UK adds £708 million to Tempest fighter technology work

The UK government has committed another £708 million, or $946 million, to technology development for the Royal Air Force’s planned next-generation fighter, known in Britain as Tempest. The award extends BAE Systems’ existing contract on the UK Future Combat Air System, the British element of the Global Combat Air Programme with Italy and Japan.

The Ministry of Defence announced the funding around the Farnborough International Airshow, pairing it with a £20 million, or $27 million, Lockheed Martin UK contract for a hypersonic target and the public showing of a BAE uncrewed combat aircraft prototype. The announcements put more money behind the UK’s sixth-generation fighter ambitions, though several procurement questions remain open, including whether the RAF will buy BAE’s drone concept.

According to the MoD, the new Tempest-related funding covers digital engineering, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing support. The manufacturing work includes augmented reality, additive manufacturing and robotics, the department said. The government did not disclose a new total contract value for BAE’s FCAS work beyond the £708 million extension.

The award follows the UK’s Defence Investment Plan, which said the government would put £8.6 billion, or $11.5 billion, into GCAP over the next four years. That would come on top of more than £5 billion, or $6.7 billion, already spent on the program.

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said the investment would support UK defence capability and British jobs. The aircraft is planned to enter service in 2035, with a flying demonstrator expected to fly next year.

Canada takes an observer seat

Canada has joined GCAP as an Observer, giving it more access to information about the aircraft and its capabilities. No purchase commitment was announced. The move may indicate that Canada wants a closer look before making future combat aircraft decisions, but the disclosed status is informational rather than a full partnership or order.

BAE shows its uncrewed aircraft concept

At Farnborough, BAE also displayed Brontanax, a prototype uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft intended to operate alongside crewed fighters. BAE described the aircraft as comparable in size to an RAF Hawk trainer, or a T-45 Goshawk in US service.

The company says Brontanax is designed for electronic warfare and precision strike missions against air and ground targets. BAE expects the aircraft to enter service before the end of the decade, but that is a company timeline. Streeting said the UK is separately putting £300 million, or $402 million, into a Storm Fighter program to develop an autonomous combat aircraft, and no RAF acquisition of Brontanax was disclosed.

Lockheed Martin UK wins hypersonic target work

The MoD also awarded Lockheed Martin UK a £20 million contract for Project Bowline, a hypersonic target to support the development and testing of missile defence systems. Hypersonic weapons can travel at more than five times the speed of sound, which makes interception harder for current air defence systems.

A live flight demonstration for Project Bowline is scheduled for 2027 at the MoD’s Hebrides test range. The government said more than 15 smaller UK companies are expected to join the project’s supply chain.

Project Bowline sits within the AUKUS defence partnership between the UK, the US and Australia. The MoD says the three countries are working together to speed up hypersonic and counter-hypersonic technology development.

This story draws on original reporting from The Register.