Team Tempest is a collaborative project to build Britain’s new fighter jet.
This partnership is constituted by industry giants BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, Leonardo, and MBDA, in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence.
Through this article, we will analyse the insights from the BAE Systems factsheet, focusing on the employment opportunities, economic impact, international collaborations, leveraging UK expertise, and transformative technology that Team Tempest brings to the table.
The BAE Systems factsheet reveals that Team Tempest is an amalgamation of talents with a workforce of 2,800 people spanning its industry partners and the Ministry of Defence. The initiative has displayed a significant commitment to harnessing young talent, having recruited over 1,000 apprentices and graduates since 2018. Notably, the percentage of employees under the age of 30 has risen from 14% in 2018 to 20% in 2022, with 40% of the total workforce under the age of 40.
The economic impact of Team Tempest, as outlined in the BAE Systems factsheet, is profound. PwC’s economic impact assessment indicates that the program is anticipated to contribute £26.2 billion to the UK economy from 2021 to 2050. The benefits of this program are expected to permeate throughout the UK, including Scotland and Northern Ireland. Moreover, the program is set to sustain high-value jobs, backing an average of 21,000 workers annually from development to operational service between 2026 and 2050.
International partnerships are a pivotal aspect of Team Tempest, as highlighted in the factsheet. In 2022, the UK, Italy, and Japan entered into a significant agreement under the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) with shared ambitions to develop the next generation of fighter jets. This partnership reflects Team Tempest’s commitment to establishing enduring international relationships that bolster the UK’s defence capabilities on the global stage.
The BAE Systems factsheet also sheds light on Team Tempest’s efforts to harness the UK’s innovation and technical prowess across top-tier research universities and businesses. Presently, the program has contracted over 580 suppliers as part of the core Team Tempest partnership, which encompasses more than 90 SMEs and over 25 academic institutions across the UK.
Team Tempest is not just about incremental advancements, as the BAE Systems factsheet indicates a serious investment in transformational technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and machine learning.
Eight squadrons of ten plus twenty for the OCU. Perfect. Job Done.
No chance unfortunately, the only way we would be getting 8 squadrons of anything is with F35.
The Tories are big on global Britain and signing agreements but there is still on £2billion assigned for Tempest and the cost will be £40 billion plus and no mention of where that’s coming from the defence budget.
Much the same as Typhoon although this time the budgets even smaller with no fat to trim.
Yep, Tories will leave it Labour to sort out, so it either cancelled or we’ll join Europe to cut costs. Then the Tories can criticise for opposition benches. Watch this space as they say.
Pretty much, Labour is cancelling all its own plans at the moment to show fiscal restraint. The defence budget is safe as it’s almost at 2% of GDP and labour won’t cut it below but there won’t be any increases for sure. Sunak signed up for GCAP with Japan with zero mention on funding. It’s still tagged with the same £2 billion in funding Tempest has had for years. Now they are fanning about with ejector seats. The £2 billion will buy a tech demonstrator/ prototype but that’s all. The real program will need decades of sustained funding as big… Read more »
I would be shocked if that’s how NGAD turned out. Not clear why you would want a B21 sized manned aircraft to simply control drones, sounds a very 1950s concept to me. Don’t think the US would put all its F22 replacement efforts into that unproven basket even if it did make sense technologically.
Everything out about NGAD manned component at them moment suggest it will have multiple crew, long range and manuverability and speed won’t be a priority. It will primarily focus on drone control.
“NGAD for the US will be a B21 sized drone control platform and they will probably get a few dozen at most.” Really can’t see this happening. As is the usaf regularly complain about the the limited number of f22 in their specific role and what you are suggesting is basically no f22(will all be retired) and no other fighter aircraft. I think you severely underestimate the influence the fighter mafia still has in usaf procurement. By the way, the plan for the b21 is 100 initially and most military analyst and more importantly members of congress already saying that… Read more »
Concur. Zoomie fighter mafia especially (it is their Air Force, after all! 😉). Concerned that the simultaneous purchase of a rumored multi-year order of 200 B-21s, combined w/ NGAD, may induce a sense of sticker shock in our political masters. Believe B-21 is moving north of $700M/copy and NGAD may be a multiple of F-35 baseline price. 😱 Not certain Congress/public understands the significant cost entailed in expanding the technology envelope. Predict that the Brits, Italians and Japanese will, almost inevitably, encounter the same issue, to a lesser degree, w/ Tempest/GCAP. 🤔
The official quoted figure so far for ngad is $300m per copy (I need to go lay down) and although the B21 looks to be a well run program so far, with inflation that baby is going to be approaching $800m soon.
They are supposed to be the Typhoon replacement. As for the F35 we’ll be lucky to get four Squadrons by 2030.
Yes, but plenty of life in the typhoon, especially if you want an air policing aircraft. No point in trying a new manned fighter in the current budget. It will be a disaster.
Either the government funds it or sticks with F35.
Plenty of life in the Trance 1 Typhoons that we are about to dump along with the Herk. Still we might get three or four Atlas in the air if we’re lucky. It’s all money. Nothing to do with defence or foreign affairs.
Total UK spend to date is 10 billion according to NAO
Future funding will come from the 3 billion + we’ve been spending on combat fast air annually since time immemorial
5 squadrons of 2 plus 1 ocu will be more likely…
5 squadrons, the UK will get 36 max
Barely even a token air defence force, never mind an air force.
Remember it’s supposed to be accompanied with up to three loyal wingman. 36 manned aircraft would equate to 12 squadrons.
I think we will see the manned version of tempest way before we see anything unmanned, the loyal wingman concept sounds good but it shouldn’t be seen as replacements for actual pilots, they should be there to assist the pilot and deflect potential enemies attention away from the manned jet. Hopefully we get 100+ but it is hard to imagine anything other than a cut in numbers.
Eight squadrons would mean a total of around 160 aircraft.
Nearly 50% of a squadron’s fleet is reserved for spares for takeoff, or war time reserve etc.
We have 7 sqds. of Typhoon plus an ocu and we certainly don’t have 140 of those.
137 Typhoons currently? Until the older Typhoons are retired.
True BUT 30 of them are not active Trance 1 and are never likely to be unless someone (? ) has an attack on common sense and extends their life into the 2030’s. We could run ten squadrons if we really wanted to.
Hopefully we can get to around 150+, if we can get some decent export orders in we can piggy back off that to get additional numbers.
The number of sqn’s and airframe numbers is not how the future will look. Its about effect, and the system of systems to achieve air dominace and precision strike. The RAF of the 2030/40’s will look very different from today, and certainly very different from the 90’s. I think the manned element of Tempest will be a small number of aircraft,and drones and long range missile systems will provide the bulk of the Tempest system. Tied in with T83, and a host of other networked systems. I might be wrong. Time will tell. 👍
A flight of fancy Robert. I understand what you’re saying and linking the with “wingmen” will almost certainly happen. If, though, we are talking about 40 or 50 active aircraft the unit cost is going to be astronomical isn’t it? £200 million to buy? More?😙
I really don’t know. I still wouldn’t rule out some of these 6th gen projects merging once demonstrators at national level have flown, and then the true costs become more clear. But small numbers are not going to help the cost. We are struggling to pay for the equipment we have now.
France and Germany as partners again? Aaaargh.
I just don’t know if us and the EU can afford two 6th gen projects. Surely a lesson learned from having Typhoon, Rafale, and Gripen was that it crowded the export market.
Ah..but we will ever learn
Mr Roach you are a dreamer ,like me, but I think Labour will burst our bubble. In fact to get political, Tempest is currently the only reason to vote Tory. The current government is sacrificing the purchase of Futher F35s to fund something that more than likely will be cancelled. So the RAF will end up with no fighters except an inadequate number of F35s it shares with the navy, especially if Russia ends up removed as a threat.
You are right my friend. Whatever we think of this government it compares favourably with Blair/Brown. God knows what Starmer, and more to the point the far left currently hiding in the wings will do.
I don’t thin k anything will be safe.
Fact: Tempest will be cancelled.
Who told you this official fact Mr nobody again or Mr Ruskie ?
The RAF are not going to call it Tempest. It’s official name is “TSR-3 Nimrod 2”. The US will offer the F-22 replacement to Japan and Israel. Then tempest will be finished. UK will buy F-35A.
Troll alert. At least try to be entertaining like MK.
No chance of Russia having a genuine 5th gen in the next 25 years or longer .. These latest Russian fighter jets can’t win the air space over Ukraine ruskie air force scared of crossing the borders in numbers . The Russian planes might get lost flying with £100 Halfords sat navs for navigation .
Pathetic post. The Russians can’t buy from Halfords due to sanctions.
Pathetic post. The Russians would love to buy from Halfords due to sanctions.
Fact…Your posts are irrelevant.
Fact: I am the most intelligent, handsomest richest man in the world.
It didn’t work. Worth a shot.
Fact, your wrong because I’m all of those things, fact..actual fact not made up fake news.
Clearly you don’t understand the definition of ‘fact’, until it has actually happened with the evidence provided to prove it, it is purely a projection on your part, it can’t be a fact… well unless you are a Trump or Johnson I guess where truth has no meaning beyond whimsy.
Not a fact. just a guess or a prediction.
Fact: your guess is not a fact: now that’s a fact, you can thank me later!
US, Germany and France, UK – Japan and Italy all competing to deliver a 6th gen fighter. Will be interesting to see which one(s) survive or which ones amalgamate along the way.
At the moment the US is trying for two: one for the USAF and one for the USN.
France’s will survive and UK will join FCAS imo.
Any reasons for this claim?
The only claims that have been made are from Airbus and an Italian official that the projects MIGHT need to merge. The UK defence journal did an article on the Airbus claim (Link) and General Luca Goretti (Link). These are only the opinions of individuals. Recently, the CEO of Dassault, Eric Trappier, said he opposed further partners in the SCAF program like Belgium because they selected the F-35. (Link). Sorry if you get multiple notifications.
Because we will change government and move closer to Europe. Read John Healy RUSI speech.
No, no, no, no thank you. I would rather buy F35 than get into bed with France and Germany…
In case I appear to be sitting on the fence here, NO!!!
Agree. Can’t trust the Franco-Germanic double act. They will screw us over as fast as you can say Frost is Johnski in MKs bum buddy.
Absolutely, watch the language mind Mr Bell … It’s “Bottom Enthusiast” these days, get yourself in trouble with the Woke set there mate.
Lol.. you two.. 😆 😂… love the UK 🇬🇧 humour!
For the record Im with you. But governments change and so do priorities
I have nothing against working with the French, but it won’t work. It seems that Dassault is being a pain in the backside for the other partner companies like Airbus and nations. The CEO of Dassault, Eric Trappier, said he opposed further partners in the SCAF program like Belgium because they selected the F-35. (Link) “I hear about the Belgians, that’s all very well. But I would then advocate setting up an F-35 club within SCAF,” he told French senators. “I don’t really see the point in putting more F-35 countries into SCAF… Why would I make room in my factory,… Read more »
Why would anyone who has F35 want to join SCAF, it appears less ambitious than Tempest and little more than a European re-invening of the wheel.
Why would anybody want to join SCAF after the CEO made that statement? The thing is, Germany has opted for the F-35, so what happens with that relationship?
They should just get themselves a sizable F35 order for 150 machines, get a local assembly deal and some German manufacturing.
I am sure LM would jump at the chance…
leave the arrogant French to it and best of luck to the Spanish with France dropping crumbs off the SCAF table to them…
I dod think that Eric Trappier is going to be more of a pain in the future as well . He has to remember that this project is on behalf of the German, French, and Spanish governments. And if other partners want to come in, he will have to leave the project or accommodate them.
Forget £40 zillion worth of overhyped, grossly overrated ridiculously expensive aircraft!
Space… Satellites with big lasers. That’s the future.
Crikey, how much is a Death Star, & have you shielded the exhaust ports?
Fact. That’s only a one in a million weakness.
😆👍 And equip defences to counter stunt fighters.
That is the problem with overly complex stuff.
You replace it with missiles.
I wonder with these hi tech development programs how they work out the opportunity cost when discussing the economy benefits. You’d imagine people capable of designing jet engines or stealth aircraft wouldn’t be left on the dole if the project was cancelled.
Not having a go at the article just something I thought of on a previous one.
NEWS FROM THE FLIGHT DECK Is this a stunt? Its beginning to sound like Block 4 two with a currently projected timeline of 2029! “The US Department of Defense (DoD) will in July stop accepting deliveries of aircraft equipped with Technical Refresh-3 (TR-3) hardware and software, four months after resolving another delivery freeze. “Starting later this summer, F-35 aircraft coming off the production line with TR-3 hardware will not be accepted (DD250) until relevant combat capability is validated in accordance with our users’ expectations. The JPO [Joint Program Office] and Lockheed Martin will ensure these aircraft are safely and securely… Read more »
I think two options seem to be coming to light here. 1) Tempest will indeed escape the innate dated technological F-35 design legacy and be a far better option and increasingly obtained in preference, or it will suffer from the same inherent technological problems beyond capabilities of the time in which case F-35 will likely remain the preferred option through familiarity, simply because the Americans will have to sort it best they can. At this stage even if the more sci fi elements might be left on the shelf the former is still the more likely result I believe, the… Read more »
Indeed, I read an article on the Tempest design and in it it mentioned how they have learned from the mistakes made in software development without actually mentioning the F-35 by name.
I wonder if we can expect a change in tact as well with a navalised version of Tempest now that we are looking at potentionally modifying the carriers? Something else that was dissmissed at the time but now back on the cards.
As you say, we shall see, it is being designed as a very adaptable platform afterall!
https://ukdj.imgix.net/b52c42232c377da481d843563215cb22_/RS79875_Team-Tempest-Future-Combat-Air-System-concept-infographic-2-lpr.jpg
The Star Wars gags will have gone right over your head.
Sounds like one hell of a stuff up. Do you reckon the delays with TR4 are genuine? It’s not various F35 manufacturers playing power games?
It appears so.
DoD to halt accepting F-35s equipped with Technical Refresh-3 14 JUNE 2023
LINK
Judging by the comments here this evening since I kicked off we might as well cancel it now. Talk about glasses half empty.🍷🤔
I remain glass half full with Tempest Geoff, it’s good to see all the technical proof of concept work being bevered on around the UK, we can trust our partner boffins in Japan and Italy are equally putting on their lab coats with red,green and blue pens in the top pocket, clutching a clipboard with unfathomable graphs on…..
I’m hopeful too…..
🍺Overflowing!
👍
Good. Glad to hear it John. Onwards and UPWARDS!
I remember all to well the experts on Ukdj saying for a fact one aircraft carrier would be sold off before even being commissioned the same 100% facts the UK will never get any f35 also they will never fly anyway. The same experts claimed the RN would be without a anti ship missile for 6 years . The same people also said type 26 and 31 would not happen . It’s a British disease to knock everything we achieve and yet talk up everybody else without knowing the full facts or truth. We had useful idiots on ukdj comparing… Read more »
Rose tinted glasses. F-35 numbers are too few. 2 carriers yes, but not persistent, combat ready at sea at all times. No AAR on carriers, no fixed wing AEW. F-35B short range compared to the C variant. Not nuclear powered. The UK is a US state in Europe, where everybody gets teary eyed about a family that get all the money for free. The UK is not an independent global military power. China/Russia/India/US are.
Of your list, US is perhaps the closest, but none are independent global military powers. China still struggles to build a modern jet fighter engine (most aircraft use Russian engines) & an old half finished Soviet carrier bought from Ukraine is better built than the two subsequent Chinese built carriers. Ukraine war shows Russia is not the power the Soviet Union once was. Ukraine was a major cog in the Soviet wheel & it shows. India also struggles to build a modern jet fighter engine, struggles to build a domestic fighter & still builds foreign designed submarines & buys foreign… Read more »
What on earth are you talking about. Neither China nor Russia can deploy power (see Ukraine) and India is a defence procurement disaster with looming block obsolescence of basically their entire airforce.
Both our carriers have a better availability record than their single French counterpart and there is little practical advantage of a nuclear powered surface ship especially one that needs the reactor refueled. Oh yes and we’re the largest F35 operator in Europe at the moment.
The AAR and fixed wing AEW need sorting, drone based solutions being tested.
What makes Russia a global military power? The fact that they can attack a small neighbour?
And they need the aid of Iran to do it! 🤣
😂🤣😂🤣😂 Russia can’t even send a lone frigate into the Atlantic with its much vaunted Zircon hypersonic missiles without a tug boat sailing alongside. Global power. Do me a favour mate. Mad Vlad’s bunch are getting their arses handed to them by the 34th militarily most powerful nation on earth.
AUKUS with the USA and Australia, Tempest with Italy and Japan. These global partnerships don’t come from thin air, we are clearly still seen as a global military power.
True that we have to wait for more F-35s to be built – that’s life – they are coming. Not a massive problem that carrier AEW is not fixed wing as the endurance is good; accept that fixed wing is better but does not mean that helo-mounted AEW cannot do the job. True that F-35C has greater range than F-35B (combat radius of 670 vs 505 nmiles) – so what? Are you saying the aircraft cannot do their job? Far more advantages that our carriers are not nuclear-powered. Nuclear-power gives only one theoretical advantage – longer range but just for… Read more »
Some of the comments from BAE are worrying- they echo the kind of language used by LM to promote the F35 and persuade customers, mainly the DOD, to fund a never ending development programme. Brilliant business for LM, a nightmare for defence budgets. Tempest has to be affordable. The only reasons the UK needs to replace Typhoon,rather than go on building them, is to have a stealthy airframe and longer range. There is no need to overcomplicate the design with the kind of exquisite software that has caused huge delays and cost overruns on the F35. The development costs of… Read more »
Some of you Brits really need to get some professional help for your TDS* problem. There is nothing unachievable about GCAP. There also is no indication at all that buying a Typhoon replacement off the shelf from the US would be remotely affordable considering the surging USD, or even politically available. The options are a) Don’t replace Typhoon, or b) Develop a replacement with partners. You’ve chosen option B, and found 2 excellent partners. So crack on. In terms of budget the big spend is always post-demonstrator flight. Most Typhoon spending was post-EAP. So that’s 2028 onwards, at which time… Read more »
The stats and effort are impressive. Interesting that there is minimal collaboration with other countries (just the Italian Leonardo as a partner). Is that wise? Will we able to export the finished product if it has been designed solely for the RAF?
As an ex-army man I wish there was the same amount of effort put into the future generation of Land warfare equipments such as AFVs ie beyond the Ajax, CR3, Boxer era.
It’s a bit early to report on the outcome of collaborations with Japan and Italy. The three equal countries framework is only six months old and not a lot will have come of it yet, so the old Tempest consortium will keep on trucking until the i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed. Formal cooperation will come later. Besides, they are building a tech demonstrator, not a prototype. Mitsubishi might keep doing the same. The real thing could be very different to either and won’t be RAF-focused. As well as the three principles, there’s bound to be a strong eye… Read more »
Tnhanks Jon. Good info.
A little off topic, btw, is that the Sheldon report is out on lessons learned from Ajax. I haven’t brought myself to read it yet, but it may have hints on approaching next gen.
Thanks Jon. I have yet to read it, but I will as an ex-army man who also worked with and for Abbey Wood (as a civvy contractor).
Even before reading it I would say that everything that you could get wrong actually happened. The wrong vehicle, ordered from the wrong company, for too high a price and too low a quality and delivered late, very late.
I did hear from a Press report that blame could not be assigned to any individual or organisation – amazing!
Well thats OK – I await the list of individuals and/or organisations they have attributed the blame to then…surely thats what they are saying …isn’t it?
out of all the current 6th Generation fighter jets currently being talked about the Tempest is the most realistic and therefore the most likely to be delivered on time and to spec.
Very unlikely to cancel Tempest and join the French & German project. I fact it more likely that Germany will leave that project and join Tempest with the French going off to build it’s own aircraft again. German requirements like Japan are closer to British requirements than French ones.
MBDA is part owned by BAE. Same ol same ol companies extorting money from the British Taxpayer… truly shocking!
I think we get ahead of ourselves. Despite all the hype, Tempest in reality is only a Technology Demonstrator Programme which will inform future requirements and technical capabilities. As far as I can see the RAF have only stated that the TDP it will inform the Future Combat Aircraft Requirement. They have not committed any funding beyond the TDP stage. There is no idication of what numbers the RAF will want and be able to afford. The Swedish seem to blow hot and cold on the project I guess being worried that it could undermine the highly successful SAAB.. BAES… Read more »