Article Summary: The UK’s Tornado 2 Tempest project pioneers a new approach to fighter jet production by recycling Cold War tornado aircraft into materials for the next generation of Tempest.
Key Point #1 – Using additive manufacturing, high value metals like titanium are reused in 3D printed components of Rolls-Royis jet engines, reducing costs and dependence on global supply chains.
Key Point #2 – This breakthrough could rebuild aerospace production while driving growth in UK jobs. Can NATO allies benefit from this innovative recycling approach as Germany introduces the F-35 tornado fleet? If successful, the Tornado 2 Tempest can set new standards for the development of sustainable military aircraft.
The UK will recycle tornado fighter jets to build the next generation of Tempest aircraft
What happens to the old ships when they reach the end of their service life? They are discarded – they are recycled for other purposes, and the materials are reused for a variety of ships and other uses. Now, the same thing could happen on a similar scale in the UK, and on a similar scale as old Cold War fighters.
The project, called “Tornado 2 Tempest,” is clearly off to a flight start. The goal is to save useful titanium and other important metals from old tornadoes and use them to build cutting-edge aircraft for the ultimate financial savings.
“This development saves taxpayers money, reduces the UK’s dependence on the global supply chain of important and high value metals, making it lighter, stronger and longer lasting than those made through traditional forging technology. They could produce components,” the RAF explains.
However, it’s not just high-end exotic metals like titanium that can be used. “Many of the Defense Department’s surplus assets include strategic metals such as high-quality steel, aluminum and titanium, and the Tornado 2 Tempest project team will be known as “Feedstock.” It specifies whether it can be atomized into a powder. For the manufacture of additives for making new parts. ”
Although the material is not necessarily used for components such as the fuselage skin, wings, and other components, you can see applications within the latest jet engines. And so far, at least it has been successful.
“Titanium-containing tornado components, including jet engine compressor blades from low-pressure air compressors, have been selected. They are part of Mod’s Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program, and are part of Mod’s small engine concept Additive.になったんです。 English: The first thing you can do is to find the best one to do. Cleaned, closed and recycled by Manufacturing Solutions Limited (AMS) in 3D printed nose cones and compressor blades by Additive Manufacturing Solutions Limited (AMS). Royal Family The Air Force explained.
“The nose cone was mounted on an Orpheus test engine and passed a compatibility and safety check. It indicates that the technique on the sixth generation jet could potentially be used.”
Work, work, work
The Royal Air Force appears to be promoting production strategies as a way to drive UK employment growth. “The initiative,” the Air Force said. Now, the business expects to create 25 new jobs by providing innovation to other suppliers. ”
“More than 80 people participated in the project, including commercial graduates from DRDT and graduate apprentices from Rolls-Royce, combining current skills with innovative techniques to provide and maintain future capabilities.”
German connections
At least one potential growth in the additive manufacturing strategy for this project could be in Germany. Germany is one of the few remaining operators of senior aircraft, but it is a big and important part of Luftwaffe and the NATO Alliance.
Under the auspices of NATO, German piloted Panvia tornadoes are equipped to deliver American nuclear weapons in the event of a nuclear war involving NATO in Europe. However, given the age of the platform, they are ripe for exchange.
In March 2022, as part of Prime Minister Olaf Scholz’s Zeitenwende or “turning point” speech, Bundeswehr had access to a one-off fund of 100 billion euros to improve preparations for the war. And in March 2022, Berlin announced it would acquire 35 F-35A stealth fighter jets to replace the Panavia tornado.
Although the manufacturing of additives in the case of aerospace recycling has not yet reached maturity, there is a debate that the technology could benefit the security of the Luftwave Force and, as a result, NATO.
Tempest Fighter Artist Rendering:
Tempest Fighter 6th generation.
An image of the British concept model of the next-generation jet fighter “Tempest,” announced by the Secretary of Defense at the Farnborough International Air Show in 2018.
BAE Systems’ Tempest 6th generation fighter jet.
Tempest UK-based sixth generation fighter plane. Image credit: BAE screenshot.
Tempest Stealth Fighter’s BAE system artist image. Image credit: BAE.
storm. Image credit: Industry handouts.
About the author: Caleb Larson
Caleb Larson is an American multiformot journalist based in Berlin, Germany. His work covers the intersection of conflict and society and focuses on American foreign policy and European security. He reports from Germany, Russia and the United States. Most recently he has covered wars in Ukraine, has extensively reported on the changing fronts of war from Donbas, and has written about the civilians and humanitarian sacrifices of the war. Previously, he worked as a defensive reporter for Politico Europe. You can follow his latest work with X.
