In a dedicated space inside the BAE Systems exhibition area the three nations of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) – the UK, Italy and Japan – unveiled a new concept model of their stealthy next-generation combat aircraft at the Farnborough International Airshow (FIA) on 22 July 2024.
Although relatively little can be gleaned from this full-scale model, given that it only appears in a form considered fit at this stage for public consumption, the obvious takeaway regarding the design is its size; the concept model as presented is noticeably larger the Royal Air Force’s current F-35 and Typhoon fighters – perhaps 1.5 times the size of an F-35.
The three national industry partners leading the GCAP programme – BAE Systems for the UK, Leonardo for Italy and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) for Japan – noted in a joint press release that this latest concept model “features a much more evolved design with a wingspan larger than previous concepts to improve the aerodynamics of the future combat aircraft”.
Engineers from the three partners are currently working together under a collaboration agreement on the design and development of the future combat aircraft. To do this they are “using a range of innovative digital tools and techniques, including computer-based modelling and virtual reality to evolve the aircraft’s design during its concepting phase”, the companies stated.
The next-generation combat aircraft – to be known as Tempest in the UK – is being developed under a pacing schedule that intends to see it enter service in 2035. According to the joint statement by the three industrial partners, it “will be one of the world’s most advanced, interoperable, adaptable and connected fighter jets in service, boasting an intelligent weapons system, a software-driven interactive cockpit, integrated sensors and a powerful next-generation radar capable of providing 10,000 times more data than current systems”.
The programme “is hugely significant for the security, political and economic prosperity of each nation and through effective knowledge and technology transfer will help to evolve and deliver important sovereign combat air capability in each nation, for generations to come”, the partners added.
The governments of the UK, Italy and Japan announced that they would jointly develop and deploy a next-generation fighter in December 2022, following this up with a treaty signed in Japan 12 months later.
“In the 18 months since the launch of the Global Combat Air Programme, we’ve been working closely with our industrial partners in Italy and Japan under the collaboration agreement, and also with the three governments, to understand and align requirements for a next-generation combat aircraft,” Herman Claesen, managing director for Future Combat Air Systems at BAE Systems, was quoted as saying. “The new model, unveiled at Farnborough International Airshow, shows notable progress in the design and concepting of this future fighter jet. We’ll continue to test and evolve the design, as we move closer towards the next phase of the programme.”
“The pace of the programme is extraordinary, building on a solid foundation and industrial legacy in each country and government-led partnership,” added Guglielmo Maviglia, chief Global Combat Air Programme officer for Leonardo. “Since the treaty was signed in December 2023, the programme has seen strong commitment from each partner. Each brings different, but complementary, qualities and requirements. We are now working closely together to exchange knowledge, address common challenges and achieve common goals. The programme is immensely important for Italy, for Leonardo, including our UK-based business, and for wider Italian industry. GCAP represents the future of combat air in a system-of-systems perspective for our generations to come.”
Hitoshi Shiraishi, senior fellow for GCAP at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, stated, “MHI considers any project to be a valuable opportunity to deepen our knowledge. In particular, since GCAP is a three-country joint development programme between Japan, UK and Italy, we expect to obtain better results and deeper knowledge than ever before by combining the different cultures, experiences and knowledge of the three industries involved. I also hope that this GCAP programme, with the broad participation of Japan’s defence companies, will foster innovation in the country’s industrial sector such as digital transformation, as well as the development of human resources in the field of science and technology.”
