UK reveals design of supersonic demonstrator for next-generation fighter

BAE Systems has released the first image of the UK’s Combat Air Flying Demonstrator, marking a key milestone for the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), the joint effort by the UK, Italy and Japan to develop a sixth-generation fighter by 2035.

The aircraft depicted features a stealthy and angular design characterized by a blended fuselage and wing structure. The delta-wing planform merges seamlessly with the fuselage, resulting in a blended wing-body junction. The side-mounted air intakes are positioned beneath the wing roots in a recessed design, which is essential for protecting the engine compressor faces from radar detection. The combination of these design features, along with the smooth surface transitions and twin canted fins, underscores a strong focus on minimizing radar cross-section.

According to BAE Systems, two-thirds of the demonstrator’s structural weight is now in production, with major components such as the fuselage, wings, and tail under assembly at its Lancashire facilities. The first flight is expected within three years, making it the UK’s first crewed combat aircraft development in four decades.

The demonstrator will serve as a testbed for capabilities including stealth features, advanced avionics, and digital-first manufacturing techniques such as 3D printing, cobotics, and model-based systems engineering. These innovations aim to reduce development timelines and costs while maintaining sovereign industrial capability.

“The Combat Air Flying Demonstrator is providing invaluable lessons on future combat air delivery and equipping our people with the skills they will need to deliver GCAP,” said Richard Berthon, Director Future Combat Air at the UK Ministry of Defence.

Shaping the future GCAP fighter

Announced in December 2022, GCAP merges the UK’s Tempest program with Japan’s Mitsubishi F-X program, creating a multinational effort to field a “system of systems” centered on a next-generation fighter by 2035.

In December 2024, BAE Systems, Leonardo (Italy) and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co (JAIEC) formed a joint venture that will act as the design authority for GCAP. Each partner holds a one-third stake, and operations will span the UK, Japan and Italy, with headquarters in the UK.

Beyond the fighter, GCAP is expected to deliver advanced weapons, loyal wingman drones, and networked data-sharing architectures, capabilities designed to ensure air superiority in highly contested environments well into the second half of the century.

The demonstrator, however, is the first tangible step toward that vision. It will allow engineers and test pilots to validate concepts in flight, long before the full-scale production aircraft enters service.The post UK reveals design of supersonic demonstrator for next-generation fighter appeared first on AeroTime.

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