The United Kingdom, Sweden and Italy have signed an agreement to develop a sixth-generation fighter under the Tempest program. The car may appear in the 2030s.
The Europeans are determined to create their own sixth-generation fighters without the direct involvement of the United States. As it became known, the defense ministers of Great Britain, Italy and Sweden in December last year signed a trilateral agreement involving the joint creation of a new machine.
The agreement was called the FCASC Memorandum of Understanding. It regulates the basic principles of equal cooperation between the States participating in the program. The agreement covers various areas of activity, including research and development.
Tempest
Image Source: Team Tempest
It is assumed that the memorandum will open the way to new contracts, as a result of which the full-scale development of the fighter will start.
The participants of the program have been discussing the beginning of its implementation for quite a long time. Back in the autumn of last year, during the DSEI exhibition held in London, defense companies from the UK and Italy signed a Declaration of Intent involving cooperation in the creation of an aviation system.
Recall that the concept of the sixth-generation fighter Tempest was presented at the Farnborough Air Show in 2018. As it was reported at the time, BAE Systems, Leonardo, MBDA and Rolls Royce joined the Team Tempest group to develop the car. Initially, it was assumed that the leading role would be played by British engineers: in all likelihood, this will be the case during the further implementation of the program.
Tempest Layout
Image Source: VAE Systems
Judging by the layout presented in 2018, the aircraft can get two keels deflected to the sides and two engines. They want to make the lantern fly-free. It is assumed that the machine will be able to operate in both manned and unmanned versions. Like representatives of the fifth generation, the aircraft should be extremely unobtrusive.
As for the timing of development, it is obviously too early to draw concrete conclusions now. Probably, we will see the serial version no earlier than the end of the 2030s. In the Air Forces of Great Britain, Italy and Sweden, the car should replace the Saab Gripen and Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft.
Tempest is not the only sixth-generation fighter development program currently underway in Europe. It will compete with the program implemented by France, Germany and Spain. The aircraft created by it has the symbol New Generation Fighter. We could see its layout at last year's exhibition in Le Bourget.
