Originally Posted by
Royalistflyer
So why is the government seemingly pushing the Tempest project - in public
The House of Commons Library produced a
comprehensive overview of the MOD’s
Combat Air Strategy which should explain things for you. Essentially the Tempest initiative is designed to provide a UK-led option at a major investment decision in 2025. It doesn’t say what the other options are likely to be, but I’d imagine that a junior partner role in either SCAF or NGAD would be investigated. I’ve no idea whether either is realistically available, but the investment in Tempest would maximise the competitiveness of UK industry in winning work share should a partnership be possible. Only in the event of an off-the-shelf purchase (more F-35?) would the Tempest investment have been wasted. Investment in UK industry ticks all the current government’s Brexit, regional and levelling-up boxes so I’m not surprised they’re giving it a reasonably high profile.