United Kingdom Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson announced development of a new combat aircraft called Tempest last month at the Farnborough International Airshow in Farnborough, England. The Tempest jet fighter will feature all the most interesting technologies currently being developed and fielded, like artificial intelligence, machine learning, drone “swarming,” and directed-energy weapons. The Tempest concept model bears some resemblance to current stealth fighters, especially the American F-22 and F-35. It features a cranked kite design, and canted vertical stabilizers indicate a preference for fighter-like agility. Team Tempest seems to prefer agility against low-observability. Noteworthy on the Tempest is a cockpit to accommodate a pilot: the 6th generation aircraft will be “optionally manned.” Although next-generation aircraft will be able to fly as drones, there is still a future for combat pilots.
