Rs 2564896860000: This is the price of fighter jet which will heal itself in mid-air, name is…, developed by India’s friend, not US, France, Japan, Germany, it is…
New Delhi: In a war the air force plays a crucial role as it destroys the main defence and attack infrastructure of the enemy, making things easier for the ground forces. But it is also a fact that the fighter jets get hit. Now that the world is already having fifth generation fighter jets and moving towards sixth generation jets, how about an aircraft that didn’t just avoid damage, but heal itself mid-air?
What is Global Combat Air Programme?
Here we will tell you about the Tempest fighter jet, the star of United Kingdom’s Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) with Japan and Italy. Tempest is a stealth aircraft designed to feature self-healing skin. The self-healing skin is an innovative technology that could completely change the nature and style of aerial combat.
What Is self-healing skin?
As much as it sounds futuristic, self-healing skin is pricking the curiosity of many from the field of aviation. To put it in simple terms, self-healing skin “is a next-gen smart material that enables aircraft to detect, contain, and repair minor damage while still in flight”. This self-healing technology works on the dynamics of biology and nanotechnology and it further includes microcapsules filled with repair agents, shape-memory polymers, and self-sensing fiber composites. For instance, if the wing gets scraped by a projectile or a panel cracks under stress, these materials react instantly, sealing the damage on their own, thus protecting the aircraft’s stealth and aerodynamics. It also keeps it in mission mode without needing immediate maintenance.
What are features of Tempest?
It might sound absurd but the Tempest is being fabricated as a “combat brain” in the sky with thousands of sensors embedded across the airframe that will feed real-time data to its on-board Artificial Intelligence system. This AI will act like a virtual co-pilot, guiding the pilot and but detecting structural damage while on the flight.
If any damage is detected, Tempest’s body can trigger repairs automatically using embedded smart materials that restore strength and stealth properties without any human intervention.
The self-healing materials in Tempest are being developed by the UK’s BAE Systems, alongside academic researchers and materials science labs across Europe.
When is Tempest to be launched?
The first flight of the sixth-generation fighter aircraft Tempest is expected before 2035. Right now it is under development in the United Kingdom for the Royal Air Force (RAF). It will replace the Eurofighter Typhoon. It is being developed as part of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme by a consortium known as Team Tempest, which includes the Ministry of Defence, BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, the UK subsidiary of Leonardo, and MBDA UK.
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