Tempest, where are the sixth generation fighters of the UK, Italy and Sweden?
If the United Kingdom and Sweden have already formalized the first commitment in the Tempest program, the definition of participation by Italy is still missing. Facts, numbers and commentary by Nones (Iai)
At what stage is the Tempest program, the British-led air combat system of the future?
In 2018, the UK launched Tempest, in response to the Franco-German FCAS program (which Spain joined) for the development of sixth generation stealth fighters .
Sweden and Italy joined the British initiative in 2019.
On 22 July, the industries of Italy, the United Kingdom and Sweden started a collaboration as part of the project for an air combat system of the future. As Michele Nones, vice-president of the Istituto Affari Internazionali , recalled these days, "in September this year the industries of the three countries reached an agreement to coordinate their activities with regard to aircraft, on-board systems, propulsion and armament ".
If in July Sweden "had already signed a bilateral agreement to participate in the program with its first initial allocation" – Nones underlines – "for now, the Italian side has not yet arrived at defining which funding to assign to the new program". “Nor, much less, to start dispensing it”.
“And this is obviously essential in order to agree with the partners the level and content of our technological and industrial involvement”, nones continues.
All the details on the status of the program and the risks for our country from this delay.
THE TEMPEST PROGRAM
The UK has already committed £ 2bn to the program, which aims to start production by 2025, with delivery of the fighter aircraft system by 2035. The sixth generation stealth fighter is expected to replace the Eurofighter Typhoon by 2040.
THE INDUSTRIES INVOLVED
The three national industries include the main defense companies in the United Kingdom (BAE Systems, Leonardo Uk, Rolls Royce and Mbda Uk), Italy (Leonardo Italy, Electronics, Avio Aero and Mbda Italy) and Sweden (Saab and Gkn Aerospace Sweden).
THE OTHER PROGRESS OF TEMPEST
Prior to the announcement of the trilateral cooperation last July, Team Tempest announced the entry of seven system vendors. On July 20, seven companies signed a partnership to work on the future air combat system: Ge Uk, Gkn, Collins Aerospace, Martin Baker, Qinetiq, Bombardier and Thales Uk.
THE INVESTMENT OF THE SWEDISH SAAB
Simultaneously with the announcement, Sweden's Saab revealed an initial investment of £ 50 million and the creation of a new 'Future combat air systems' center in the UK. Both "will help strengthen relations with other industrial partners and the UK Ministry of Defense," said Saab CEO Micael Johansson.
On the other hand, Italy had not allocated investments to the Tempest. And as Gianni Dragoni pointed out in Il Sole 24 Ore , “in international cooperation in the defense industry, if a government does not put money, it usually does not get work for the companies of its own country”.
WHAT THE UK IS DOING
Later this year the team working on Tempest will present a draft business case for the sixth generation hunt for the Johnson government. Meanwhile, Bae Systems released early PwC results on Thursday's potential economic contribution from the Tempest program over the next 30 years.
The program will support around 20,000 jobs and provide £ 25.3 billion in value to the UK economy by 2050, according to initial estimates that they will be part of a rough business case to be handed over to the government by the end of the year. . The Financial Times reported it .
The UK defense giant hopes the business case will help unlock further commitment to the project. Even as defense spending is under pressure from the coronavirus pandemic, as the Ft .
In fact, we would like to remind you that the UK's Strategic Defense and Security Review should be published in the coming weeks. According to media reports, the British Defense could purchase only half of the 138 F-35B Lightning II fighters the country has planned to purchase in order to shift economic resources in favor of the Tempest project.
Returning to the business case scheme, this will evaluate three options: continue with Tempest; being a junior partner in an international program; or simply buy a ready-to-use fighter. According to the FT , the government is expected to make its preference known in the coming months, releasing funding for the next phase.
WHAT IS ITALY WAITING FOR ON THE TEMPEST?
Of the three countries involved, therefore, ours is the one that has not yet become unbalanced in terms of resources. As Michele Nones pointed out, “on the Italian side it has not yet been possible to define which funding to assign to the new program, nor, much less, to start providing it. And this is obviously indispensable to agree with the partners the level and content of our technological and industrial involvement ".
THE RISK FOR ITALY OF A DELAY
According to the vice president of the Iai, the definition of Italy's participation in the Tempest is fundamental at this time. “The programs that aim, as in this case, at the generational leap, play a large part in defining the qualitative, quantitative, financial, temporal characteristics and the distribution of tasks. Being present from the beginning in supporting the cost of the program lays the foundations not only to influence its setting and evolution, but also to ensure an adequate technological and industrial role ". For Nones “arriving later means having to accept the work already done by others and risk not being able to enhance one's skills”.
WHY YOU MUST DECIDE NOW
In this regard, Nones recalls that “the Eurofighter / Typhoon, the aircraft destined to be replaced, is now in the prime of its operational life and new, more advanced versions are being developed. Its development began in 1983 and its first flight took place in 1994, but it became operational in 2003, twenty years later ”.
As well as for other projects. “Previously, development for the Tornado began in 1969 with the first flight in 1974 and entry into service in 1979, ten years later. More recently the development of the F-35 aircraft started in 1996 and the first flight was in 2006, but only in 2016 it became operational, twenty years later. " Michele Nones recalled.
He also points out Nones “Fortunately, at this stage it is not a huge amount. The UK has earmarked an annual budget of around € 300 million for seven years. Also considering the Swedish participation, the financing would certainly be sustainable for a medium power like Italy ”.
THE DELAY OF THE DEFENSE DPP
If the United Kingdom and Sweden have already formalized the first financial commitment on Tempest, only Italy is missing. As the director of Rid Pietro Batacchi pointed out, the DPP (Multiannual Planning Document) 2020-2022 (in which there should be this and more) is late. According to current legislation , the document should in fact be sent to the Chambers by 30 April of each year.
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/innovazione/tempest-a-che-punto-e-il-caccia-di-sesta-generazione-di-regno-unito-italia-e-svezia/ on Thu, 15 Oct 2020 13:04:57 +0000.