International Radar Programme for FCAS/F-X
Leonardo UK and Mitsubishi Electric announced at FIA 2022 they have agreed the concept for the Jaguar radar tech demonstrator, first announced in February.
Following completion of joint concept work and feasibility studies earlier this year, both companies have now agreed workshare and signed contracts with their respective MoDs to proceed with development. Leonardo sees the agreement falling in line with its broader approach to Future Combat Air System (FCAS) partnerships, characterised by agile decision-making and a transformational ethos.
Jaguar represents the first big building block of an international radar programme addressing ambitions laid out by Japan and Britain as part of F-X/FCAS discussions. Technology and lessons generated will feed development of Tempest’s Integrated Sensing and NonKinetic Effects & Integrated Communications System (ISANKE&ICS) – a ‘spider’s web’ of capability that sits across an aircraft, unlocking the potential of 6th-generation sensors by moving to integrated systems, while ICS connects the ISANKE system into the wider FCAS system-of-systems.
The two companies have had a strengthening relationship for several years and have been exploring the feasibility of further ISANKE-related sub-systems collaboration throughout 2022. Last December, Japan and the UK signed a Memorandum of Cooperation around fighter technologies. The partners are now progressing multiple sub-system technology developments, and are exploring the scope for collaboration on the core platform, the aircraft at the heart of the combat air system.
