Stormy Skies Ahead: Britain’s Financial Woes Threaten Tempest Fighter Jet Project, Forcing a Choice Between Air Power and Nuclear Submarines
Strengthening International Ties: The UK-Japan-Italy Global Combat Air Programme
<img alt="A new concept model of the next-generation fighter jet Tempest at the Farnborough Air Show” src=”https://jbpress.ismcdn.jp/mwimgs/3/b/600mw/img_3bd30aa3f9754c7962a600d0d8f4b9215588958.jpg” srcset=”https://jbpress.ismcdn.jp/mwimgs/3/b/600mw/img_3bd30aa3f9754c7962a600d0d8f4b9215588958.jpg 1x,https://jbpress.ismcdn.jp/mwimgs/3/b/1200mw/img_3bd30aa3f9754c7962a600d0d8f4b9215588958.jpg 2x” class=”lazy not-trans” width=”600″ height=”400″ loading=”lazy”/>
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By Masato Kimura, International Journalist
Project Tempest: A New Era in International Cooperation
In a recent interview, Greg Bagwell, former Deputy Commander for Operations of the Royal Air Force, expressed his enthusiasm for the joint development of the next-generation fighter jet, Tempest, being carried out by Japan, the UK, and Italy. “Japan brings a whole new perspective to this programme. It’s going to be very exciting,” he said.
Bagwell, who participated in the first UK-Japan fighter jet joint exercise in 2016, recalled the significance of the event and the subsequent Tempest program. “Japan’s Minister of Defense was a Lagermen. Now, thanks to the subsequent Tempest program, we are strengthening our relationship with Japan.”
The UK has been working on the Tempest project to develop a sixth-generation stealth fighter jet, aiming to enter service around 2035. The fighter jet will feature advanced capabilities, including radar-evading stealth, pilot decision-making, sensor data analysis, and AI to support autonomous missions, as well as the ability to control a fleet of drones.
The UK-Japan-Italy Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) was announced in 2022, merging the UK’s Tempest programme and Japan’s FX programme. The goal of the program is to combine the resources and expertise of the three partners to develop a more effective, financially sustainable, and interoperable fighter aircraft.