Tempest fugit

Building a ‘digital twin’ of Tempest then will allow a synthetic model of the system to keep pace with the physical airframe from cradle to the grave – allowing engineers to quickly modify, upgrade and record changes. Says Berthon: “Digital design just gives us an entirely different dynamic and allows us possibly to get a much greater degree of maturity in our design, much earlier on, using digital twins”. However, Christie admits that one challenge of model-based design will be virtual or synthetic certification.

BAE Systems

The effect of Coronavirus

Ironically the global pandemic that has killed so many people in the UK and around the world and also caused the biggest ever downturn in civil aviation has had some unexpected benefits for the Tempest programme – forcing a new, more agile way of working. Berthon notes that, instead of traditional infrequent face-to-face meetings with programme partners, virtual meetings, teleconferencing and phone calls have been happening much more frequently – increasing collaboration, flattening the structure and making for a more lean and agile organisation. “Where we might have travelled every four months and held big set pieces, in an hour, they’re on my speed dial.” Even when restrictions are fully lifted, this virtual collaboration process will remain in place, adding to the momentum of the project. “Although it’s not ideal not to have relationships face-to-face, I think we’ve probably got closer relationships because of this, than we might have done otherwise” he adds.

One programme, multiple sites​

Tempest is also designed to correct the shortcomings of both Eurofighter and F-35 international collaborations. Eurofighter has only fairly recently evolved into its true multirole potential, having been held back by a cumbersome management structure that proceeded at the pace of the slowest partner. Industrial workshare, meanwhile, was allocated on specific percentages, which sometimes made little sense. In contrast – the F-35 programme went to the other extreme. A strong leadership from the US, a ‘best athlete’ approach to suppliers but a ‘my way or the highway’ approach meant for little flexibility or IP for its partners. Tempest is attempting to carve a middle path with ‘one programme, multiple sites’ and a flexible, agile organisation that will allow partners to derive maximum benefit in technology gains and a military capability, or even ‘opt out’ of parts that they do not wish to be involved with. Berthon, meanwhile, notes that the different phases of the Tempest programme (R&D, manufacturing, acquisition and support) across the aircraft’s lifetime could attract different levels of involvement from partners. While this makes reporting and understanding the programme perhaps more complicated than other defence projects (the F-35 has a clear pecking partner order of ‘Tiers’), it does promise more opportunities for nations and partners to become involved in different stages of Tempest along the way. Berthon says that, outside of Italy and Sweden, there are at least a ‘half-dozen’ potential partners who could be involved at some level with Tempest development going forward. In practice, then this flexibility being a key driver in the programme, means there is unlikely to be a common Tempest configuration across all customers.

The opportunity to work on a sixth-generation fighter is proving irresistible to the diverse young talent of ‘Generation Tempest’. BAE Systems

Meet ‘Generation Tempest’ ​

Arguably, despite budget concerns, the importance of Tempest perhaps has only increased in the past couple of years. For one thing, the international situation has, if anything, only got even more volatile and unpredictable. China’s crackdown in Hong Kong has proved a wake-up call to the West and its partners, while the prospect of four more years of President Trump has caused America’s allies to privately question whether the US can still be relied on as a stable and trusted partner.

Commercial aerospace, meanwhile, has been battered by Covid-19 and thus, in terms of new programmes, Tempest is a beacon of hope and opportunity for those embarking or thinking of embarking on a career in aerospace. Indeed, it is the first major combat aircraft programme to be launched in the UK in 30 years – making it an irresistible project for those seeking to work on a high-technology aerospace project. Berthon agrees, saying: “It is attracting absolutely the very very best into the workforce. I think across industry and government, it’s proving a very inspiring programme to work on. I went up to Warton at the early part of the year and talked to a group of reasonably recent graduates and young engineers, some of whom had literally been inspired by seeing what we had done at Farnborough and had wanted to be involved as a result.”

Interestingly, while Tempest is attracting a younger, cooler and more diverse set of applicants into aerospace, Berthon also notes the programme is facilitating a surge in mentoring with skills and experience being passed on from the older generation with experience on Tornado, Hawk and Typhoon to the younger ‘Generation Tempest’.

A disruptive programme?

Tempest also comes at a time where the UK is set to undergo a new defence and security review – with emerging technologies such as cyber and drones hotly tipped to be the winners. Yet, while Tempest can be considered a ‘big-ticket’ procurement item, its fast pace, agile organisation goals and inspirational potential make it more akin to a SpaceX disruptive project than traditional combat aircraft procurement. The UK Government has already shown with the OneWeb investment, it is now prepared to act quickly and take risks in technology. Could Tempest also be seen in this light? Berthon thinks so: “Tempest will break out of traditional moulds, we are open to doing things differently, we understand the need to do things differently.”

Additionally, the UK Government’s, ‘Prosperity Agenda’ – which seeks to turbocharge UK exports and offset any losses from Brexit, is now even more critical, thanks to the downturn from Covid-19 hitting the economy as a whole. Says Berthon: “Of course, Tempest is in an R&D phase. But, once we actually begin that acquisition programme, there will be very significant broadening of the industrial base and the workforce that’s required in support of it which is particularly important at a time when the civil side of aerospace is having such a hard time.”

BAE’s Christie also highlights how Tempest has been designed from the outset to be export-led – with ‘time to market’ a major driver. This contrasts with Eurofighter, where export sales beyond the initial buy for partners was seen as an afterthought and where the priorities of core nations were put before accelerating capabilities to increase wider export potential.

Tempest is thus much more now than a new combat aircraft but a defence project that arguably the hopes of the entire UK aerospace industry and government are riding on. Succeed and its benefits will help unlock further opportunities and long-term growth for UK plc. Fail and it is likely that the UK will exit the military aircraft industry altogether.

Summary

In short then, Tempest is as much a revolution in leadership, culture and organisational structures, design and manufacturing, than it is about the stealth, laser weapons or augmented reality cockpit that will be incorporated into the airframe itself. Its ambitious goal is to break the cost/time curve of military aircraft development while offering partners flexible opportunities and varying levels of commitment and buy-in to suit their needs. Professor Keith Hayward observes: “BAeS does have some form here in delivering new concepts; a world-class manufacturing asset at Salmesbury and a track record of innovative ‘fast prototyping’ its uninhabited technology demonstrators”.

Berthon sums up the importance of Tempest to the UK: “Tempest is a once-in-a-generation opportunity. The Combat Air sector, is critical to delivering our national security but also to supporting a strong, prosperous, influential and global Britain.”