Hello everyone, you must be aware of the thing that various countries are developing next-generation aircraft, for their respective air force. Among them are the South Korean KFX program, the Japanese F-X program, our own AMCA(Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft) Project, the UK’s TEMPEST, etc, and of course how can forget Pakistan’s Project AZM(LOL!!). But in this article, we are going to compare Indian AMCA and UK’s TEMPEST Fighter, though fighters are still on paper we will be doing a comparison based on information available in the public domain.
Tempest Fighter
The BAE Systems Tempest is a proposed sixth-generation aircraft that is under development for the British Royal Air Force(RAF) and for its developmental partners. It is being developed under the Future Combat Air System program led by “Team Tempest”, which includes the British MoD, BAE system, Leonardo, Rolls-Royce, SAAB, and MBDA. Team Tempest, consisting of the BAE Systems, project leader and systems integrator; Rolls-Royce, working on power and propulsion; Leonardo working on sensors, electronics, and avionics; MBDA, working on weapons.
Sweden and the United Kingdom signed an MoU to explore ways of jointly developing sixth-generation air combat technologies, though Sweden’s principal interest in the project is on unmanned aircraft which work alongside manned fighters, such as loyal wingmen and numerous other kinds of drones in development.
Japan is cooperating with the UK on many fronts to develop the technologies and subsystems for its indigenous fighter jet. The UK’s program director, Air Commodore Johnny Moreton, was previously quoted as saying, “We’ve been in negotiation, conversations and some pilot projects. Nothing necessarily too complex at the moment. We’re doing a joint engine viability study with Japan at the moment, and that’s quite exciting.” “They have an F-X program that has a very similar time frame to us. The threat is very similar to the one that we are anticipating, and in terms of an industrial nation they sit at the top table, as do we,” he added. Japan will cooperate on engine parts, and Rolls-Royce and IHI will partner in manufacturing, an all-new, full-scale engine.
The program got kick-started at the beginning of 2018, the UK Ministry of Defense (MoD) published its Combat Air Strategy. The key elements of this are
- Study of Typhoon replacement programs.
- “Build on or establish new [international] partnerships to deliver future requirements.”
- Focus on affordability.
The Tempest will be a sixth-generation aircraft incorporating several new technologies including deep learning, AI, the ability to fly unmanned, swarming drones, directed energy weapons, and a virtual cockpit. The maiden flight is expected to occur by 2025 and possible entry into service by 2035. Tempest will replace the Typhoon in RAF service. Some technology developed for Tempest will be implemented and tested in Typhoon before integrating into Tempest. Team Tempest revealed that they planned to use a Boeing 757 as a testbed for technology developed for Tempest.
AMCA:
The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) is our indigenous program to develop stealth, multi-role aircraft for the Indian Air Force, which will also include 6th Gen niche technologies. The design of the aircraft is carried out by Aeronautical Development Establishment(ADA), an aircraft design and development agency constituted under DRDO. It is expected to be produced by a public-private joint venture between the DRDO, and HAL in partnership with an Indian private company
AMCA will be a single-seat, twin-engine aircraft. The AMCA is designed for low radar cross-section and with supercruise capability. The feasibility study on AMCA and the preliminary design stage have been completed, and the project entered the detailed design phase in February 2019. The first flight is expected to be by 2024-25 and serial production might begin by 2030-31. The AMCA is currently the only 5th generation fighter under development in India. The program will be carried out in two phases, in 1st phase AMCA Mk1 will be developed which will be 5th gen aircraft and in 2nd phase, AMCA Mk2 will be developed into 6th gen aircraft with the inclusion 6th gen technologies.
In early 2010, Medium Combat Aircraft (MCA) program, was initiated to develop a twin-engine fighter to replace the main strike fighters of the IAF Mirage 2000 and Jaguar. Later the MCA program converted to the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program to develop 5th generation aircraft with stealth and other next-generation features. A detailed feasibility study was launched by ADA, for 25ton class fighters. Work on various technologies was carried out by different bodies of DRDO, ADA, and HAL which included stealth, engine, three-dimensional thrust vectoring, AESA radar, internal weapons bay, serpentine air intakes, and all other major avionics.
Also Read, Understanding The AMCA Programme: Part 1
In an interview with Financial Times on 22 October 2021, Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari confirmed that IAF is looking forward to AMCA aiming at sixth-generation technologies. IAF is planning for two squadrons of Mark 1 and five squadrons of Mark 2 variant. On 9 March 2022, the commencement of the manufacturing activities of AMCA was announced, starting with the leading edge of the aircraft.
Comparison Between AMCA(Both Mk1 and Mk2) and TEMPEST
Although both fighters are in still on paper, we’ll do a brief comparison between these based on information we have on open source.
| Specifications | Tempest | AMCA MK1/ Mk2 |
| Generation | Purely 6th Generation | 5th Generation / Mk2 will be a sixth-generation fighter |
| First Flight | According to sources Expected by 2025 and induction into service by 2035 | Expected by 2025-26 with induction by 2030-2031/ Mk2 first flight by 2030-32. |
| Developmental Partners | British MoD, BAE Systems, Rolls Royce, Italian Leonardo group, Swedish SAAB, MBDA, Japan IHI group | DRDO, ADA, HAL, and other private partners |
| Engine | Rolls Royce is developing high thrust, with an adaptive cycle jet engine. | Genera Electric 414(Enhanced one) engine which develops around 116KN of wet thrust(With afterburner). Later will be replaced with a high thrust(~125KN) engine, the engine will be developed in collaboration with French Safran / 125kn High thrust engine for Mk2 |
| Max Speed | No Details | 2600km/h(Mach 2.15) |
| Range | No Details | 3240km with 1620 combat range and 65,000 ft servicing ceiling |
| Weapons | Directed-energy weapon, MBDA Meteor, Mica, and other European and US weapons(Including Hypersonic Missile). In stealth, mode weapons will be carried in an internal weapons bay. | Directed-energy weapon, Astra MK1,2,3, Rudram anti-radiation missile, Brahmos and Brahmos NG and according to some reports it will also be carrying hypersonic version of Brahmos. In stealth, mode weapons will be carried in an internal weapons bay. |
| Cockpit | Fully digital cockpit with all the information displayed in Pilot HMD(Helmet Mounted Sight) to give Unmatched situational awareness along with gesture movements and voice commands to control cockpit instruments. | Fully digital cockpit with all the information displayed in Pilot HMD(Helmet Mounted Sight) to give Unmatched situational awareness. AMCA will be using Voice commands to control cockpit instruments. |
| Control Surface | Tempest will use Flyby Optics, where optical fiber will be used to transmit the control inputs. It will be faster and safer | AMCA uses fly-by-wire just like other of its contemporary fighters, where electrical signals are used to transmit the control inputs. It is slower in transmission than the fly by optics. According to some reports, it said that DRDO is working on Fly By Optics for AMCA Mk2. |
| Sensors and avionics | Leonardo has been developing a new Multi-Function Radar Frequency System specifically for the new fighter. Will be able to fly unmanned also uses swarming technology to control drones and other loyal wing man. | Gallium Nitride based Uttam AESA radar, radar warning receiver. It will also be equipped with Distributed Aperture System just like in F35 which will give 360 degree coverage of battle field. Will be able to fly unmanned also uses swarming technology to control drones and other loyal wing man like HAL CATS Warrior. |
| Design | It incorporates a Stealth design with a delta wing and pair of outward-pointing Vertical stabilizers. Along with geometric stealth radar, absorbent material will also be used to reduce the RCS of the aircraft. | Diamond shape trapezoidal wing just like F22 with control surfaces including leading-edge flaps and trailing edge ailerons and rudders on V tail. AMCA design comes with a DSI configuration, which helps in reducing RCS. Along with geometric stealth radar, absorbent material will also be used to reduce the RCS of the aircraft. |
| Intended Role | Air Superiority, Air to ground, conduct surveillance, reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and command and control tasks. | Air Superiority, Air to ground, conduct surveillance, reconnaissance, electronic warfare and command and control tasks, and Anti-ship roles. |
Who Is Best In Business?
Here we must understand that every country has its requirements, considering the kind of threat they face, their terrain, and geography. Since both aircraft are still on the drawing board it will be hard to say who will be better, considering the experience of the UK in building aircraft, it can be said that TEMPEST will be ahead against AMCA in some areas, but that doesn’t make AMCA will be inferior to TEMPEST, AMCA is primarily made for IAF requirements, DRDO and other agencies are working on various technologies that will be used in AMCA, in fact, some of them are undergoing testing, DRDO, HAL and ADA officials are confident that AMCA would fulfill IAF requirements.
TEAM TEMPEST consists of companies, that are already world leaders in their domain, BAE systems in aircraft engineering, Rolls Royce in propulsion, not to forget that Rolls Royce designed vertical lift system for F35B known as Rolls-Royce LiftSystem and MBDA in the missile field, SAAB, and Leonardo in electronics sensors. Considering this the consortium of this kind, TEMPEST is bound to be ahead against AMCA, not to forget they can even seek assistance from Americans for the program if needed. The UK has been developing fighter jets right from World Wars, they have a very robust aviation ecosystem that has been built up over these years
. In comparison with AMCA, TEMPEST will be having a better high thrust efficient engine, better design for greater stealth, and of course, when you have a partner like MBDA, SAAB, and Leonardo you got to have better next generations of weapons and sensors, other than this TEMPEST will be having fly-by optics(optical fiber will be used) in contrast to AMCA with fly-by-wire.
Apart from these, in most cases, AMCA will be almost on par with TEMPEST. Coming to India, our ecosystems are still evolving, and we are slowly building up our aviation industry by involving more and more private players, under the ATMANIRBHAR BHARAT program, there is a lot of thrust is being given to domestics industries and encouraging them to invest more in R&D, cutting technologies, manufacturing. Tejas program has contributed a lot to these efforts, and upcoming programs like Tejas MK2, TEDBF, IMRH, and AMCA will give a required push to creating a robust aviation ecosystem for the development of world-class aircraft for the country’s armed forces as well as for Civilian market and exports.
Conclusion
With changing aerial warfare and rapid technological development its imperative for many major Air Forces around the world to induct and operate world-class aircraft. Both programs are intended to provide next-generation aircraft for their respective Air Forces. For India, the AMCA program is important to maintain dominance in the region(South Asia), countering the rapidly growing capability of the Chinese Air Force as well as for the growth of its domestic aircraft industry. For the UK the TEMPEST program is crucial to sustaining its domestic aircraft development ecosystem and maintaining its dominance in niche technological areas.
