.

The companies who have signed a partnership are: GEUK, GKN, Collins Aerospace, Martin Baker, QinetiQ, Bombardier and Thales UK, along with UK universities and SMEs. Set to increase to 2,500 by next year, the programme is securing the UK’s position as a global leader in combat air. Since its creation in 2018, Team Tempest has already employed more than 1,800 highly skilled engineers and programmers. The new members of Team Tempest will join forces on established projects and development work with core members BAE Systems, Leonardo UK, MBDA UK, Rolls-Royce and the Ministry of Defence, bringing the best of British expertise and ingenuity on designing, manufacturing and operating combat air systems. New processes will also deliver technology and intellectual property in half the time and at significantly lower cost than previous complex combat air programmes.

The BAE Systems Tempest is a proposed fighter aircraft concept that is under development in the United Kingdom for the British Royal Air Force and the Italian Air Force (AMI). It is being developed by a consortium known as “Team Tempest,” consisting of the UK Ministry of Defence, BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, Leonardo S.p.A. and MBDA, and is intended to enter service from 2035 replacing the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft in service with the RAF and AMI. Two billion pounds will be spent by the British government on the project by 2025. On 19 July 2019, Sweden and the United Kingdom signed a memorandum of understanding to explore ways of jointly developing sixth-generation air combat technologies. Italy announced its involvement in Project Tempest on 10 September 2019, during DSEI 2019.