A new fighter jet using artificial intelligence is being developed by Japan, Italy and the UK. The model features much more modern technologies than current generation British fighters. The collaboration was announced last week by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. He said the partnership “would protect the country from the new threats we face”.
The countries will jointly develop the Tempest, a next-generation fighter that is expected to enter service in the mid-2030s and is expected to replace the Typhoon fighter currently in use in the UK.
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Development work is already underway. The goal is to create a combat aircraft that provides speed, is discreet, uses advanced sensors and even artificial intelligence to assist the human pilot when he is overloaded or under extreme stress. The fighter will also be able to fly on autopilot and, if necessary, fire hypersonic missiles.
Developing such a complex aircraft is extremely expensive – building the F35 jet was the most expensive project ever undertaken by the Pentagon in the US – so the UK is looking for partners.
Italy was already involved in the project. The addition of Japan is a breakthrough at a time when Britain is tightening ties with its allies in the Indo-Pacific region, concerned about China’s aggressiveness.
Other countries can also participate in the program. France, Germany and Spain are already working together on their own projects, as is the US.
Companies such as the British BAE Systems, the Japanese Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and the Italian Leonardo will participate in the development of the Tempest. Mitsubishi’s FX fighter project has a lot in common with the Tempest.
A fighter that ‘reads the pilot’s mind’
One of the most anticipated features of the new fighter is an artificial intelligence (AI) tool that can “read your mind” to assist the pilot.
Sensors in the pilot’s helmet will monitor brain signals and other medical data. Thus, on successive flights, the AI will accumulate a huge database of biometric and psychometric information.
This unique library of piloting features means that if the sensors indicate it needs help, the onboard artificial intelligence can step in and help. For example, artificial intelligence can kick in if the pilot loses consciousness due to high gravitational forces.
BAE Systems has said that a demonstration jet will be ready at its UK factory by 2027 and that some of these technologies could be tested.
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The image of the Tempest plane has changed since the first photos were released in 2018. Among other things, its weight has been reduced and its contours have become thinner.
When finally available, Tempest will likely travel with drones described as ‘assistants’.
Such advances will require that entirely new monitoring and control systems be built from the ground up.
“We have to deal with the pace of technological change,” says John Stocker, director of business development for the consortium responsible for Tempest.
“In the past, defense spending often drove progress, and later commercial technology caught on. Now commercial technology is generally more advanced.”
Stocker envisions building the new fighter with systems that can be updated as easily as downloading an app onto a smartphone.
Meanwhile, most jet production will be automated. Robots on the production line will share data with suppliers so parts can be shipped quickly.
The collaboration between BAE Systems, Leonardo and Mitsubish is a first for European aerospace companies and, again, only possible thanks to technology. Greater cooperation with Japan has become possible thanks to the digital execution of projects.
“You can do it digitally a lot faster, collaboration is a lot easier. We don’t move briefcases between Tokyo and Warton (UK),” jokes Stocker.
A team of English and Japanese-speaking translators and staff maintain contact with Mitsubishi’s FX fighter team.
Opposition Labor Party Defense Minister John Healey said his party supported the partnership but issued a warning.
“Ministers should clarify how this fits into wider plans for the future of the RAF, including how to avoid delays in training jet pilots,” he said.
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