As the Royal Air Force looks to deliver air and space power in a competitive age, it faces increasing operational complexities and ever-more sophisticated threats.
We’re working together with the RAF to overcome each successive challenge and realise the UK’s vision for next generation combat air through the extraordinary power of digitalisation and technology.
One thing is clear – the Future Combat Air System will be intrinsically and digitally connected.
As we dare to imagine a digitally-driven combat airspace, we are on the cusp of the greatest transformation the RAF has ever encountered. The rewards are huge… Enhanced capability, more decisive decision-making and battle-winning information advantage. However, realising this potential isn’t without risk.
Can you be sure of the digital systems that all other systems are reliant on? Can adversaries switch them off, or make you believe a different version of events? Can the crew in the cockpit have confidence in what they see? Can they believe the orders that they’re being given? Fundamentally, trust is needed to realise a digital future. As a global leader in advanced technologies, we’re already working alongside our customers to embed digital trust at every stage of their journeys.
From using digital twins to fast-forward testing and development, AI to inform decision-making, autonomy to save lives and wrapping it all with the latest cyber-security - we assure and protect every critical moment, unlocking innovation and opportunity along the way.
Over the past decade we have quietly and confidently pioneered the development of digital solutions across the markets we serve. From avionics to banking, cyber space to outer space, we work with the world’s leading blue chips in the most highly-regulated echelons of society.
This civil and defence duality means we’re perfectly placed to integrate best-of-breed commercial insight and technologies into tomorrow’s combat air environment. What’s more, we’ll do it in a commercially competitive manner, bringing world-firsts from other sectors.
Our civil foothold also allows us to tackle pressing defence challenges in a non-sensitive, agile fashion, before bringing them into the highly-secure defence environment - delivering results and savings, whilst minimising risk, time and resource for the RAF.
As an established integrator of complex programmes, we are well versed in working across highly contested environments, not to mention migrating mission-critical systems from old to new, with zero operational downtime in between.
The Combat Air System of the future will bring together civil and military, new, current and legacy technologies, as well as crewed and uncrewed platforms, within one shared ecosystem.
Before we get there, we need to consider what this will look like. How will participants be commanded and controlled? How will they engage and communicate with other parts of the system? How will they obtain their intelligence? How will communication bridge secure channels and the public cloud? How will the integrity of over-the-air updates be assured?
Exploring the answers to these questions, our architects are able to push the boundaries of what’s possible today, building tomorrow’s system of systems that seamlessly and securely connects all participants, ensuring they operate in the right manner, at the right time, to provide strategic, sovereign advantage.
Since its inception in 1918, we have helped the Royal Air Force defend Britain’s skies and project the nation’s air power and influence around the world.
As a result, we have a deep appreciation of it’s unique operational challenges, technologies and capabilities. Over the past 100 years our steadfast partnership has seen continuous developments and enhancements - from aerial reconnaissance, sensors, avionics and mission systems, to fuzes, ATM, training and simulation.
Whatever lies ahead, we’re here to make life easier, not harder for the RAF’s aviators - working with them at every critical moment, making sure they’re where they need to be, when they need to be, equipped with the capability to make our uncertain world safer and more secure.
Achieving future superiority in air and space calls for a profoundly different partnership between industry and the MOD, and we’re stepping up to lead the way. We intend to create not just a solution, but a benchmark for working together going forward. It won’t be easy, mistakes will be made and lessons will be learned, but we will push further and think bigger with every step.
Our reputation and global presence gives us the ability to extend the UK’s access to ideas, innovation and insight, acting as a magnet for the very best international academic, SME and industry talent. We’re able to upskill and empower our partners, providing a pathway to defence applications that would otherwise be impossible.
Being innovative in how we collaborate helps to facilitate radical thinking and results, which is why we’re constantly pioneering new approaches, behaviours and partnerships to add value and realise economies for our customers.
To make tomorrow’s combat airspace a reality, you need the right people and behaviours in place today - if you have these, you can achieve anything.
To deliver the RAF’s next century of air and space power, we must develop and retain the skills, technologies and knowledge needed for the United Kingdom to realise a sustainable digital future. With sites across the UK’s length and breadth, we’re committed to its future prosperity - putting new opportunities and growth at the heart of local communities, enabling them to thrive and flourish.
Looking ahead, we’re working to identify the next generation of talent, inspiring them to follow new avenues as the UK economy and our world becomes increasingly dependent on digital technology and science. Through our local presence, people and supply chains we’re helping to connect and unite Britain on a national level, creating a network capable of driving and sustaining every part of the RAF’s next generation vision.
As we build jobs for the future, drive digitalisation and pull SME potential from every market we operate in, we’re helping to safeguard the prosperity and resilience of Global Britain through world-leading exportable skills, products and opportunities in combat air.
