The UK government has reiterated its commitment to the Tempest programme, a next-generation combat aircraft initiative jointly developed with Japan and Italy under the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP).
Responding to a question raised in Parliament by Neil Shastri-Hurst, MP for Solihull West and Shirley, about the future of Tempest, Defence Minister Maria Eagle highlighted the importance of the programme for the UK’s strategic defence objectives.
Shastri-Hurst had asked the Ministry of Defence, “What is his policy on the future of the Tempest programme?” Eagle explained that the project, referred to as Tempest in the UK, is crucial to maintaining the country’s combat air capabilities in collaboration with international partners.
“Tempest is the name used in the UK for the next generation combat aircraft being jointly developed with Japan and Italy under the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP),” Eagle noted, adding that the programme’s significance had been underscored by the Prime Minister, who sees it as a priority for defence.
Eagle pointed out that the Defence Secretary had met with his Japanese and Italian counterparts shortly after taking office, reflecting the programme’s strategic importance.
Eagle said that “Positive progress on GCAP continues, with over 3,500 people employed on future combat air.” She also revealed a recent milestone in the project’s advancement: “In October, the UK completed its ratification processes for the GCAP Convention, the International Treaty that sets up the GCAP International Government Organisation.”
What is Tempest?
The Tempest/Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) is a collaborative project between the United Kingdom, Japan, and Italy, aimed at developing a sixth-generation stealth fighter. This aircraft is intended to replace the Eurofighter Typhoon for the Royal Air Force and Italian Air Force, as well as the Mitsubishi F-2 for Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force.
The joint programme began in December 2022, merging separate initiatives from the UK, Italy, and Japan into a single development effort for the new fighter jet.
The UK has already made significant strides in the development of GCAP, with initial test flights conducted on simulators and progress reported on key technologies like stealth features and weapon bay integration. Rolls-Royce is heavily involved in the engine development, working alongside Italian and Japanese companies to ensure compatibility and innovation in the propulsion systems.
The demonstrator aircraft, featuring advanced avionic systems, is expected to showcase cutting-edge capabilities by 2027.
While the focus of GCAP is on the fighter jet itself, future developments could include unmanned systems and other assets to support the aircraft in a “system of systems” approach. However, unlike similar programmes in Europe, GCAP remains focused primarily on the development of the fighter, leaving broader air combat capabilities as potential future projects.
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Well let’s hope it will stay that way, what a brilliant aircraft.
They all are until they fly ..
.. but I agree, GCAP shows much promise.
And with the US one again displaying it’s fair-weather-friendliness, strategic independence is once again the top priority. They can no longer be relied upon to do the right thing.
We’re doing it.
We’re still doing it.
We’re still still doing it.
…
Really trust us it’s definitely going to happen look at our track record for delivering defence projects.
We’ve scrapped it.
That’s how most things go. Doesn’t even have to be defence at this point.
I think this one will make it to at least prototype by which time billions will have been spent. Joint projects with the Americans seems unlikely just now and Europe seems a potential sales market I think we might just continue this project.
I think it’s very unlikely that this will be scrapped, it’s one of our top priority projects, on the same level as CASD. We’re also tied in with Japan and Italy now, so getting out would be more difficult. From the miniscule information that has been made public, it seems to be going better than FCAS and the USAFs program, so it’s hard for the spreadsheet warriors to make an argument that we’d be better off buying someone else’s design.
Will reaction engines getting shut down have an affect on this?
Possibly, but my guess is Rolls Royce and BAE Systems will grab the bits they need for GCAP if they haven’t already done so.
It’s a shame Reaction Engines folded but whilst they demonstrated some very clever tech they seemed to be spending much more than they were making in sales – not a sustainable business model basically.
Cheers CR
If Reaction Engines were part of GCAP they would have had funds coming from the Project which would have sustained them. The fact they have gone bankrupt indicates none of their tech is being used.
Well RR have been running one of their engines with the RE precooler technology in recent months reportedly for some hours at the equivalent of Mach 3.5 which obviously is well beyond any of their engines normal capability. The question is of course what state were all the components in after those tests. Obviously sustainability is as important as outright capability in technology. However I don’t think we know as yet what those tests told RR about the viability of the RE technology (note Mercedes is also working with it for F1, again I don’t know if it’s in use or still under development for that sector tbh.
However if those tests proved promising and this is pure speculation obviously, it wouldn’t be the first time RR had knifed an innovative transformational, if cash strapped small company for its own benefit. It did precisely that with PowerJets which having asked RR to take over engine production off of Rover’s incompetent hands, decided its own deal that in exchange for giving Meteor tank engine production to Rover took, with MoD support, complete control over Whittle’s engines, eliminating the company and driving Whittle at a young age (a man who had already patented the high bypass turbojet design we all use today), out of the sector altogether and into a life lecturing in America, with the consolation of a gong for his efforts. So if RR wants that technology, if as with PJ a production partner was always going to be required, then RE going bust hardly precludes them necessarily being able to access and use the technology with a canny deal and pushing it into the production phase. They have done technology deals with German companies before so they might even split up the technology between them and Mercedes and/or others. But as I say the results of those tests that are not in the public domain as far as I know, dictates the next step.
I suspect RE were always likely to licence its IP if the technology proved successful, to others for ‘mass’ production if it came to that, like arm always has with its processor designs after initial development and potential markets stretched from cooling processes for batteries, server farms industrial processes, jets, hybrids and hypersonics and as far as reported from 18mths back the pre cooler technology has worked, so one presumes other factors that must be in play if despite that it simply isn’t a sustainable technology. I will be waiting with interest to hear more over time.
Arm nearly went out of business more than once and would have done had not serious risk takers sustained it for many years when so many were writing off risc processors and competing against Intel deemed madness, so a company failing doesn’t automatically mean the technology is a failure.
No effect at all
As form drag is the enemy of speed & range. And as so few pilots will be needed. Might it be time to set a max height of 5ft 7in for Tempest pilots? Plenty of other jobs for lankier pilots, absorbing lower Gs
I believe GCAP remit is to design an optionally manned airframe so longer term anthropometry may not be a problem. And yes I did have to google anthropometry 🙂
The return of the F8 prone cockpit eh or would it make it too long. 😈
GCAP is the program that will deliver an aircraft, Tempest just like Typhoon or Lighting is the name of the fighter aircraft. Politicians need make sure they ask about GCAP progress and it was good to see Eagle make the distinction.
Fingers crossed 😏
It needs to be carrier capable. More bang for the UK buck. See the success of the Rafale.
Neither the UK, Italy, or Japan will require a carrier capable aircraft because we all already have the F-35B.
The export potential for a carrier capable aircraft is very small if you don’t have the USN or USMC as a potential customer. The only reason the French do it is to maintain soverignty, a noble pursuit but not something we seem to overly care about in this department.
It is also worth noting that making GCAP carrier capable would force compromises within the design, and would certainly add time and complexity to the programme.
All in all, it isn’t worth it.
No surprise. Depressingly, for the first time since 1950 it’s become impossible for a British government to deny that world events require an increase in our defence spending.
For a myriad of reasons (Ukraine, China, Trump, EU relations, UN Security Council membership, Chagos fallout, …) any hint of a new round of defence cuts (including language that allows for a possible cancellation of Tempest) will be seized upon as yet more evidence by both enemies, neutrals and supposed allies of the UK’s decline and irrelevance on the world stage.