Future Combat Air System (UK)

This article is about various British projects. For the French/German/Spanish project, see Future Combat Air System.

The Future Offensive Air System was a study to replace the Royal Air Force's strike capability, at the time provided by the Tornado GR4. Initial operational capability was expected around 2017. The FOAS was cancelled in June 2005 and was replaced by the Deep and Persistent Offensive Capability (DPOC) requirement, which was itself cancelled in the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review.

Various abortive projects and collaborations followed. Since 2018 the UK has been pursuing its Combat Air Strategy, a key part of which is the Future Combat Air System.[1] As of 2021, the main output of this has been the BAE Systems Tempest aircraft concept and related technologies which will replace the Typhoon.[2][3]

France, Germany and Spain are collaborating on a replacement aircraft for their Rafale and Typhoon aircraft, also titled Future Combat Air System.

History

In 1995, a Future Offensive Aircraft (FOA) was revealed, then a collaboration with Dassault, which would replace the Royal Air Force's (RAF) Panavia Tornado in the strike role.[4][5] FOA became the Future Offensive Air System in December 1996, with an intended in-service date of 2015.[6] The requirement was confirmed by the Strategic Defence Review which was published in July 1998.[7] The concept was for a system of systems, rather than a single aircraft type.[7][8] In 2004, Flight International suggested the options included "manned and unmanned combat aircraft, long-range cruise missiles, large non-penetrating aircraft and air-launched unmanned air vehicles".[9]

In 2005, the FOAS project was cancelled and replaced by the Deep and Persistent Offensive Capability (DPOC).[10] The 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review announced the government's intention to switch its planned carrier aircraft from the short take-off and vertical landing F-35B Lightning to the F-35C carrier variant.[11] The DPOC had been cancelled in July 2010, with the more capable F-35C deemed suitable to cover the resulting "capability gap".[12] In May 2012 this decision was reversed due to the costs of modifying the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers for the F-35C.[13]

Future Combat Air System

Earlier in 2012 the Ministry of Defence (MoD) launched a new 4 year study, the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), for future "unmanned combat air systems". BAE Systems, one of the companies involved said this would "inform the MoD's unmanned air system strategy over the coming decades to ensure that the best use is made of these new technologies".[14]

In November 2014 FCAS transitioned to an Anglo-French feasibility study of unmanned aircraft. The British and French governments awarded 6 development contracts for FCAS; BAE and Dassault would develop the airframe, Rolls-Royce and Safran the engine, and Selex ES and Thales the electronics and communications. The collaboration benefitted from prior development of the BAE Systems Taranis and Dassault nEUROn demonstrators. In March 2016 the UK and France announced their intention to invest £1.54 billion to advance the project to its next stage.[15]

In October 2024, The UK government has allocated £1.3 billion for the development of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) this year, with the funding entirely from public resources and primarily directed towards the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP). The original budget of £1.46 billion was reduced following updated industry assessments.[16]

Divergent UK and French/German/Spanish projects

Main articles: BAE Systems Tempest and Future Combat Air System

In April 2018, Dassault Aviation and Airbus announced an agreement to cooperate on the development of a stealth fighter jet as a replacement for French Rafale, German Eurofighter and Spanish F-18 Hornet, also called Future Combat Air System (FCAS) or SCAF. A test flight of a demonstrator is expected around 2025 and entry into service around 2040.[17]

In July 2018 the MoD published its Combat Air Strategy. The key elements of this are:[18][19]

  • Continued development of the Typhoon.
  • Implement the Future Combat Air System Technology Initiative, established by the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review.
  • Study of Typhoon replacement programmes.
  • "Build on or establish new [international] partnerships to deliver future requirements."
  • Focus on affordability.

The document describes combat air as "An aircraft, manned or unmanned, whose prime function is to conduct air-to-air and/or air-to-surface combat operations in a hostile and/or contested environment, whilst having the ability to concurrently conduct surveillance, reconnaissance, electronic warfare and command and control tasks."[19]

Also in July 2018, BAE unveiled the Tempest as the planned sixth-generation fighter for the RAF.[20]

Defence in a Competitive Age

The 2021 Defence command paper Defence in a Competitive Age announced a £2 billion investment in FCAS and the following aspiration:

"FCAS will deliver an innovative mix of crewed, uncrewed and autonomous platforms including swarming drones. This will deliver an advanced combat air system capable of fighting in the most hostile environments. The development of novel technologies, and a step change in how we use simulators for mission rehearsal and training, will enable the Royal Air Force to be among the most technologically innovative, productive and lethal air forces in the world."[21]

References

  1. ^ "£30-million injection for UK's first uncrewed fighter aircraft". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2021-03-17.
  2. ^ Taylor, Trevor (November 2000). "Gambling Responsibly and the UK Tempest Programme: Experiences, Risks and Opportunities" (PDF). rusi.org. Royal United Services Institute. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-11-30. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
  3. ^ "Combat Air Strategy: An ambitious vision for the future" (PDF). Ministry of Defence. 16 July 2018. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
  4. ^ Gray, Bernard (April 20, 1995, Thursday). US deal signed to develop military jets: Project could threaten British involvement in future European aircraft programmes. Financial Times (London, England)
  5. ^ Bruce, Ian Bruce (February 22, 1995). Britain in £100m top secret stealth plane research. The Herald (Glasgow)
  6. ^ February, 1997. No Man's Land: UAV's Take Off. Defense & Foreign Affairs' Strategic Policy
  7. ^ a b "Strategic Defence Review" (PDF). Ministry of Defence. July 1998. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-10-18. Retrieved 2021-03-17.
  8. ^ (August 2003). RAF flying into the future. Journal of Electronic Defense.
  9. ^ Hoyle, Craig (6 April 2004). "UK to kick-off FOAS programme". Flight Global. Retrieved 2021-03-17.
  10. ^ Cenciotti, David. (September 10, 2019). Italy Joins Tempest Becoming Third Nation To Partner On The Program To Develop A 6th Generation Fighter. The Aviationist.
  11. ^ "Securing Britain in an Age of Uncertainty: The Strategic Defence and Security Review" (PDF). HM Government. 19 October 2010. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
  12. ^ "Ministry of Defence: Carrier Strike" (PDF). www.nao.org.uk. National Audit Office. 7 July 2011.
  13. ^ "British U-turn on US jets damages credibility of UK defence chiefs". the Guardian. 2012-05-10. Retrieved 2021-03-17.
  14. ^ Hoyle, Craig (17 January 2012). "UK funds new UCAS research effort". Flight International. Retrieved 2021-03-17.
  15. ^ "Analysis: Europe presses on with UAV autonomy quest". Flight International. 7 June 2017.
  16. ^ West, Lisa (2024-10-16). "UK Government clarifies funding for new fighter jet". UK Defence Journal Org. Retrieved 2024-10-17.
  17. ^ Roblin, Sebastien (2018-05-04). "Will Germany and France Develop Europe's First Stealth Fighter?". The National Interest. Retrieved 2018-07-18.
  18. ^ Taylor, Trevor (November 2000). "Gambling Responsibly and the UK Tempest Programme: Experiences, Risks and Opportunities" (PDF). rusi.org. Royal United Services Institute. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-11-30. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
  19. ^ a b "Combat Air Strategy: An ambitious vision for the future" (PDF). Ministry of Defence. 16 July 2018. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
  20. ^ "UK unveils new Tempest fighter jet model". BBC News. 2018-07-16. Retrieved 2018-07-18.
  21. ^ Defence in a Competitive Age (PDF). Ministry of Defence. March 2021. ISBN 978-1-5286-2462-6. Retrieved 22 March 2021.