Tempest: The ‘Not Made in America’ 6th-Generation Fighter That Could Dominate

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Key Points: The British Tempest, a sixth-generation fighter under development by Team Tempest (BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, and MBDA UK), promises unparalleled technological advancements. Set to debut around 2035, it will feature stealth capabilities, AI-enhanced situational awareness, and tethered drones like the Loyal Wingman.

-With 3D-printed components, laser weaponry, and powerful Rolls Royce EJ200 engines, Tempest aims to surpass the F-35. However, challenges remain, including drone swarming integration and heat management for directed energy systems.

-As a potential leader among sixth-generation fighters, the Tempest provides a much-needed morale boost for the British military, signaling hope for future air dominance.

British Tempest 6th Generation Fighter: An AI-enabled Stealth Wonder

Fighter jets scoop up massive amounts of flight data with radars and sensors. It would be interesting to see if a warplane’s engineers could build a large language model so pilots could “think” about a maneuver or attack profile and then have the airplane execute that command. This configuration seems to be something from a far-off, rosy (or possibly dystopian) future.

Still, the British Tempest sixth-generation fighter has outsized ambitions to use artificial intelligence in the cockpit for better situational awareness and air dominance.

It’s Called ‘Team Tempest’ for a Reason  

The British military is taking a team approach to developing the Tempest. BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, and MBDA UK are collaborating to create a technology demonstrator for the sixth-generation warbird. They are taking their time, as the Tempest fighter will not be ready until at least 2035. 

Everything About This Warbird Is ‘Smart’

The Tempest will have ultra-high levels of stealthiness. The next generation of “smart” weapons will be able to “talk” to each other in flight. The aircraft will have an uncrewed optional model plus an autonomous “Loyal Wingman” drone tethered to the mothership that can fly out in front and collect recon data, fire missiles, or conduct a bomb damage assessment. It may control more than one Loyal Wingman and even tether to a swarm of kamikaze drones for land attack missions.

Something Out of Star Wars

The Tempest will likely have lasers to combat enemy fighters or eliminate incoming missiles, whether from surface-to-air ground defense systems or in-air threats. 

The building process will include aerospace 3D printing of parts and components to create all these high-tech goodies quicker and more efficiently. Once the airplane flies regularly, required repairs and maintenance will likely be reduced. The additive manufacturing process will also reduce costs. This approach uses Hot Isostatic Pressing at 2000 degrees Celsius to create new metal parts.

New Engines Will Rival the F-35

Tempest will have advanced Rolls Royce EJ200 engines for the tech demonstrator. These will be tested on the prototype next year and the demonstrator will take to the air around 2026 or 2027. Pilots already fly the demonstrator in simulators and have accumulated 215 flight hours.

“It’s bringing in a quantum leap in performance in what your aircraft can do, in how weapons integrate and how aircraft both crewed and uncrewed operate together and with what wider assets,” said Dr. James Bosbotinis, a defense analyst interviewed by ForcesNews.com.

Bosbotinis believes the biggest hurdle will be the Tempest tethering to the Loyal Wingmen and drone swarms. Once the designers fix that technological wrinkle, the Tempest will be a sixth-generation fighter to reckon with, he explained.

New Fighter Concept Model Released

In July, BAE Systems showed off a new concept model of the Tempest for the Royal Air Force. The Tempest’s wingspan will be larger than previous concepts, increasing maneuverability and acceleration. It will also store more fuel, missiles, and bombs.

The Royal Air Force believes Tempest can be better than the F-35 with its stealth capability, artificial intelligence, additive manufacturing, engine power, speed, and thrust. 

“[We] need to go far, we need to carry lots of stuff, and [we] need to do it in a low observable/stealthy configuration,” BAE executive Herman Claesen told The Defense Post. He added that the concept shows “notable progress.”

Tempest Stealth Fighter. Artist Image from BAE.

It’s about time the British military had some good news. Defense cuts and reductions in force have ravaged its land forces. The army is a shadow of its former self. However, the Royal Navy is making significant progress with the new Astute-class hunter-killer submarine, but its surface ships leave a lot to be desired. The Royal Air Force has the Eurofighter Typhoon, but that jet is aging. So even though the Tempest will be in development for the next ten years, it will give the British something to look forward to.

The biggest worry besides the drone swarming concept is the use of lasers. The directed energy system will generate a significant amount of heat and added weight so the airplane will need heat shields and those new Rolls Royce propulsion plants to be extremely powerful.

The Tempest is thus a shot in the arm to the British military that needs a morale boost. Some unproven technologies on board will likely have some growing pains. However the ten-year development plan is not over-optimistic, and milestones should be accomplished on time.

BAE Tempest. Image VIA BAE.

Keep the Tempest in mind as you learn more about sixth-generation fighter programs. It could become a leader in the field and challenge the next-generation airplanes from the United States, Russia, and China.

About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood 

Brent M. Eastwood, PhD is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.