- £115 million contract, supporting 300 UK jobs, awarded to
develop flying electronics laboratory for future combat air
technology.
- Net Zero Strategy signing commits Ministry of Defence to
decarbonise its aviation capabilities.
- Extensive Ministerial engagement at key 2023 airshow.
A £115m contract will create a ‘flying electronics laboratory’ to
develop our future combat air technology, it has been announced
at the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT).
The contract – awarded to Leonardo and which will be delivered in
partnership with 2Excel - will launch the next stage of the
Excalibur Flight Test Aircraft (FTA) project. This will see a
Boeing 757 completely overhauled and turned into a flight test
aircraft that will resemble a ‘flying electronics laboratory’.
The aircraft will test some of the innovative technology that
could be deployed on the fighter jet being developed by the
Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP).
The Excalibur project is a key element of the UK’s Future Combat
Air System (FCAS) that could include the crewed fighter and a
broader range of capabilities such as uncrewed aircraft,
information systems and weapon systems.
The Excalibur aircraft will be adapted to host integrated
sensors, digital technology and integrated communications. This
aircraft is expected to fly with the new technology within the
next three years, when on-board scientists and engineers will
test the sensors and communications systems whilst in flight.
Supporting the Government’s priority to grow the UK economy, the
Excalibur programme is sustaining around 300 highly skilled jobs
across the UK.
The aircraft is designed in Yorkshire and built in Hampshire with
the concepts conceived by Leonardo in Bedfordshire and 2Excel in
Northamptonshire. The Excalibur project is part of the UK’s drive
to grow our air industrial capability, securing the nation’s
future at the cutting edge of combat air design and development.
Richard Berthon, MOD Director Future Combat Air,
said:
This contract is a major milestone for the FTA project and
demonstrates our commitment in support of the UK Future Combat
Air System. I’m excited that this work will enable us to test, in
a live flying environment, some of the highly advanced technology
that could feature on the aircraft being developed by GCAP.
The GCAP international collaboration between the UK, Italy and
Japan continues to progress at pace, with partners working
together to develop a new combat aircraft for 2035.
Also at RIAT, Defence Procurement Minister, signed the Defence
Aviation Net Zero Charter.
The Charter signatories have closely collaborated with the MOD on
the strategy development and the Charter shows their continued
commitment to assist the MOD in its contribution to the
Government’s Net Zero by 2050 goal. As signatories they agree to
share best practice and help remove barriers, including
increasing sustainable aviation fuel usage, improving operational
efficiency, utilising zero emissions propulsion technology, and
finding innovative ways to deliver aviation operations whilst
reducing their climate impact.
The signing of this charter follows the release of the Defence
Aviation Net Zero Strategy and shows the commitment of our
strategic industry and academic partners to assist the MOD in its
contribution to the Government’s Net Zero by 2050 goal.
With aviation activity accounting for over 30% of Defence’s
carbon emissions, the Defence Aviation Net Zero Strategy outlines
the steps necessary to meet the commitment to decarbonise
Defence’s aviation capability, whilst also mitigating potential
risks to operational effectiveness that are likely to arise
because of climate change.
Minister for Defence Procurement, said:
RIAT has been an excellent opportunity to meet with industry
leaders and range of companies that support UK Defence in keeping
the country safe.
The £115 million contract to develop the Excalibur Flight Test
Aircraft proves that Britain continues to be a major player in
the aviation industry and it’s an important further step in
delivering our future fighter jet.
It is also critical that the aviation sector plays its part in
delivering the UK’s net zero commitment and the Government is
already supporting a variety of technology, fuel, and
market-based measures to address aviation emissions.
Climate initiatives already underway include the RAF working with
industry leaders Zero Petroleum Ltd to research and develop
synthetic fuel technology, which has the potential to eventually
eliminate reliance on fossil fuels. In November 2022 the RAF and
industry partners flew a Voyager (A330) using 100% sustainable
fuel, a world first for a military aircraft of its size, and the
first of any aircraft type in the UK.
Building on the release of the Defence Aviation Net Zero Strategy
and as part of the RAF Net Zero by 2040 aspirations, the RAF has
entered into a strategy partnership with the University of
Cambridge’s Aviation Impact Accelerator (AIA).
The AIA partnership will allow the RAF to exploit the insights
and analysis of a world leading research group to further its
understanding on aviation decarbonisation, how the transition
across the civil aviation sector will impact its operational
output and how the service can responsibly move towards its own
net zero goals.
