combat aircraft

The strategy is aimed at ensuring the

UK’s continued participation in military

air power. He added, ‘We have been a

world leader in the combat air sector for

a century, with an enviable array of skills

and technology, and this strategy makes

clear that we are determined to make

sure it stays that way. It shows our allies

that we are open to working together

to protect the skies in an increasingly

threatening future — and this concept

model is just a glimpse into what the

future could look like.’

Immediately after the unveiling, the

leading partners in Team Tempest

signed a heads of terms agreement to

proceed with the project. The MoD will

‘confirm early decisions for capability

acquisition by the end of 2020’ and will

then ‘confirm final investment decisions

by 2025 to ensure delivery of an initial

operating capability by 2035’.

Speaking to reporters after the initial

event, Air Vice Marshal ‘Rocky’ Rochelle,

the RAF’s chief of staff for capability

and force development, said, ‘We are

working at pace. Under the Rapid

Capabilities Office [RCO] in the RAF we

have formed Team Tempest. We have

responded through the RCO and Team

Tempest to a drastically changing pace

in the threat. This is our response to that

and in doing that we are international by

design. We have opened the door for a

conversation with international industry

and international partners.’

Team Tempest includes the MoD, BAE

Systems, Rolls-Royce, Leonardo and

MBDA. ‘Funding is real — it does exist

and it was put in place in [the Strategic

Defence and Security Review, SDSR]

of 2015,’ said Rochelle. ‘What is more

important for this program is a 50:

funding arrangement on key elements

of this program with industry. This is

a paradigm shift. Shared equity and

shared risk.’

The project represents the

establishment of an acquisition team

to replace the Typhoon in the future.

Michael Christie, strategy director for

BAE Systems Air, said that a new fighter

needs to be rapidly upgradable with

a flexible mission system architecture,

affordable support, and that the new

aircraft could be manned or unmanned

and more software-driven.

FCAS TI was born in the 2015 SDSR.

It represents a portfolio of research

and development programs that will

ultimately ‘create the conditions to

replace Typhoon alongside the F-35,’

said Air Commodore Linc Taylor, the

assistant chief of staff, capability

delivery, combat air. Taylor asserted that

Team Tempest would not impact British

F-35 procurement and that the UK’s

requirement for Lightnings remained

at 138 aircraft. He added that it doesn’t

affect the Anglo-French pact signed

in 2014 for combined development

activities on the respective Taranis

and Dassault-led Neuron Unmanned

Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) technology

demonstration programs, which are

also linked to FCAS. However, it must

place a question mark over funding

for the complex FCAS picture. Michael

Christie commented, ‘It’s very rare for

major capital projects to be done alone.’

He said Team Tempest would ‘embrace

partners’ and that BAE Systems is keen to

play ‘a leading role.’

New squadrons announced

The big reveal at Farnborough followed

a series of announcements from the RAF

related to more immediate subjects.

Speaking at the Air Power Conference

2018 in London, Chief of the Air Staff

ACM Sir Stephen Hillier said that Nos

IX (Bomber) and 31 Squadrons will be

re-roled from the Tornado to become

Eurofighter Typhoon and General

message from the Combat Air Strategy

was set out clearly. The UK will continue to

modernize its Eurofighter Typhoon fleet,

and under the Future Combat Air System

Technology Initiative (FCAS TI) will work

together with industry to develop a next-

generation fighter to replace the Typhoon.

Williamson confirmed an ongoing

commitment to FCAS TI, which brings the

Ministry of Defence (MoD) and industry

partners together, ‘to deliver over £

billion of technology investment by 2025’.

The Tempest

bears a strong

resemblance

to concept

artworks that

have been

released by

BAE Systems in

recent years and

shares common

features with

the company’s

Replica radar

cross-section

test aircraft.

BAE Systems

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