Two years after the presentation in Farnborough (Military News reported) and the entry of Sweden and Italy into the design phase in 2019, British engineers presented some of the latest technology concepts for the 6th generation Tempest air warfare system on October 15 – and they certainly pack a punch.
The “Team Tempest” partnership involves BAE Systems, LeonardoMBDA, Rolls-Royce and the RAF’s Future Capabilities Office, as well as hundreds of high-tech companies, SMEs and universities across the UK. In addition, of course, the relevant official levels of the Swedish Ministries of Defense (Saab) and Italy (Leonardo parent company). In this very broadly diversified and now internationalized research and development effort, more than 60 technology demonstrations in the areas of sensor technology, data management and autonomy are already being driven forward, which is also paying off economically for the countries involved, as a new study by PwC recently published by BAE Systems shows.
According to the study, Tempest will generate around 23.5 billion pounds (around 21.3 billion euros) between 2026 and 2050, which roughly corresponds to the estimated direct program costs over this period. If you add the spillover in research and development in the wider aerospace industry, including suppliers, the impact is even higher according to the study: for every 100 pounds (around 110 euros) generated by the program partners, there is a value added of 220 pounds (around 240 euros) across the British, Italian and – if Stockholm remains on board after the design phase – Swedish economy. There will also be a huge impact on the job market: although “only” around 1,800 people in industry and the British Ministry of Defense are currently involved in the Tempest project, this figure is expected to rise to 2,500 high-tech jobs as early as 2021 and is set to multiply to around 20,000 jobs by 2026. PwC calculates that for every 100 people directly involved in the program, a further 270 jobs will be secured across the economy and industry of the partner countries.
All of this demonstrates the appeal of Tempest as one of the UK’s most ambitious technology projects. The state-of-the-art, adaptable air combat system is due to enter service from the mid-2030s and will ensure air dominance, military freedom of action and therefore national security for the UK, NATO and the West in any future conflicts. The aircraft itself is only part of a wider family of systems that will use new technologies to respond to the changing nature of potential battlespaces, which are becoming increasingly high-tech and complex. In addition to a demonstrator already flown in secret in the US, according to the US Secretary of Defense (Military News reported) and the FCAS, which got off to a comparatively “bumpy” start with French-German dissonance over future exports (to the Militär Aktuell report), so far only concepts and studies in China and Russia are known in the area of 6th generation fighter jets. https://militaeraktuell.at/usaf-6-generation-kampfjet-ging-bereits-in-die-luft/
Experts at Leonardo UK, the “head of electronics” in Team Tempest, say they are developing a new radar technology that will be able to provide and process more than 10,000 times more data than existing systems. The new sensor, described as a “multi-function high frequency system”, is said to collect and process unprecedented amounts of data on and above the battlefield, allegedly equivalent to the internet traffic of a major city like Edinburgh – per second! This enormous amount of information processed on board gives Tempest a decisive advantage in combat situations and can locate, prioritize and target enemy assets in real time before it itself is threatened. It can also control unmanned weapons, call up and contribute situation reports from commanders, monitor the pilots’ medical data and much more. The revolutionary sensor mentioned above offers a wide range of capabilities that go beyond conventional radar. The fully digital technology provides the operator with an exceptionally clear view of the battlefield, airspace and potential targets, as well as their own forces. Leonardo has reportedly already built complete subsystems using the new technology and successfully tested them at the company’s Edinburgh site with a view to introducing them in airborne demonstrations in the coming years. The role of the Eurofighter Typhoon is repeatedly emphasized here, which should see considerable upgrades by around 2040.
Separately, BAE Systems engineers have begun testing cutting-edge concepts and technologies for Tempest’s ‘wearable cockpit’ to give pilots – or operators on the ground – a split-second advantage. As explained to Militär Aktuell while sitting in an empty cockpit in Fairford (see picture), the concept involves replacing physical controls and displays with augmented and virtual reality displays that are projected directly into the visor of the helmet and can be instantly configured for each mission via a hand visible and guided in the helmet. AI concepts are also being developed around teamwork between autonomy and humans, in which a “virtual co-pilot” could take over some of the pilot’s tasks. This concept is still under development but could, for example, take the form of an avatar in the cockpit to interact with the pilot and support or relieve them. Bad times for two-seaters.
BAE Systems has also already tested so-called psycho-physiological technologies, including eye-tracking, to study the physical and cognitive processes of operators and to better understand increasing exertion, stress, workload and fatigue. BAE Systems’ test pilots are already testing these psycho-physiological technologies under controlled test flight conditions in a Eurofighter Typhoon at Warton. The results of those trials will inform further development to better understand a pilot’s cognitive behavior and processes relating to brain activity, psychological rhythms and eye movements, and drive further development of derived capabilities. Missile house MBDA UK has also already embedded one of its human factors engineers into this ‘wearable cockpit’ team to ensure early adoption of weapon concepts that utilize these future technologies. This close partnership approach between MBDA UK and BAE Systems allows both to help collaborate at an early stage of the programme and determine how to optimize the interaction with and operation of integrated future weapon systems. AI is also mentioned prominently here.
As is easy to guess, Rolls-Royce engineers are responsible for powering the platform, which is probably not too small from today’s perspective. This requires the development of advanced combustion system technologies that can withstand significantly higher temperatures than before. Although these increase the efficiency of the engine in terms of (supercruise) thrust and consumption, they should also produce fewer pollutants. As part of this work, Rolls-Royce has investigated advanced composite materials and additive manufacturing solutions and has already produced lighter but more powerful and durable components that can operate at these expected higher temperatures. The laser weapons envisaged for Tempest – whether for attacking or defending against approaching missiles – also require powerful generators that have not yet been realized in terms of weight but are certainly necessary. Another consideration is that dissipated heat (cooling) should be converted back into energy (very simply as with braking energy in hybrid vehicles). It is to be expected that every new design, which is difficult to locate due to its construction, will gradually “struggle” with internal heat and its dissipation, as in the case of the recently arriving previous generation (F-35, J-20, Su-57), stealth prohibits any cooling scoop or flap solutions. This is why the F-35, for example, has fuel lines in places where there would otherwise be none. Other British companies in Team Tempest are Bombardier Belfast, Collins Aerospace UK, GE Aviation UK, GKN Aerospace, Martin-Baker, QinetiQ and Thales UK.
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