India invited to join in development of UK’s 6th Gen Fighter “Tempest” program yet again
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Britain, Italy, and Japan have teamed up to develop a sixth-generation fighter jet, and their efforts to entice India to join the programme have taken an intriguing turn. As part of the agreement, these countries would provide India with access to a new jet engine that will power India's fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme. India's inclusion in the programme is aggressively pursued, and negotiations are underway to secure India's participation.
Last July, the United Kingdom announced plans for the Tempest project's first demonstrator aircraft to fly within the next five years. This aggressive timetable seeks to eventually replace the existing Typhoon fighter, which is also produced by BAE Systems.
Rolls-Royce, the renowned jet engine company behind the Tempest fighter jet's engines, has also offered to co-develop a new engine exclusively for India's AMCA programme. Instead of employing the existing EJ-200 engine, this agreement will offer India intellectual property rights and ensure a tailor-made engine. A UK delegation comprised of senior officials from the Ministry of Defence and top executives from BAE Systems visited New Delhi in 2019 to issue an invitation to the Indian Air Force (IAF) to join in the co-development of the Tempest, a sixth-generation aircraft.
The UK government now appears to be very driven to obtain India's participation in the Tempest programme. According to sources, India may contribute to the development of the software for the Tempest fighter jet.
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29 May 2024
