Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Question 7495 on Global Combat Air Programme, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in (a) Italy and (b) Japan on the potential merits of the Tempest platform being delivered uncrewed.

AI and autonomous technologies are developing rapidly and the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) core platform is being designed to incorporate them as they mature. We assess that pilots will still have a crucial role to play when GCAP comes into service and that their role, and the overall capability of the aircraft, will be augmented substantially by AI and autonomous technologies. For example, extensive use will be made of these technologies to task sensors, triage data, and analyse combat situations more quickly. How and when we incorporate these cutting-edge technologies will be driven by their maturity and ongoing assessments as to what best enables us to fight and win most effectively in highly contested environments.

The cost and time to ensure safety, training, and certification of these technologies is being refined through modelling and operational analysis. As the focus is on bringing into service a capability that is initially both piloted and involves substantial AI/autonomous technology, distinct estimates for a crewed versus an uncrewed capability have not been made.

The crewed aircraft being developed by the Global Combat Air Programme will operate in a future combat air system that includes uncrewed capabilities. AI and autonomous technology will also be central to the development of these collaborative uncrewed capabilities. Analysis and assessment of procurement options for collaborative uncrewed capabilities to complement Typhoon, F35 and GCAP aircraft is underway.

We are in regular discussions with our Italian and Japanese partners on these issues, as together we seek to ensure we are ready to exploit technological opportunities for our joint military and industrial advantage.