{"id":39971,"date":"2019-09-11T12:49:02","date_gmt":"2019-09-11T12:49:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2019\/09\/11\/british-italian-defense-companies-jump-on-tempest\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T23:14:04","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T23:14:04","slug":"british-italian-defense-companies-jump-on-tempest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/digital-show-dailies\/dsei\/2019\/09\/11\/british-italian-defense-companies-jump-on-tempest\/","title":{"rendered":"British, Italian defense companies jump on Tempest"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

LONDON \u2013 BAE Systems and Leonardo on Wednesday formalized a partnership agreement to cooperate on the Tempest next-generation combat aircraft, following a pact signed between the U.K. and Italian governments late Tuesday afternoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The inclusion of Italy in the ambitious project marks the third partner nation, following Sweden, that the British were able to sign. And BAE officials on hand here at the DSEI defense trade show hinted that more could follow soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leonardo brings with it a smattering of Italian companies, including Avio Aero and Elettronica, adding to the team of MBDA and Rolls Royce already onboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BAE Systems chief Charles Woodburn said both nations and their respective industries are \u201ccommitted\u201d to seeing Tempest through. The program is envisioned to be a sixth-generation, aerial combat system featuring manned planes, drones, sensors and weapons working in unprecedented collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two countries already work together on the American-led F-35 as well as the Eurofighter Typhoon. Advancing those programs is also an explicit objective in the new partnership between London and Rome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A statement released by the UK Ministry of Defence Wednesday morning framed the government agreement \u2013 signed by Simon Bollom, the head of Defence Equipment and Support, and Lt. Gen. Nicol\u00f2 Falsaperna, Italian Secretary General of Defence \u2013 as a broad pledge to cooperate on matters of \u201ccombat air capability.\u201d The idea is to \u201cdeepen discussions on Tempest military requirements,\u201d come up with a \u201croad map\u201d for feeding advanced Eurofighter capabilities into the future program, and facilitate an industry ecosystem to make it all happen, according to the statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\t