In a bit of a surprise, the United Kingdom’s Defense Ministry announced that it was rolling out a brand new sixth generation fighter called Tempest. A twin-engine aircraft, the Tempest will fly in tandem with the RAF’s F-35 fighter, much like the US Air Force’s doctrine of pairing the F-22 with the F-35. At the press conference, little was discussed regarding the aircraft’s capabilities, but it likely rivals the USAF’s F-22 Raptor, meaning it will boast a minimal radar cross section, internal weapons bay, and integrated avionics suite as well as demonstrate supercruise flight characteristics. Other features being touted include cyber-resiliency and optional human piloting, meaning some versions may be designed with autonomy in mind and perhaps slaved to a control aircraft. Interestingly, the announcement comes just days after Russia announced that it was abandoning further work on the Suhkoi Su-57 and on the day of the Trump-Putin summit held in Helsinki, Finland. 

For more information on the announcement, visit UKDJ.