A British fighter jet will reach Moscow on a single refueling stop. It will soon enter service.

BAE Systems, a British company in Lancashire, has unveiled the design for a new manned, supersonic Tempest fighter jet. The Telegraph reported on Saturday that the aircraft is scheduled to enter service with the UK, Japan, and Italy under the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) from 2035.

A British newspaper reported that the Tempest, which is designed to be 19 meters long, could be a larger fighter than the F-35B (15.6 meters) and the Typhoon (15.96 meters). According to the newspaper, the new aircraft will have larger fuel tanks, resulting in longer range and larger weapons bays. It was revealed that it will be equipped with technology enabling interoperability with other aircraft, drones, satellites, and ground forces.

The Telegraph suggests that the Tempest "has been designed for long-distance missions deep in enemy territory, where communication with home base may be impossible." The newspaper concludes that the fighter, after taking off from a British airport, will be able to reach Moscow, a distance of about 2,500 km . By comparison, the Typhoon can travel about 1,300 km on a single tank of fuel, and the F-35B can travel 1,000 km. When asked by the Telegraph, Jonny Moreton of BAE Systems did not confirm whether the newspaper's findings were accurate.

In an interview with the newspaper, defense analyst Francis Tusa stated that the Tempest's maximum takeoff weight could be over 30 tons, compared with the Typhoon's 23 tons. This, it noted, is heavier than the Lancaster bomber used by the Royal Air Force during World War II.

BAE Systems is part of the Tempest Group, which includes the UK Ministry of Defence, Rolls-Royce, missile manufacturer MBDA, and Italian company Leonardo. In 2023, the initiative became part of the trilateral GCAP agreement.

From London Marta Zabłocka (PAP)

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