The United Kingdom, eager to launch its Tempest fighter jet project, is on the verge of signing a key agreement with Japan and Italy, as reported by Express.co.uk.
Anticipated Agreement
According to insiders, the three countries might sign off on a deal as soon as next week, which would significantly boost the UK's reputation in Asia at a time when China is showing its might in the area.
If these rumors turn out to be true, Japan will be working with a country other than the United States for the first time ever on a piece of military hardware.
With the potential doubling of the defense budget to about 5% of GDP by 2027, an announcement is expected in the middle of this month, when Japan plans to unveil its new national security strategy.
Joint Effort
The UK, Japan, and Italy will be working with BAE Systems and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to iron out the kinks in the negotiations next year.
The invasion of Ukraine by Russia has heightened the importance of Japan's stance, which was supported by the country's late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
In July, the Japanese Ministry of Defense said they would want to determine how they might collaborate before the end of this year. They also noted that they are evaluating several alternatives.
In the same month, British Air Chief Marshal Mike Wigston stated the country was exploring collaborating prospects and sharing the technical experience with a number of overseas partners, including Japan and Italy.
Former Japanese defense minister Itsunori Onodera dropped hints in October that the country would lift export restrictions on the joint jet fighter.
In order to better understand the areas of common interest, the UK is doing a collaborative concept study with close allies, according to a spokesperson from the Ministry of Defense.
To investigate possible cooperation possibilities on Tempest, the government has been holding negotiations with foreign partners. A BAE Systems spokeswoman indicated that the company would continue to support these discussions with its industry partners.
In the Defense Aviation Sector
Andrew Kennedy, strategic campaigns director at BAE Systems, told Express.co.uk in 2019 that the plane might completely alter the aviation industry, calling it "revolutionary."
"The plan is to introduce this 'sixth generation' combat aircraft into service in the mid-2030s, in time to replace the Eurofighter Typhoon fleet, which presently provides a fully manned capability for a number of air forces," Kennedy explained.
In the 2030s, the Tempest is expected to enter combat with a squad of semi-autonomous "wingmen" that are essentially drones.
When Gavin Williamson was defense secretary, he unveiled Britain's Combat Air Strategy at the Farnborough Airshow in 2018. This proposal put the spotlight on the country's fighter jets and led to the formation of Team Tempest, which includes BAE Systems, Rolls Royce, Leonardo, and MBDA, a missile developer.
He added that the strategy emphasizes how committed they are to ensuring the UK maintains its position as the global leader in combat aviation.
