BAE Systems has provided an update on its progress in developing the UK’s first flying combat air demonstrator in four decades.
According to a recent announcement on LinkedIn, BAE Systems Air stated, “We’re making good progress on the UK’s first flying combat air demonstrator in 40 years.”
This project forms a critical part of testing and proving advanced aerospace technologies that could potentially be integrated into the future Tempest fighter jet.
This ambitious programme, part of the UK’s Tempest project, is seen as a vital step towards developing a sixth-generation combat air system. BAE’s work on the demonstrator aims to test new capabilities that include advanced propulsion, aerodynamics, and stealth technologies.
The demonstrator is intended to fly within the next three years and will provide crucial insights into the technology needed for the Tempest programme.
The BAE Systems announcement highlighted the programme’s role in “testing and proving aerospace technologies that could be used on Tempest,” showcasing the project’s potential to influence future defence capabilities. This flying demonstrator will allow engineers to evaluate various technologies under real-world conditions, contributing to the development of a modern, adaptable combat aircraft.
Let’s hope we see something doing taxi runs soon.
The sooner the better… the world is getting dangerous.
we also need to get ahead of the french and Germans for export orders so we can kill fcas
It would be nice to regain our world position in some of these areas.
I don’t think they have even started on the next phase of construction of the demonstrator and are still in the design stage. WEll, according to a French defence site.
Realistically the most likely thing to kill off FCAS will be German and French infighting, like that which has killed many European defence projects before.
And we have Typhoon and F35 until Tempest. Two extremely capable platforms.
Need more of both!
What is the definition of “sixth gen”?
Don’t think there is one yet!
Easy, the first aircraft to be flown that’s called 6th Gen will be the definition of 6th Gen, until the next one called 6th Gen is flown at which point you have a second definition. In other words it’s rather nebulous.
It could still go the same way as the TSR2 or even Reaction Engines no money and government bottles it
If you want to make a comparison, GCAP is like a 21st Century merged Avro Canada Arrow and TSR2 in one package…
Cancellation is aways possible, but looking more unlikely as time goes by…
Fingers crossed, by this time next year, we will know, the UK will be contractually committed to GCAP, or it will have fallen apart.
Weren’t we also meant to be converting an old commercial jet to test new technologies as well?
Yes, 2excel got the contract to run and convert 1 757 ‘Excalibur’ and the other for spares for £115 million.
So where’s the update? All I saw was a single sentence social media post with no content.
We need to keep our eyes on the ball. Argentina have just secured a billion dollar order with the USA to supply weapons and upgrades to its F16’s. Whilst Typhoons with Meteor and F35’s may be more than a match, the fact is we have a hostile aggressor seeking to claim, by force if necessary, the Falkland Islands again.
Have you actually looked at the package that they are getting?
Now with a Labour government they unfortunately have a chequered history of cancelling military aircraft projects.