Rishi Sunak announces an agreement Between the UK, Italy, and Japan to create a a combat fighter jet aircraft (The Tempest Jet) that will utilise artificial intelligence.
The nations will develop a next generation fighter – due to enter service in the mid-2030s – that will eventually replace the Typhoon jet. The Tempest Jet carries an assortment of the latest weapons and defensive warfare capabilities.
The new fighter aircraft can also be flown without a pilot’s input if required and is expected to carry and fire hypersonic missiles.
Brittish Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says the collaboration intends to generate thousands of employment opportunities in the UK and reinforce security relations.
Mr Sunak became Prime Minister on 25 October 2022. He was previously appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer from 13 February 2020 to 5 July 2022
In a visit to RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire on Friday Sunak said the partnership would “keep the country safe from the new threats that we face”
“We’re one of the few countries in the world that has the capability to build technologically advanced fighter aircraft.” he said.
Development work is already under way and aims to create a combat/fighter aircraft that will provide speed stealth, use advanced sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) which will assist pilots when they become overwhelmed, find themselves in stressful situations and even intergrates G-LOC, protection.
The development and construction a sophisticated aircraft is extremely costly – the F35 jet was the most costly programme ever conducted by the Pentagon – thus, the UK has been seeking out allies.
Britain has been in search of allies, and Italy has already joined forces with them. Japan’s inclusion is an important step, especially at a period when the UK is constructing better connections with partners in the Indo-Pacific region, who are concerned about the increasing assertiveness of China.
Other countries are still able join the programme. France, Germany and Spain are already working together on their own separate design – as is the United States.
For the UK, the agreement is not limited to security but also economics in the hope that developing a new fighter jet will create and sustain thousands of UK jobs and open doors to more arms exports.
BAE Systems at Warton and Samlesbury will play key roles in developing Tempest Jet in Britain. along with Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Italy’s Leonardo being among the other companies involved in the project.
Mr Sunak says the security of the United Kingdom, both today and for future generations, will always be of paramount importance to this government.
“That’s why we need to stay at the cutting-edge of advancements in defence technology – outpacing and out-manoeuvring those who seek to do us harm.”
“The international partnership we have announced today with Italy and Japan aims to do just that, underlining that the security of the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions are indivisible.”
“The next-generation of combat aircraft we design will protect us and our allies around the world by harnessing the strength of our world-beating defence industry – creating jobs while saving lives.” said Mr Sunak.
Labour’s shadow defence secretary John Healey says his party backed the partnership but warned about training.
“Ministers must make clear how this fits with wider plans for the RAF’s future, including how they will prevent delays in fast-jet pilot training,” says Healey.
