The ambitious Tempest project, known officially as the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), is set to deliver a new sixth-generation fighter jet to replace the Eurofighter Typhoon by 2035.
The collaboration between the UK, Italy and Japan is being led by BAE Systems, which insists a prototype will still take to the skies by the end of 2027.
Despite this commitment, questions over the programme’s future surfaced last year when Labour launched a defence review. Keir Starmer has since underlined the importance of Tempest, and the review published this summer reaffirmed government backing for the jet as part of a wider increase in defence spending. However, industry figures are pressing for more concrete funding pledges to secure the project’s momentum.
The latest annual report from the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (Nista) gave the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme a “red” rating, citing its scale, pace and technical complexity. The watchdog stressed that the low score was “not unexpected” given the early stage of development, but warned that the long-term challenges are formidable.
Nista’s wider assessment found 30 government projects were rated green, 135 amber and 21 red. A green grade indicates a project is on course, amber signals feasibility but with significant risks, while red suggests it is “unachievable” at present.
The FCAS had previously been ranked amber before being downgraded in 2023, with officials pointing to shortages in skills and resources.
Even so, the report acknowledged “significant achievements” within the programme. International agreement among governments and defence companies has been secured, and last month GCAP’s new headquarters opened in Reading, already supporting 3,500 jobs.
Officials also say lessons from past large-scale projects are being applied from the outset to avoid repeating mistakes.
Responding to the concerns, the Ministry of Defence highlighted that it had inherited a procurement system described as “broken” by the Public Accounts Committee.
A spokesperson said: “We are clear procurement needs to be faster and more agile as part of the deepest defence reforms in more than 50 years, to keep the country safer and achieve the best value for taxpayers.”