Tempest Jet to Generate 20,000 Jobs, Contribute £25 Billion to UK Economy

The British Future Combat Air Programme, Tempest, is expected to create 20,000 jobs every year from 2026 to 2050, and contribute £25 billion to the UK economy.

The Tempest programme is being delivered by Team Tempest, a UK technology and defence partnership formed by BAE Systems, Leonardo UK, MBDA, Rolls-Royce and the RAF, and involving hundreds of high-tech companies, SMEs and academia across the UK.  It is one of the UK’s most ambitious technological endeavours, designed to deliver a highly advanced, adaptable and affordable military combat air system which will play a key role in the nation’s defence and security, MBDA said in a release.

There are currently 1,800 employed across UK industry and the MOD, a number that is set to increase to 2,500 next year.

BAE Systems, on behalf of Team Tempest partners, commissioned PwC to carry out an independent analysis of the economic impact of the Tempest programme. The data released today represents the preliminary findings of an independent analysis by PwC on the economic contribution at the initial stages of the multi-decade Tempest programme, covering the period up to 2050.  A full report will be available by the end of the year.

The preliminary findings reveal:

• The Tempest programme will contribute at least £25.3bn2 to the UK economy in the first 30 years alone. This figure excludes the significant impact of R&D spillover3 and the important role Tempest plays in securing the critical UK combat air industrial sector and its associated economic benefits.
• For every £100 of direct value added generated by the Tempest programme partners, £220 of GVA 4 (direct, indirect and induced) is estimated to be created across the UK economy.
• The programme is forecast to support an average of circa 20,000 jobs every year between 2026 and 2050. For every 100 workers employed directly by the Tempest programme partners, a further 270 are estimated to be employed across the UK economy (direct, indirect and induced).

This initial analysis looks at the period of programme development, production, entry into service and early support, but does not include the full potential of export opportunities, R&D investment or the value of the programme beyond 2050.

Michael Christie, Director, Combat Air Acquisition Programme, BAE Systems, commented: “Tempest is an exciting and ambitious multi-decade programme that will help to preserve our national security whilst at the same time driving significant economic benefits for the UK.  The initial analysis revealed today demonstrates that Tempest is critical to ensuring the UK can sustain its world-leading Combat Air Sector, preserving the sovereign capability that is essential to retaining military freedom of action for the UK.”