UK, May 10. Throughout April, Rolls-Royce – alongside Team Tempest partners BAE Systems, Leonardo UK and MBDA UK– hosted two special events to showcase the importance of the UK’s sovereign combat air capabilities.
By kind permission of Mr Speaker, The Rt Hon Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP, Team Tempest invited parliamentarians and industry colleagues to a reception at Speaker’s House to demonstrate how the sixth-generation fighter jet will secure our skies and deliver skills, jobs and economic value across the UK for decades to come.
Guests heard from The Rt. Hon Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Defence, who talked about how the GCAP programme matters and the positive economic impact Team Tempest continues to have across the country. He also talked to the history of the UK’s air sovereignty, reinforcing the importance of sovereign combat air capability to the UK’s national defences.
Attendees also heard from The Rt. Hon Maria Eagle, Shadow Minister for Defence Procurement, who talked about the value of the UK combat air industry and highlighted how Tempest is inspiring a new generation of engineers, scientists and programmers. The Rt. Hon Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons, and Herman Claesen, BAE Systems Managing Director – Future Combat Air Systems, both spoke about the progress made so far and how important it is that this activity continues.
The following week, Team Tempest hosted the UK Sovereign Combat Air Showcase at RUSI. Rolls-Royce engaged with stakeholders including senior leaders from the Royal Air Force and military more widely, national media and key stakeholders across Government to highlight the value of continued investment in national combat air capabilities, and the capability and economic value that comes from long-term support to the sovereign combat air industrial base.
With the UK’s sovereign combat air sector being integral to the UK’s defence and security capabilities, the event was an opportunity to share insights with key stakeholders into the collective and innovative work Team Tempest is doing to sustain the country’s air superiority and maintain strategic advantage in future combat environments.
Both events focused on how the Tempest programme is creating and sustaining critical sovereign skills, already employing more than 3,500 people and working with 600 other organisations including many SMEs and leading UK universities to drive growth and investment across the country.
Mark Tivey, Bristol Future Programmes Business Development Director – Defence Future Programmes, commented: “Both events provided Rolls-Royce and other Team Tempest partners with an invaluable opportunity to talk to influential stakeholders to reinforce how the programme continues to demonstrate its value as an advanced military capability. Undeniably, Tempest is having a positive impact across the UK, launching careers in advanced science, engineering and programming.
We received great support at both events from our Tempest Early Career Network and Union colleagues. Their energy and commitment played a significant part in the overwhelmingly positive feedback we received about how the programme has developed and the opportunity it has created in the UK for the future.”
