Latest UK technology revealed for a ground-breaking combat aircraft due in service by 2035

  • Latest UK technology revealed for a ground-breaking combat aircraft due in service by 2035
  • New radar technology delivers unparalleled data processing capability on the battlespace, equivalent to nine hours of HD video or the internet traffic of a large city every second
  • ‘Wearable cockpit’ of the future with aircraft controls projected via Virtual and Augmented Reality

British engineers have today revealed some of the latest concepts under development for the Royal Air Force’s (RAF) next generation combat air system. The pioneering technology is being delivered by Team Tempest, a UK technology and defence partnership formed by BAE Systems, Leonardo, MBDA, Rolls-Royce and the RAF, and involving hundreds of high-tech companies, SMEs and academia across the UK.

Tempest is one of the UK’s most ambitious technological endeavours and designed to deliver a highly advanced, adaptable combat air system to come into service from the mid-2030s. This next generation combat aircraft, which forms part of a wider combat air system, will exploit new technologies as they evolve to respond to the changing nature of the battlespace, addressing increasingly high-tech and complex threats and conflict.

Among the key insights released today:

  • Experts from the Team Tempest electronics lead, Leonardo UK, are developing new radar technology capable of providing over 10,000 times more data than existing systems. The new sensor, called the ‘Multi-Function Radio Frequency System’, will collect and process unprecedented amounts of data on the battlespace – equivalent to the internet traffic of a large city such as Edinburgh, every second. This huge volume of information, processed on-board, will give Tempest a battle winning edge in combat situations, with the ability to locate and target enemies well before they are targeted themselves.

    The brand new sensor will provide a wide range of abilities beyond traditional radar, with all-digital technology providing the operator with an exceptionally clear view of the battlespace and of potential targets. Leonardo has already built complete sub-systems using the new technology and successfully tested them at the Company’s site in Edinburgh with a path to airborne demonstrations in the coming years.
  • Separately, engineers at BAE Systems have begun flight testing cutting-edge concepts for Tempest’s ‘wearable cockpit’ technologies, designed to provide pilots in the cockpit or operators on the ground with split-second advantage. The concept sees the physical controls seen in current aircraft cockpits replaced with Augmented and Virtual Reality displays projected directly inside the visor of a helmet, which can be instantly configured to suit any mission. Concepts including human-autonomy teaming are also being developed, where a ‘virtual co-pilot’ could take on some of the pilot’s responsibilities. The virtual co-pilot concept is still being developed, but could for example, take the form of an ‘avatar’ built into the cockpit to interact with the pilot.

    BAE Systems has also been trialing ‘psycho-physiological’ technologies, including eye-tracking, to study the operator’s physical and cognitive processes to better understand increasing exertion, stress, workload and fatigue. BAE Systems test pilots are now trialling these psycho-physiological technologies in controlled test flight conditions in a Typhoon aircraft. The results of the trials will inform further development to better understand a pilot’s cognitive behaviour and processes relating to brain activity, psychological rhythms and eye movement to inform further development.
  • MBDA UK has also embedded one of its Human Factors engineers within this wearable cockpit team, ensuring early introduction of weapons concepts that exploit these future technologies. This close partnership approach between MBDA UK and BAE Systems will allow the companies to help to collaborate at an early stage of the programme, shaping how weapons systems information and operation is optimised for the pilot.
  • At the same time, Rolls-Royce engineers have been developing advanced combustion system technology as part of the company’s power and propulsion work. The combustion system is where fuel is introduced and burned to release energy into the gas stream. A next-generation system will need to be hotter than any previous platform, increasing the efficiency of the engine and meaning it can go further, faster, or produce less carbon dioxide. Rolls-Royce has been exploring advanced composite materials and additive manufacturing as part of this work, producing lightweight, more power-dense components capable of operating at these higher temperatures.

These concepts are part of a wider research effort to develop technologies that could be used to create a next generation combat air system for the UK. Collectively, the Team Tempest partners are developing more than 60 technology demonstrations in the fields of sensing, data management and autonomy to prove world-leading processes and technologies on the programme.

Iain Bancroft, Director of Major Air Programmes at Leonardo in the UK, said: “The collaborative relationship between Team Tempest and our network of academic and SME partners enables us to bring together the ‘best of the best’ engineering talent from across the UK. Crucially, we are embracing new ways of working as an integrated team to dramatically improve efficiency and pace – sharing intelligence and refining our concepts digitally to deliver innovations that will shape the next generation combat air system. Our new radar technology is a concrete example of the gains this approach has already brought, costing 25% less to develop while providing over 10,000 times more data than existing systems.”

Tempest is an ambitious military programme that is expected to deliver significant benefits to the UK over the full lifetime of the programme. It is a critical programme to ensure the UK is able to sustain its world-leading Combat Air Sector; preserving its sovereign capability and critical skills needed to deliver independent military ‘freedom of action’ and ensuring national security. It will also bring benefits through investment in people, early careers, technology and infrastructure, supporting the economy and long term prosperity of the nation.

Today’s announcements demonstrate further momentum on Tempest, with Team Tempest companies drawing on wider UK skills and innovation. In July seven further companies signed agreements to progress opportunities to work on future combat air concepts and underpinning technologies across Team Tempest including Bombardier Belfast, Collins Aerospace in the UK, GE Aviation UK, GKN Aerospace, Martin-Baker, QinetiQ, and Thales UK.

Ends

For associated materials including footage and imagery click here:

https://baesys.resourcespace.com/?c=2178&k=ec9b3adb1d
https://leonardo.canto.global/b/KF7V3

Notes to Editors

Tempest: The UK Combat Air Strategy and the launch of Team Tempest was announced at Farnborough Air Show in 2018. This strategy set out a bold vision for the UK’s future combat air capability and was underpinned by establishing the Team Tempest partnership. The goal of the partnership is to deliver Tempest - a UK-led international future combat air system that is capable of operating at the cutting edge of technological innovation and securing the UK's position as a global leader in combat air.

Leonardo (UK) is one of the UK's leading aerospace companies and one of biggest suppliers of defence and security equipment to the UK Ministry of Defence. The company operates from 6 main sites across the country, employing around 7,000 highly skilled people. Globally, Leonardo is among the top ten world players in Aerospace, Defence and Security, with more than 49,000 employees and a significant industrial presence in Italy, the United Kingdom, Poland and the USA. In 2019, Leonardo recorded revenues of €13.8 billion.
Media contact: John Stevenson +44 (0) 7540 628691; [email protected]

BAE Systems provides some of the world’s most advanced, technology-led defence, aerospace and security solutions and employs a skilled workforce of some 85,800 people in over 40 countries. Working with customers and local partners, BAE Systems develops technology that helps to save lives, protect borders and people, strengthen nations, and keep critical information and infrastructure secure.
Media contact: Matt Squires +44 (0) 3300 481881; [email protected]

Rolls-Royce Holdings plc pioneers cutting-edge technologies that deliver clean, safe and competitive solutions to meet our planet’s vital power needs. Rolls-Royce has customers in more than 150 countries, comprising more than 400 airlines and leasing customers, 160 armed forces, 70 navies, and more than 5,000 power and nuclear customers. Annual underlying revenue was £15.45 billion in 2019, around half of which came from the provision of aftermarket services. In 2019, Rolls-Royce invested £1.46 billion on research and development. Rolls-Royce also supports a global network of 29 University Technology Centres, which position Rolls-Royce engineers at the forefront of scientific research.
Media contact: Hannah Wood +44 (0) 7747 203653; [email protected]

MBDA UK is the co-ordinator of effects for Team Tempest. Working with domestic and international partners MBDA UK is leading the ‘effects domain’ for the future combat air system, focused on delivery of decisive and battle-winning effects though a holistic approach across platforms, sensors, data networks and effectors. By aligning activities in the combat air sector and the UK’s Complex Weapons pipeline, MBDA UK will ensure the best UK technologies are leveraged to deliver force-multiplying effects for Tempest. The deep partnership approach being taken within Tempest will enable delivery of new effect capabilities faster than ever before, able to leverage and contribute to data networks in new ways, whilst reducing the cost and complexity of their integration into the combat air system. In the UK, MBDA employs more than 4,000 people across three main sites in the East, North-West and South-West of England. Globally MBDA employs over 11,500 people and has significant presence in five European countries and within the USA. MBDA is jointly owned by BAE Systems (37.5%), Airbus (37.5%), and Leonardo (25%).
Media contact: Nick de Larrinaga +44 (0) 7812 624739; [email protected]

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