Episode 9 - A national endeavour: The UK’s first flying combat air demonstrator in 40 years

Generation Tempest is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the UK’s emerging engineering talent to shape the future of UK combat air. But what does it mean to be a part of Generation Tempest and how can you become a part of it? In this special early careers episode of Future Horizons, we hear from some of those already helping to design the UK's next generation combat air system and their experiences of working as part of Team Tempest. Host Zevi Watmough is then joined by Team Tempest partners who discuss the different career paths available to those taking their first steps into UK aerospace and how personal skills and careers can be developed on the UK's most exciting engineering programmes. Discover more about the latest career opportunities with Team Tempest at www.tempestcareers.com

The Strategic Defence Review described international alliances and partnerships as the bedrock of global stability becoming even more important to the UK in the context of growing risk and uncertainty. It referred to the Global Combat Air Programme as an example of capability collaboration and a powerful signal of the UK's ambition to bring partners from different geographic regions closer together in support of collective security. To discuss the importance of global relationships with the UK's future combat air system, including GCAP, host Zevi Watmough is joined by:

The previous episode of Future Horizons focused on the rewarding opportunities for Senior Qualified Experienced Professionals. In this episode, we take a visit to the 2025 Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) to meet some of the young people who are already working as part of "Generation Tempest" and discover why events such as RIAT are so important to inspiring the next generation of engineers and pilots. We hear also from senior leaders on how developing interest in Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths is vital to not only to shaping the future of UK combat air but is a key factor in the security and resilience of our country.

UK Government estimates that UK defence spending supports around 434,000 highly skilled and well-paid jobs in all regions and nations of the UK. Despite this, the national skills shortage remains a critical challenge in the Defence sector. In this episode we therefore look at what Team Tempest and the development of the UK’s FCAS capability, has to offer Suitably Qualified Experienced Professionals and why a career in the UK aerospace industry should be of interest to all ages and skill sets. Joining host Zevi Watmough to discuss the topic further are:

In the first two episodes of this series, we explored the capability being developed by Team Tempest that will enable the UK, and particularly the Royal Air Force, to protect the country and meet potential threats. In this episode we focus on the benefits that Team Tempest will deliver to the UK’s prosperity. The UK government’s commitment to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by April 2027, with an ambition to increase to 3% in the next Parliament, as economic and fiscal conditions allow, will see the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War. Joining host Zevi Watmough to discuss how Team Tempest and the wider UK Defence sector are important contributors to the country’s future economic growth are: