British aerospace firm BAE Systems is producing a supersonic demonstrator to support the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP).
The piloted aircraft prototype will be used to test a slew of new technologies, including stealth-compatible features. Set to be the first UK combat air demonstrator in 40 years, these tests will support the development of the Tempest next-generation fighter jet.
Initiated in 2022, GCAP has combined Japan’s F-X program with the UK and Italy’s Team Tempest project. It is working to produce a sixth-generation supersonic combat aircraft by 2035. BAE is leading the project alongside Italian defense contractor Leonardo, and Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
The British defense firm is leveraging additive manufacturing to produce primary structural components for the demonstrator, most of which are being made in the UK. According to Paul Wilde, head of Tempest at BAE Systems, “There are parts on the aircraft that you canʼt make in other ways now than using additive processes.”
3D printing was already understood to be playing a key role in developing and manufacturing the Tempest aircraft. BAE previously claimed that 30% of the Tempest’s parts will be 3D printed.
The company has also unveiled the latest design of the GCAP fighter aircraft, showcasing a life-sized Tempest replica at the Farnborough International Air Show this week. The model incorporates new design features, including a larger wingspan than previous concepts. This will reportedly improve the aircraft’s aerodynamics.
BAE 3D printing a sixth-generation fighter jet
BAE officials have reported that the demonstrator passed a critical design review (CDR) in May. Half the aircraft prototype’s weight has now been manufactured or assembled, with the front center, rear and wing sections being built.
Structural parts are being produced using additive manufacturing processes, including industrial 3D printing and Hot Isostatic Press (HIP).
HIP presses powdered titanium together under intense heat and pressure to produce metal parts. This minimizes waste and significantly reduces the lead times associated with forgings. According to BAE, project engineers have also leveraged design for additive manufacturing (DfAM) when producing structural parts.
The time savings enabled by additive manufacturing will likely play a key role in achieving the short development time of the Tempest. The aircraft is set to be delivered just 12 years after signing the trilateral agreement. This is roughly half the time it took to produce the previous-generation Eurofighter Typhoon.
According to a report from the Financial Times, BAE is 3D printing molds that will be used to manufacture carbon fiber components for the Tempest. These “mold tools” are traditionally made from steel, generally taking 26 weeks to produce with conventional manufacturing methods. Using additive manufacturing, BAE can fabricate a complete tool in just three weeks.
By creating the Tempest, GCAP is seeking to produce one of the most advanced, interoperable, adaptable and connected fighter jets in the world. It is set to incorporate an intelligent weapons system, a software-driven interactive cockpit, and integrated sensors. Next-generation radar will reportedly provide 10,000 times more data than current systems.
According to BAE, the Tempest will also become the first UK-made tactical combat aircraft to feature an “integrated payload bay” since the Blackburn Buccaneer in 1958. Additionally, the supersonic fighter jet is expected to be the first flying platform with a Pyramid avionic design architecture, increasing its adaptability.
BAE’s demonstrator will provide evidence for the critical technologies, methods and tools to be incorporated into the future combat air system.
In Warton, Lancashire, test pilots from BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, and the Royal Air Force (RAF) have already spent over 215 hours in the demonstrator’s flight simulator. While the Tempest demonstrator is a UK sovereign effort, the lessons learned will be fed back into the tri-national GCAP program.
Japan has already flown its future fighter demonstrator, the Mitsubishi X-2, which took to the air back in 2016. Under current plans, BAE’s demonstrator is expected to fly within the next three years.
3D printing-enabled fighter jets
By adopting additive manufacturing for fighter jet production, Western countries are seeking to gain an edge in an increasingly fraught geopolitical environment. However, Russia and China have also adopted 3D printing to boost their military aircraft production capabilities.
The Russian military has previously used 3D printing to upgrade MiG-31 jets. Carried out by UEC-Perm Motors and UEC-Star, an affiliate of the state-owned Rostec conglomerate, the upgrades significantly enhanced the interceptor aircraft’s engine performance.
Engineers at UEC-Perm Motors and UEC-Star reportedly 3D printed parts of the MiG’s D-30F6 engine, allowing it to perform at a ‘new qualitative level.’ Additional R&D reportedly enable the production of ‘native engines’ that deliver ‘much better performance.’ Prior to this, Rostec gained a license from the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade to serially 3D print aerospace parts. This followed a successful state-backed test of an additive-manufactured aircraft engine.
Elsewhere, it has been reported that China’s Shenyang Aircraft Company (SAC) has extensively used 3D printing in fighter jet production. Additive manufacturing technology is understood to have enabled lighter, more durable aircraft part assemblies.
In 2022, Doctor Li Xiaodan of Shenyang Aircraft Company’s craft research institute told China Central Television (CCTV) that “3D printed parts were widely used on a newly-developed aircraft that has made its maiden flight not long ago.” He added that “We are applying 3D printing technologies on aircraft on a large scale at an engineering level, and we are in a world-leading position.”
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Featured image shows the BAE Systems Tempest model at the Farnborough International Air Show. Photo via BAE Systems.
