BAE Systems Tempest

Overview

The Tempest is a proposed sixth-generation fighter aircraft that is under development in the United Kingdom and Italy for the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Aeronautica Militare (ITAF). The aircraft is intended to enter service from 2035, gradually replacing the Eurofighter Typhoon. It is being developed as part of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme by a consortium known as Team Tempest, which includes the British Ministry of Defence, BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, the UK subsidiary of Leonardo, and MBDA UK. £2 billion is planned to be spent by the British government on the initial phase of the project up to 2025. Both Italy and Sweden signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2020 committing to explore collaboration on the FCAS programme. The UK, Italy and Japan announced they are working together on the joint development of engine and radar demonstrators. This was followed by an announcement in December 2022 of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP); a collaboration between Italy, Japan and the UK for a sixth-generation fighter aircraft. Italy has planned to spend €8.9 billion in the project up to 2035.