Sweden joins the Tempest fighter program

Sweden will be the first country to join the British program on the development of a new generation fighter called Tempest.

It is a big step forward for the Tempest program, since Sweden is a wealthy nation (rich state) with a long tradition in building fighter jets. Saab of Sweden, manufactures the JAS 39 Gripen multirole fighter.

Tempest is a British project for development of a sixth generation aircraft. The main contractor will be the the British corporation BAE Systems which teamed with other well-known companies for the project. Rolls-Royce will develop the engines, Leonardo S.p.A. will provide much of the avionics and the European conglomerate MBDA will deliver the weaponry.

With Sweden joining the program, Saab will most likely make an important contribution to the project and certainly the future Tempest jets intended for the Swedish Air Force will be assembled in the Scandinavian country.

It is estimated that Tempest will enter the British Royal Air Force service around 2035, replacing the Eurofighter Typhoon air superiority fighter.

Being conceived as a sixth generation aircraft, BAE Systems Tempest will be equipped with Laser Directed Energy Weapons and will be able to deploy and control swarms of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

Along with the Brexit, the island-nation decided to break away from the European partners and follow its own path in the development of the future combat aircraft.

Meanwhile, the two biggest continental powers, France and Germany, joined forces to develop their own next-generation fighter, designated the Future Combat Air System (FCAS).

The project is led by the French corporation Dassault, the manufacturer of the Rafale fighter aircraft.