The UK, Japan, and Italy have partnered up to create a new sixth-generation Tempest fighter, as reported by Defense News.
The new Tempest fighter is said to replace the existing fleet of FGR4 Typhoons of the UK, according to BBC. It is also anticipated that the new aircraft can carry the latest advanced weaponry.
In fact, work has begun on the combat plane and is reported to be fast and quiet. It will also feature cutting-edge sensors and artificial intelligence. These new features will help pilots at times when they're under stress. Interesting Engineering also reported that the combat plane might be able to fire hypersonic missiles even without a pilot.
What Happened to Sweden?
It can be recalled that Sweden was considering to partner with Britain to build a future air combat system, the Tempest. It is said that talks between the two countries are still ongoing related to their past work, such as the Saab Gripen fighter.
Pivotal to the Future of the Air Force
Rishi Sunak, the British Prime Minister, said that it's crucial to secure Britain through initiatives like the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP). Britain must stay at the cutting edge of advancements in defense technology.
Therefore, the partnership with Japan and Italy will be helpful with this, specifically regarding the security of the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions.
Britain and Japan
Japan and Britain have already been working together for their defense and decided to make a fighter jet engine demo. In addition, Japan's Joint New Air-to-Air Missile (JNAAM) program will also be implemented with help from the UK Ministry of Defense (MoD).
Their industry partnership, called Team Tempest, consists of BAE Systems, Leonardo MBDA, and Rolls-Royce.
Stronger Defense On the Horizon
What makes this partnership great is that Britain and its partners are getting an edge over the competition. Aside from their respective defense industries, the partnership is expected to bring about the creation of new technologies.
They will also help scientists lead the way in research, which ultimately strengthens their defense industries.
The Tempest fighter is expected to possess an open architecture that will enable the airplane to be enhanced with new technologies as they come. These developments and advancements in the Tempest fighter will ultimately result in sturdier security for the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions.
This will be very important in the next 20 years because aircraft are expected to advance extraordinarily.
Tempest Fighter is a next-generation fighter, and it will be a light combat aircraft. It is expected to be an upgrade from the current Typhoon jets.
The fighter will also have an advanced design and propulsion for future combat situations. It will also have an advanced sensor and avionics, as reported by The Engineer.