UK to Build 'Next Generation' Fighter Jets

Facts

• Following the signature of an international cooperative accord in Tokyo on Thursday, the UK will build a 'next generation' of stealth fighter military aircraft. The UK will be manufacturing the planes for Japan, Italy, and the British military.¹
• Twelve months ago, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a collaborative international effort to build fighter planes with advanced technology and supersonic capability. The Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) will have its headquarters for the partnership in the UK, with the new 'Tempest' model intended to replace the Royal Airforce Typhoon by 2035.²
• The three governments have formed the GCAP International Government Organization, which will define the capabilities needed for the aircraft and supervise the project, led by Italy's Leonardo, Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and Britain's BAE Systems.³
• The UK has committed a total of £2B ($2.5B) to the deal which, according to the UK's Defense Secretary, Grant Shapps, is 'crucial to global security' and will produce an 'outstanding aircraft' that all three countries will employ to replace their existing fleets.¹
• According to the UK Ministry of Defense, the completed Tempest will have a radar with the potential to deliver 10K times more data than existing systems. In the digital cockpit of the airplane, pilots will have access to virtual reality in order to access critical information.⁴
• The Typhoon is expected to be a sixth-generation supersonic aircraft with cutting-edge sensors. The new aircraft, according to Shapps, 'will set the standard for fighter jets of the future.'⁵

Sources: ¹Daily Mail, ²Sky news, ³The japan times, ⁴Evening standard and ⁵The telegraph.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by CNN. Upon announcing the joint venture in December of last year, the leaders of Italy, Japan, and the UK said that the sixth-generation fighter jet is built to match or surpass the finest airplanes now in use by nations like China, Russia, and possibly even that of the US. A new fighter is needed to preserve regional stability and defend democracy and the rules-based global order.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Esquire. 'Advanced aircraft' are notorious for being black holes within the military-industrial complex when it comes to wasting taxpayer money. Take the enigmatic US F-35 boondoggle that racked up costs 80% over budget while being 10 years behind schedule. The biggest winners of these projects tend to be defense contractors — not democracies worldwide and certainly not citizens footing the bill.

Predictions