{"id":59198,"date":"2021-05-25T16:21:37","date_gmt":"2021-05-25T16:21:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2021\/05\/25\/british-team-tempest-is-itching-to-enter-new-fighter-design-phase-this-summer\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T00:26:41","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T00:26:41","slug":"british-team-tempest-is-itching-to-enter-new-fighter-design-phase-this-summer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/global\/europe\/2021\/05\/25\/british-team-tempest-is-itching-to-enter-new-fighter-design-phase-this-summer\/","title":{"rendered":"British \u2018Team Tempest\u2019 is itching to enter new fighter design phase this summer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

LONDON \u2013 Britain\u2019s effort to develop a sixth-generation combat jet is on track, with the concept and assessment phase of the program expected to be signed off by industry and government imminently, according to officials involved in the discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An announcement by the Ministry of Defence on a contract starting the next phase of work on the British-led Tempest future combat air program is expected in the next few weeks, said a BAE Systems spokesman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are making good progress on the route to the concept and assessment phase, with the shared aim of launching the next phase of an international program to jointly develop and deliver world-leading future combat air capability. We expect to agree the concept and assessment phase contract in the summer,\u201d the spokesman said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The spokesman wouldn\u2019t be drawn on an exact date but with Parliament due to go into summer recess in July that could potentially trigger a contract announcement ahead of that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A deal for the concept and assessment phase marks the first proper step to the launch of a full-fledged 6th-generation combat jet program by the British and their international partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The British government has committed \u00a32 billion ($2.8 billion) to the program over the next four years, with industry expected to contribute as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Initial work on Tempest was formally launched mid-2018 with the British government and industry partners BAE, Leonardo, MBDA and Rolls-Royce, beginning the early stages of exploring and developing technology options in a partnership known as Team Tempest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More recently that work has included involvement by likely program partners Italy<\/a> and Sweden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The likelihood of the three nations partnering in the upcoming phase of work was heightened at the end of last year when the governments announced they had signed a trilateral memorandum of understanding aimed at launching an international program this summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The British government has also been in talks with Japan, looking at how the nations can collaborate on their combined combat air requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The doors are not closed to further partners coming onboard either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt the moment the focus is on our program and making it as successful as we possibly can,\u201d Michael Christie, BAE\u2019s director of future combat air systems, said at a May 25 online event hosted by the lobbying group ADS. \u201cWe will continue to be open to further partnering discussions with others but right now the primary focus is on delivering what we have to deliver,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christie declined to put a time line on development of a prototype Tempest but said the project remained on target to see the jet reach its initial operating capability in the mid 2030s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over time the jet will replace Typhoon jets that currently form the backbone of Royal Air Force combat air capabilities. The British have also ordered 48 F-35B with an unknown number of the jets still to be ordered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are on schedule to start the concept and assessment phase as we planned back in 2018. We aimed at a 2021 contract award and we are still on track for that,\u201d said the BAE executive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a statement, U.K. Defense Minister Jeremy Quin said the Tempest program would provide a major employment boost and increase security capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBy investing in the research and development to support this national endeavor to create the Future Combat Air System alongside our partners, we are turbocharging our combat air industry,\u201d he said, referring to the formal name for the British development program, not to be confused with the rival mainland Europe effort by France, Germany and Spain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSituated at the heart of the country\u2019s aerospace sector, investment in FCAS reaffirms the government\u2019s commitment to spend more than \u00a32 billion over the next four years, with additional investment from industry, to create military capabilities that will keep us and our allies safe whilst creating thousands of skilled jobs right across the UK,\u201d said Quin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just how important the future combat air system is to the British military aerospace industry and the government\u2019s wider prosperity agenda was illustrated by an updated version of a report published by consultants PwC into the economic impact of Tempest in Britain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The analysts first published the report last October but have since updated the document, commissioned by Team Tempest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the main takeaways from the report are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n