@Swerve- Yes that was the bit about “funding priorities”. The German political system at the moment can’t support its Typhoon fleet and Airbus must be desperate to get something underway that allows them concrete funds for the future, whether that’s Typhoon development or a future fighter.

As to vertical stabilisers, BAE knows how to get rid of them and has gone so far as to fly demonstrators that point the way for LO flight control systems (which we all know about). If the majority of designs being considered are have some form of vertical tail surface, it must be down to cost versus benefit for a supersonic fighter design.

Or they don’t want to scare the MoD at this stage with an uber-stealthy ,laser mothership design that is meant to be “affordable”.

Yes, the runes certainly read as if SAAB has a good feeling for this project.

I think we need to put Brexit to one side (which appears to be harder for European contributors on this thread). Japan will not be a prime contractor on their next future fighter because they have all but admitted they can’t do one themselves and need help to develop it either from a US company or the British.

Turkey will see significant cross over from some of the systems the UK is thinking of (although the requirements and scope are not as advanced as the UK plan- if only because they want the aircraft sooner).

SAAB have already said they are potentially interested as long as they can see their Gripen E work used (in the same way as Eurofighter want to keep Typhoon relevant to their customers with future technology being developed for Typhoon in preparation for the Tempest programme).

As djcross pointed out, the Typhoon customers in the middle east will likely want to support the future Typhoon/Tempest technology effort in decades to come and they themselves must be viewed as potential customers.

Is that actually the case though? Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have any problem with Italian involvement, but is it as simple as saying that Leonardo involvement on the project equals Italian involvement?

Is the F22 a US British programme because BAE make systems for it?

I’m not sure that is entirely accurate. This programme is aiming at a Typhoon replacement for the 2040s and beyond. It has been stated that it won’t impact F35 numbers- they are still talking about 138 of those. That doesn’t suggest much in the way of crossover between F35 and Tempest roles.

This whole thing about Northrop being bothered about Japan doesn’t follow djcross’s logic. Northrop didn’t want the US trainer, so why have they suddenly got resources to offer an aircraft that failed in the early 90s to a country that will buy 10s of them? The Team Tempest design is not the final design because it is representative of thinking rather than an aircraft that will be produced.

The BAE approach to this aircraft appears to be similar to its Frigate design- modular replacement of systems and structure to suit the operators role. Where one country might want pure A2A, another might want to mix things up by adding pods/bays, sensors or different weapons on the same basic infrastructure.

If BAE had produced one of their more Sci-Fi designs at the launch, you cant help but feel most people would have rejected it as fanciful and unaffordable.

The great point is that the clock is now ticking and the £2bn being spent.

Some facts from FlightGlobal:

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/farnborough-tempest-concept-underscores-uk-fighter-450327/

Japan is definitely on the list of potential partners, plus details on timelines and funding with business case to be complete in a year.