London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Sep 16, 2025

Britain’s 6th-Gen Tempest could sport an avatar co-pilot

Britain’s 6th-Gen Tempest could sport an avatar co-pilot

Concepts are being developed, whereby a 'virtual co-pilot' could take on some of the pilot’s responsibilities

Imagine, you’re flying in a combat situation, at night, somewhere in the Mideast, when suddenly you come under attack.

You’re busy flying the plane, trying to avoid enemy Russian missiles, and you call on your co-pilot for help, to handle jamming and possibly weapons control.

But your co-pilot is not really there — not in the real sense. He is, in fact, an avatar. A talking, capable and effective avatar, who is “virtually” there.

Thankfully, he takes control — missiles are fired at a ground station, destroying it. Mission accomplished.

This may sound like something from the future, but it is now being considered for Britain’s ambitious Tempest next-generation fighter program, The War Zone reported.

Team Tempest — which includes a group of leading British defense aerospace companies, helmed by BAE Systems — is using new technologies with the aim of making revolutionary strides in the way combat aircraft are developed and fielded.

Initial concepts have been evaluated, including testing cutting-edge “wearable cockpit” technologies, which could replace physical controls with Augmented and Virtual Reality displays projected directly inside the visor of a helmet.

“Concepts including human-autonomy teaming are also being developed, where a “virtual co-pilot” could take on some of the pilot’s responsibilities, The War Zone reported.


An artist’s rendition of a Tempest fighter jet working alongside swarming UAVs.


According to BAE Systems, the virtual co-pilot could, for example, take the form of an “avatar” able to interact with the pilot.

Could the avatar take over the controls and land it, should the pilot become incapacitated? Nobody knows, but it’s possible.

The company has also been trialing “psycho-physiological” technologies, including eye-tracking, to study the operator’s physical and cognitive processes to better understand aircrew exertion, stress, workload, and fatigue, The War Zone reported.

Tempest — a technology and defense partnership — was launched in 2018 in a bid to produce a sixth-generation “system of systems” air combat capability, with a new stealthy six-generation fighter as the centerpiece.

It also includes Italian defense contractor Leonardo, European missile consortium MBDA, British engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce, and the UK Royal Air Force (RAF), as well as hundreds of other high-tech companies, as part of a growing industrial base.

The United Kingdom has already committed £2 billion, or almost $2.6 billion at the current rate of exchange, to Team Tempest, which aims to see manufacturing begin by 2025, with a “combat air system” reaching operational capability by 2035, The War Zone reported.

Meanwhile, Leonardo has disclosed that it is developing new radar technology for Tempest.

The Multi-Function Radio Frequency System (MRFS) is designed to collect and process unprecedented amounts of data — equivalent to “the internet traffic of a large city.”

MRFS is supposedly designed to work beyond the boundaries of a traditional radar, with digital technology providing the operator with a clear view of the battlespace and of potential targets, “helping it win the information war.”

Engineers from British aircraft giant Rolls-Royce are also evaluating advanced engine technology for Tempest, The War Zone reported.


Team Tempest is using new technologies with the aim of making revolutionary strides in the way combat aircraft are developed and fielded and respond to increasingly complex threats.


The company says the engine will burn hotter than previous systems, thereby increasing efficiency.

Thermal management of the Tempest fighter will be critical, and the company is working with Leonardo to help deal with the heat generated by the plethora of onboard sensors and avionics by directing this back into the engines for cooling, The War Zone reported.

Rolls-Royce’s Phil Townley says the hotter the engine, the more efficient it becomes. “We get less carbon dioxide and bring emissions down.”

Behind Tempest lies an ethos of flexibility, capability, affordability, and upgradeability, a BAE Systems official said.

While it will have a combat aircraft at its core, it will be a connected network of capabilities — a mix of piloted and unpiloted platforms.

The exact scope of this is still to be revealed, but it could include follow-on efforts to the current Lightweight Affordable Novel Combat Aircraft (LANCA) program, and other RAF swarming drone initiatives, The War Zone reported.

For weapons manufacturer MBDA, it says Tempest could include “electro-magnetic effects and laser weapons.”

The company’s Mike Mew says it aims to make integration of new weapons far easier and less costly. It could be “as simple as plugging a USB stick into your computer.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. and Britain Poised to Finalize Over $10 Billion in High-Tech, Nuclear and Defense Deals During Trump State Visit
China Finds Nvidia Violated Antitrust Laws in Mellanox Deal, Deepens Trade Tensions with US
US Air Force Begins Modifications on Qatar-Donated Jet Amid Plans to Use It as Air Force One
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
Elon Musk Retakes Lead as World’s Richest After Brief Ellison Surge
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
×