Future Horizons: The Tempest Podcast

In a special edition of the Future Horizons podcast, we join forces with InsideAir, the official podcast of the Royal Air Force, to investigate just how FCAS will address the Royal Air Force’s capability gap and what the aviators and engineers of the future can expect from this 6th generation capability.

Dave Morris, Leonardo, Head of Campaigns for Future Combat Air, GCAP and Mark Tivey, Rolls Royce, Business Development Director, Future Programmes, Combat Air join Group Captain Bill who leads the Requirement and Concepting team for the UK MOD to explore how the capability being developed by Team Tempest will be used by the Royal Air Force to meet this century’s evolving operational requirements.

Our thanks to Squadron Leader Peter Lisney and everyone at Inside Air for inviting us to talk about FCAS, GCAP and the work of Team Tempest. The InsideAIR podcast is a behind the wire view of the RAF, its people, technology and operations. You can listen to all episodes on Apple Podcast, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Future Horizons is back with an all new cast and brand new artwork!

Just ahead of the Farnborough Air Show last year, the new UK Government launched its Strategic Defence Review shortly followed by its Defence Industrial Strategy, which aims to align national security with economy growth.

In this series, we focus on these strategies and the role that Team Tempest will play in their delivery, as part of the Global Combat Air Programme.

To help us to explore these themes, Business Development leads from our Team Tempest industrial partners will join us throughout this series, along with guests from the military and industrial sectors.

In episode 1, we ask why the UK's approach to Future Combat Air System is of vital importance to our national security and how it is being designed to meets the challenges of the 21st century battlespace.

Joining Zevi Watmough for this episode are: 

• Douglas Barry, Senior Fellow from Military Aerospace, International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) and co-author of the IISS paper: Tempest - Build, Bye or Goodbye
• John Stocker, BAE Systems, Business Development Director, FCAS
• Dave Morris, Leonardo, Head of Campaigns for Future Combat Air, GCAP
• John McCullough, MBDA, Sales and Business Development Executive, FCAS
• Mark Tivey, Rolls Royce, Business Development Director, Future Programmes, Combat Air

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Six years on from the launch of Team Tempest at Farnborough International Air Show in 2018, this year’s air show played host to the Global Combat Air Programme – the transformational partnership between the UK, Italy and Japan to design, develop and deliver a next generation combat aircraft.

Exhibiting at the show together for the first time, the three nations of the trilateral endeavour unveiled a new concept model reflecting the significant progress in the design of this future fighter jet.

Future Horizons was on hand to speak with the Business Development Leads from the Team Tempest partners – the UK industry partners on GCAP -  to discuss the reactions of visitors, the progress in the delivery of the aircraft, and the role of events like Farnborough in highlighting the benefits of the programme and inspiring future generations of aviators and engineers. 

Joining the podcast for this episode were:

• BAE Systems Business Development Director – Future Combat Air Systems
• Leonardo Future Combat Air – GCAP
• MBDA Sales and Business Development Executive – FCAS
• Rolls Royce Business Development Director – Future Programmes, Combat Air

We were also delighted to welcome to the episode, the FCAS Chief Engineer for the Royal Air Force ahead of starting their new post as Commandant of the Defence School of Aeronautical Engineering at RAF Cosford. 

Enjoy!

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In a recent report by Engineering UK, the charity recorded a “small but significant” decline in the number of women working in engineering and technology roles, particularly in the 35-44 age range.

Published just a few weeks ahead of INWED 2024, this report highlights the challenge of increasing the number of women choosing engineering careers. Strategic national programmes such as Team Tempest have identified diversity in engineering as a major factor in ensuring the delivery of innovative capability.

Joining host Zevi Watmough to discuss their experiences as engineers and their roles developing the UK’s next-generation of combat air system are:

• Sarah a Degree Apprentice Engineer at BAE Systems,
• Kristy a Senior Engineer at Leonardo,
• Caroline an Engineer with the UK MOD,
• Kat a Senior Engineering Manager, at MBDA and,
• Kate a Degree apprentice from Rolls Royce.

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An essential pillar of the Team Tempest programme is capturing the imagination of the next generation of engineers and aviators, The Tempest Early Careers Network (TECN) wants to inspire those at the start of their careers as well as people who are embarking on their secondary education. They'll become the leaders of the programme in the future as the systems come into service in 2035.

In this episode we speak to TECN members working on Tempest who discuss their roles, what motivated them to work on the programme, how TECN is helping to strengthen the transformative collaboration that is delivering team Tempest and their hopes for the future of the network.

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Delivering a sixth-generation fighter jet by 2035 is an ambitious goal which will require Team Tempest to utilise the full power of digitisation.

In this episode we explore the role that digitisation will play in developing a new fighter jet in half the time compared to previous generations of aircraft. We’ll assess cultural assumptions about the risks of new digital capabilities and discuss how these could unlock huge gains in performance.

Discussing this fascinating subject with host Zevi Watmough are: 

• Future Combat Air System Chief Technologist for Mission Systems & Information,
  UK Ministry of Defence, David
• UK Director Digital and IT, Leonardo, Gareth 
• Enterprise Enablement Director for Future Combat Air Systems, BAE Systems, Kate

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In February 2024, Team Tempest published the Future Combat Air System Sustainability Strategy, which outlined the changes needed to drive a more sustainable and resilient future for the programme.

The strategy represents the start of a journey to position FCAS as a successful example of the UK defence industry’s ability to produce a highly sustainable capability.

Joining host Zevi Watmough to discuss the Strategy and its importance to the programme and the wider defence sector are:

• Rolls-Royce Sustainability Lead, Alice
• RAF Sustainable Aviation Strategy Lead, Andrew
• Rolls-Royce Sustainability Executive for Future Programmes, Andy
• Ministry of Defence Head of Capability and Climate Security, Jamie 

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In this latest episode of Future Horizons, we look at how Team Tempest is working with a dynamic supply chain to deliver a flying combat air demonstrator that will test crucial technologies needed for Tempest, before the next generation fighter jet takes to the skies in 2035.

To help us learn more about how the demonstrator is creating opportunities and benefits for the UK, we are joined by:

• Head of Tempest & Combat Vehicles, BAE Systems, Paul
• Head of Procurement for Future Combat Air Systems, BAE Systems, Jonathan
• Head of Marketing at Oxley Group, Jayne

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An essential pillar of the team Tempest programme is capturing the imagination of the next generation of engineers and aviators. The Tempest Early careers network (TECN) wants to inspire those at the start of their careers, as well as people who are embarking on their secondary education. They'll become the leaders of the programme in the future as the systems come into service in 2035.

In this episode we speak to mentors and mentees working on Tempest who discuss how the network's cross-partner mentoring scheme is helping strengthen the transformative collaboration that is delivering team Tempest.

Joining host Zevi Watmough on this episode is David, a TECN and cross partner mentoring scheme coordinator; TECN member, Parampal and his mentor Tony, transformation programme manager at Rolls Royce; and Blossom, who is a talent development advisor at Team Tempest partner MBDA.

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The Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) is a partnership and ambitious endeavour between the UK, Japan and Italy to work together to deliver the next generation of combat air fighter jets.

The programme builds on the substantial progress already made in the UK by Team Tempest to research, evaluate and develop a host of next generation future combat air systems capabilities.

In this latest issue of Future Horizons, we spoke with Senior Responsible Owners from across the UK Team Tempest partners during DSEI 2023 to hear their thoughts on what GCAP means to Team Tempest and the UK.

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In this special edition of the Future Horizons - Tempest podcast, we have teamed up with the Royal Aeronautical Society for an update on the Future Combat Air Systems (FCAS) programme.

The Royal Aeronautical Society is the world's only professional membership association dedicated to the aerospace and aviation industry. In October 2022, the Society hosted a high-level discussion on the unique role Tempest will play in the delivery of the next generation of global Combat Air capability.

In this podcast, we hear from Richard Berthon, UK MOD Director of Future Combat Air, Herman Claesen, FCAS Managing Director, BAE Systems and Air Cdre Jonny Moreton, UK MOD  FCAS Portfolio Director, as they reflect on the key points discussed at the roundtable discussion hosted by Aerospace Editor-in-Chief, Tim Robinson.

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Earlier this summer, Tempest returned to the Farnborough International Air Show - the spiritual birthplace of the programme following its unveiling in 2018.

The Tempest presence at this year's air show offered those visiting a chance to learn more about:

• the work being undertaken by each of the programme's international partners,
• the portfolio of technology being developed by the Tempest partners
• engagement with an extensive UK supply chain
• and the programme's positive impact on the UK's levelling up and skills agendas

The air show was therefore a fitting background for the Future Horizons podcast to provide an update on the Tempest story and hear how the programme is preparing for the future.

Future Horizons podcast host, Zevi Watmough introduces UK MOD Programme Director FCAS Programme Air Commodore Jonny Moreton, and UK MOD Director FCAS, Richard Berthon and hears from representatives of the Tempest Early Careers Network (known as TECN).

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In this summer 2022 air show special, Future Horizons podcast host, Zevi Watmough speaks with UK MOD Director Future Combat Air, Richard Berthon.

In this one-off special, Richard looks back on achievements of Team Tempest since the programme was announced four years ago at Farnborough International Air Show in 2018.

Richard goes on to discuss the importance of ensuring that the UK and its international partners remain at the forefront of combat air capability and how together they are working at pace to deliver a technologically advanced system.

He goes on to discuss the excitement he feels about the opportunities that the tempest programme offers the next generation (Generation Tempest) of engineers and technologists, across the UK and how a diversity of talent will be so important to the future success of the programme.

Finally, without providing any spoilers, Richard outlines the type of news that visitors to Farnborough International Air Show can look forward to. 

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In this final episode of series 1 of Future Horizons: The Tempest Podcast, we learn about Tempest’s exciting steps on to the international stage for the next phase of the programme’s development and discuss why diversity will be so important to the future transformation of the programme.

Part 1 - What's next for Tempest?

The Ministry of Defence has signed a £250 million contract with British industry Team Tempest partners for the next phase of development for this major national and international endeavour.

In the first segment of the final episode of the podcast, we discuss the ongoing commitment for the programme in the UK, as well as the collaboration between the programme’s international partners.

Host Zevi Watmough speaks to Mark Hamilton, Managing Director Electronics UK, Leonardo, Air Commodore Jonny Moreton, UK Programme Director, Future Combat Air System, UK MoD and Trevor Taylor, Professorial Research Fellow in Defence Management, at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). 

Part 2 - Transforming working cultures  (starting at 22:46) 

Transformation underpins the Tempest programme – challenging ways of working, approaches to collaboration and driving innovation across the aerospace industry.

People with very different thought processes, perspectives and backgrounds need to come together to innovate. Today’s Generation Tempest will become tomorrow’s workforce and they will have an expectation that they will work in an environment that welcomes difference, diversity and creativity.

How can they feel empowered to embark on those sensitive yet vital conversations that will break down barriers and lead to the type of close collaboration that will be so central to Britain’s future prosperity?

Host Zevi Watmough explores the answers to those questions with Chi Felly-Njoku, Graduate Electrical Engineer at Arup and University Events Lead at AFBE-UK, and Dr Mark McBride-Wright, Founder & Managing Director, Equal Engineers.

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The fifth episode of Future Horizons explores women’s contribution to defence and the important role women are playing on the Tempest programme, as well as the ways in which the engineers working on Tempest are exploring new avenues of green tech innovation.

Women in the War with Lucy Fisher

Last month we celebrated women working across the Tempest programme, as part of International Women in Engineering Day. The contribution of women in defence and the transformation of women’s roles during World War II are explored in a new book ’Women in the War’.  

We speak to award-winning journalist Lucy Fisher, deputy political editor of The Daily Telegraph and previously defence editor of The Times, who has written a vivid exploration of how the Second World War changed the lives of a group of ten remarkable women, captured in her new book ‘Women in the War’. In their own words, the surviving women of the Second World War spoke directly to Lucy about how they managed to innovate and use their intellectual and emotional resources to turn around what must have felt like insurmountable situations. Lucy also shares her thoughts on the role women are playing in today’s Tempest programme.

Tempest – the home of green tech (starts at 14:00)

The Tempest programme has the potential to blaze a trail in sustainable aerospace innovation, due to the tight-knit collaboration of its partners BAE Systems, Rolls Royce, Leonardo and MBDA. We speak to Matt Wong Integrated Project Team Lead for Power and Thermal Management Systems at Rolls Royce, Hannah Falberg, Transformation Programme Manager at Rolls Royce and Steve Hopkins, Head of Operational Capability, BAE Systems, who share their experiences 

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Listen to episode four of Future Horizons, where in part one, we explore the findings of a new report which analyses Tempest’s projected impact on the UK aerospace industry and the wider UK economy. In part two, listeners are given VIP access to an exclusive tour of the Tempest cockpit, to get a pilot’s view of the future of flight.

Part 1 - PWC Report – Powering future economies

After an independent evaluation, analysts at PriceWaterhouseCoopers have issued a report on their estimation of the Tempest programme's value to the UK aerospace industry and the potential investment in highly skilled jobs across all regions of the country. Innovation on the Tempest programme is laying the foundations of aerospace technology for those who will follow far into the future.

It is realistic to state that the work being carried out right now, will have an impact on aerospace innovation for the next 100 years. So what are the most striking features of the report and what can we learn from its findings?

Here to share their views are Jonathan Hawkings, Director of Policy, ADS, Andrew Kinniburgh, Director General, Make UK Defence and Neil Ross, Head of Policy, techUK.

Part 2 - The Pilot’s view – Powering future flight (starting at 30:53)

The podcast begins with Suzy Broadbent, Human Factors Manager, BAE Systems giving listeners a VIP tour of the Tempest cockpit to give them the pilot’s view of the technology.

Suzy then joins a wider discussion with Emma Ulmann, Principal Engineer, MBDA and Jonathan Smith, Head of Capability, Major Air Programmes, Leonardo, to help us understand how this remarkable technology is going to help the pilot think and act in ways that have never been possible before.

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In this third episode of the six-part series, we look beyond the core Tempest partners to shine a spotlight on how the project is becoming a true national endeavor. We meet some of the many high-tech companies and academic minds supporting Team Tempest and discuss how their innovation and ideas are helping transform the way we are developing technology to realise the benefits of Tempest both for and far beyond the military air sector.

Part 1 - Breaking the technology barrier

So, what are these projects and why are they breaking into brand new territory for UK industry?

We meet some of the key players from within the supply chain and academia who are supporting Team Tempest today and ask them to describe how they are forging new paths of technology to propel the programme further into the future.

Host Zevi Watmough is joined by  Dr Darrell Jaya-Ratnam, Managing Director of DIEManalytics, Professor Simon Maskell, Professor of Autonomous Systems in Electrical Engineering and Electronics at Liverpool University and Craig Turnbull, Director of Electroimpact.

Part 2 - Tempest radar: a new age of system integration (starting at 34:30)

In part 2 of the podcast, we take you into the fascinating world of Tempest radar technology which is so advanced, it can process a city’s worth of data in a second.

We’re joined by Chief Engineer, Alex at Leonardo and Principal Design Engineer, Sam at MBDA. Alex and Sam have been collaborating on some of the most cutting edge radar innovation and system integration in the world, so they’re going to break down the technology for us, to explain how they’re building innovation from the inside out.

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In this second episode of the six-part series, we discuss the implications of the UK Government's Integrated Review for Tempest and the aerospace industry, and speak with industry experts on the concept of ‘Information Advantage’, where having better information provides an edge in combat.

Part 1 – The impact of the UK Government’s Integrated Review and the UK MOD’s Defence Command Paper
With the title ‘Global Britain in a Competitive Age’, the Integrated Review has been described as the most radical assessment of the UK’s place in the world since the end of the Cold War and reveals a seismic shift in emphasis towards science and technology.

We discuss the implications of these publications for Tempest and the wider aerospace industry.

Host Zevi Watmough is joined by Richard Berthon OBE, Director Future Combat Air at the Ministry of Defence; Tim Ripley, freelance journalist and a prolific author on military and defence subjects; and Phil Townley, Director Future Programmes, Rolls Royce Defence.

Part 2 – Claiming the Informational Advantage in an Information Age (starting at 33:50)
In an information age, where the development of the human-machine interface is gathering pace like never before, having a sound command of data and information is vital to a pilot’s decision-making process.

The digital race is on to acquire and process more and more information at lightning speed. With daily advances in digital technology, how do we take the right action to ensure the UK armed forces maintain an informational advantage? 

We speak to Steve Formoso, Chief Test Pilot at BAE Systems and Lukas Chamberlain, Tempest Project Chief Engineer at Leonardo.

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In our first episode of this exciting six-part series, we provide an insight into Team Tempest UK - comprising the Royal Air Force Rapid Capability Office, BAE Systems, Leonardo, Rolls Royce and MBDA - who together are develop the technologies, knowledge, skills and expertise needed to deliver a Next Generation Combat Air System capable of operating in the 2040+ environment. 

Part 1 – Tempest: A technological driver for future security and prosperity
We begin the series by taking a look back on what has been achieved so far on the Tempest programme, reviewing its journey to date including a year of unprecedented challenges, followed by a wider exploration of its future direction and its technological and economic value to the UK aerospace industry and the nation’s future prosperity. 

Host Zevi Watmough is joined by Michael Christie, Director, Future Combat Air Systems at BAE Systems, Andrew Howard, Director Major Air Programmes at Leonardo and Defence Journalist, Analyst and Historian, Francis Tusa.

Part 2 – Nurturing Generation Tempest (starting at 30:10) 
Tempest is a once in a generation opportunity to shape one of the UK’s most exciting engineering programmes.
We asked STEM Ambassadors drawn from Team Tempest to share their thoughts on how we can best nurture Generation Tempest, to awaken their potential as engineers. 

We speak to BAE Systems Engineering Degree Apprentice, Christian, Leonardo Systems Team Leader, Sophie, Rolls-Royce Design Engineer, Rafael, and MBDA, Principal Systems Engineer Aditi.

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