combat aircraft

T

HE ROYAL AIR Force’s

centenary celebrations and an

air chiefs conference as well as

the huge Royal International

Air Tattoo and Farnborough

International Air Show events

served as the ideal stage for the UK to

set out forthcoming and future plans

when it comes to combat air power.

The centerpiece of this was the unveiling

of a sixth-generation future  ghter mock-

up at Farnborough on July 16 as the British

government released its Combat Air

Strategy ‘vision for the future’. Revealed in

the BAE Systems pavilion by the Secretary

of State for Defence, Gavin Williamson,

the aircraft concept model is the visual

result of an e ort that has been ongoing

covertly since 2015 and is now known as

the Tempest.

‘Today, we o er you a glimpse of

tomorrow starting with the unveiling of

this, the new concept model beside me

— a Tempest replica,’ Williamson said. The

The UK has been setting

out its future combat air

power plans with a series

of announcements and

statements of intent, but

does the reality match

the ambition?

REPORT Jamie Hunter

With the curtain

retracted the

Tempest mock-

up is proudly

displayed at

Farnborough.

BAE Systems

14 September 2018 //^ http://www.combataircraft.net

14-17 UK Combat Air C.indd 14 20/07/2018 15: