The UK Defence Committee (UKDC) says it is facing heated competition to attract skilled workers into the sector ahead of its partnership in the £12 billion Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) - an international combat aircraft collaboration with Japan and Italy.
The GCAP programme will bind the nations to jointly develop and manufacture a sixth-generation stealth fighter with BAE Systems (UK), Leonardo (Italy) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Japan) with a target “in-service” date of 2035 for new 6th generation fighters.
In its latest report on GCAP, UKDC says while the programme is a welcome opportunity to attract new talent into the UK’s combat air industry, the focus cannot just be on the recruitment of new apprentices into industry primes.
The committee is calling for a holistic approach to recruitment and retention that ensures that the existing Typhoon manufacturing workforce is transitioned onto GCAP.
This will be a challenge, given dwindling production of the Typhoon in the UK and the sizeable gap until full-scale production of the new Tempest is underway.
The scathing report also calls the failure to capitalise on the success of the Hawk trainer aircraft remarkably short-sighted and deeply regrettable.
Defence Committee chair Tan Dhesi MP does however, say GCAP is an exciting opportunity to make the fighter jet of the future.
“The world is an increasingly volatile and dangerous place and new air power capabilities - such as those promised by GCAP – will be essential if we are to meet the challenges ahead,” Dhesi said.
“While the report welcomes GCAP, it also cautions that the ministry of defence (MOD) must have a firm grip on the programme.
“All too often multilateral defence programmes are beset with soaring costs and mounting delays. GCAP must break the mould.
“GCAP’s timescales are ambitious – we have a window of opportunity now, at this early stage, to make choices that set the programme on the right track.
“If we are to maintain pace and meet the 2035 target, the programme must be structured to enable the right people to make timely and binding decisions.”
With increasing pressure on the defence budget, the report calls for Government and industry to keep tight control of the programs’ cost.
It also suggests to consider a multi-year funding arrangement to put the programme on a secure footing and provide international partners with confidence in the UK’s ongoing commitment.
“History shows us that costs can easily spiral, but pressures on the UK’s defence budget mean there is no margin for mismanagement,” Dhesi added.