UK Defence Minister Mark Lancaster has announced a new recruitment drive for Team Tempest, with the number of people working on the programme set to more than double over the next two years.
The programme, set up to develop the sixth-generation fighter jet to join the RAF’s fleet from 2035, already employs over 1,000 people across UK industry and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is planning to increase that number to over 2,500 by 2021.
The recruitment campaign will focus on engaging “the best and brightest young minds” across the country to encourage them to take up a career in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM).
Careers
Team Tempest will visit schools, colleges and universities and present at key STEM events across the UK. The team also will provide new resources for schools and colleges as well as launching on social media through Twitter and Instagram.
Defence Minister Mark Lancaster said: “Team Tempest offers thousands of young recruits an exciting opportunity to work on a crucial programme securing our dynamic combat air power in the decades to come.
“This recruitment drive demonstrates our enduring commitment to securing and advancing the careers of some of the brightest minds in the UK.
National Flying Laboratory
At an industry event to launch the recruitment drive, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Stephen Hillier, also announced a new £50,000 investment in the National Flying Laboratory (NFL) at Cranfield University. The NFL provides airborne flight test experience for all aerospace engineering undergraduates at the country’s top 10 aerospace universities.
Hillier said: “I am delighted to announce that we have just committed £50,000 to sponsor the National Flying Laboratory at the Cranfield University. This will give us unprecedented access to the country’s best young engineering talent.”
Cranfield University’s current projects include developing advanced sensors that will make helicopter engines more efficient and a ground-breaking project designing the world’s first “flapless” plane, the Demon, in a partnership with BAE Systems.
