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The Airframer Bulletin

BAE Tempest
All news ✕ Clear ‹ Current edition

Every Bulletin story and press release covering BAE Tempest, newest first.

35 items

2026
10 September

ReleaseGCAP Electronics Evolution receives contract to deliver sensing and communications capability to next-generation fighter aircraft

29 July BAE Systems will integrate software, digital networks and physical infrastructure under the extension.

BAE Systems wins £708m GCAP contract extension

The contract builds on Team Tempest progress since 2018, involving around 4,500 people across BAE Systems, Leonardo UK, MBDA UK and Rolls-Royce.

22 July

ReleaseTeam Tempest partners accelerate next-generation combat air technologies for UK defence

20 July

ReleaseThe Consortium for the GCAP Power and Propulsion System progresses towards ground-testing engine demonstrator

8 July GCAP aims to deliver the stealth fighter to Italy, Japan and the UK by 2035.

Edgewing wins £4.6 billion GCAP design contract

The 18-month agreement covers completion of the concept and assessment phase and further detailed design work for the trinational fighter aircraft.

9 April Masami Oka, GCAP Agency Chief Executive, and Marco Zoff, Edgewing CEO, formalise the programme’s first international contract under the Global Combat Air Programme.

Edgewing edges ahead with £686m GCAP award

The international venture GCAP will deliver a next-generation stealth combat aircraft, supporting defence industries across the UK, Italy and Japan to address evolving global threats.

2025
9 September

ReleaseIndustry partners form GCAP Electronics Evolution consortium to deliver sensing and communications for next generation fighter

9 September

ReleaseGCAP consortium expands partnership toward first flight

24 July More than 300 hours have been flown in a bespoke simulator by test pilots and engineers.

BAE reaches full-scale Combat Air Demonstrator design milestone

The UK’s first piloted supersonic demonstrator in four decades is now two-thirds structurally complete with wings and tail fins in build.

15 May

ReleaseOrpheus programme hits major milestone

24 April

ReleaseSafran opens new engineering and support facilities in Gloucester, UK

13 February Recycled material from the Tornado has been used to produce new compressor blades and a nose cone for the Orpheus engine.

Rolls-Royce recycles Tornado parts for 3D-printed components

The Tornado 2 Tempest project has successfully converted surplus military components into powdered metal for additive manufacturing in the UK’s Future Combat Air System.

2023
12 July

ReleaseTT Electronics awarded team Tempest contract from BAE Systems

14 June

ReleaseUK industry reveals advanced technologies for next generation flying combat air demonstrator

27 April

Leonardo delivers prototype radar for latest Typhoon

The ECRS Mk2 will equip pilots with the ability to locate, identify and suppress enemy air defences, a powerful combination of capabilities that will increase the Eurofighter Typhoon's lethality and survivability

20 April The Tempest.

UK MoD invests to progress technology for Tempest

The UK Tempest partners, working in close collaboration with the MoD, will now progress the maturity of more than 60 cutting-edge technology demonstrations, digital concepts and new technologies.

2022
14 December Conceptual images of the next-generation fighter.

UK, Italy and Japan combine for future fighter development

The programme will build on progress already made by BAE Systems, Leonardo UK, MBDA UK, Rolls-Royce and the UK Ministry of Defence as Team Tempest, as well as MHI's proposed future fighter aircraft (F-X).

20 July The demonstrator aircraft will fly within the next five years.

UK lays out plans for next generation combat aircraft

Engineers at BAE Systems in the north of England are leading the design, test, evaluation and build, bringing together digital engineering technologies such as synthetic modelling and model-based systems engineering.

19 July

ReleaseGE and BAE Systems collaborate to explore next generation adaptive power systems for Combat Air application

18 July

ReleaseLeonardo UK and Mitsubishi Electric embark on next stage of UK-Japan fighter jet sensor programme

26 April

ReleaseWind River selected by BAE Systems for Team Tempest advanced combat air systems development

2021
16 September

ReleaseMarshall to partner on Team Tempest

15 September

ReleaseLeonardo contracts next stage of Tempest flight test aircraft 'Excalibur'

14 September

ReleaseCollins Aerospace continues to advance actuation systems for Tempest

4 August The Ministry of Defence contract officially marks the start of the Tempest programme’s concept and assessment phase.

BAE gains contract to progress with Tempest design

Tempest will pioneer cutting-edge technologies, including those assisted by AI, machine learning and autonomous systems to meet the challenges of future conflicts, and be operational in the mid-2030s.

25 May

ReleaseNew findings reveal future combat air programme Tempest is poised to drive productivity, innovation and skills development right across the UK

2020
15 October

ReleaseLatest UK technology revealed for a ground-breaking combat aircraft due in service by 2035

25 August The Tempest has already been through supersonic wind tunnel testing.

Tempest digital design process picks up pace

Design processes that typically take months have been completed in days using BAE Systems' digital twin concept, as the next generation Tempest aircraft takes shape.

20 July

ReleaseFuture Combat Air continues to drive economic advance across the UK

9 January

ReleaseRolls-Royce develops world-first electrical technology for next-generation Tempest programme

2019
18 December

ReleaseTempest drives forward as Leonardo unveils new radar sensing technology

11 September

ReleaseUK and Italian industry to partner on Tempest

10 September

ReleaseMBDA offers insight into ongoing results of Team Tempest work

19 July

ReleaseUK and Sweden partner on future combat air

17 July

ReleaseRolls-Royce to develop hypersonic technology with UK MOD