At the Farnborough International Airshow, Leonardo UK and Mitsubishi Electric announced that they have reached an agreement on the concept for the JAGUAR radar technology demonstrator, first unveiled in February. The agreement between the two companies, leaders in air defense electronics in the UK and Japan respectively, follows the completion of joint pre-design work and joint feasibility studies earlier this year.
The partners agreed on a sharing of activities and both signed contracts with their respective ministries of defense to carry out the development of the system. The project is now progressing apace and in line with Leonardo's broader approach to partnerships for the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), where close collaboration is supported by agile decision making and an imported transformation model from Silicon Valley.
JAGUAR represents the first major element of an international radar program that meets the ambitious requirements expressed by Japan and the United Kingdom under the FX / FCAS programs. The technology and knowledge generated by the work on JAGUAR will fuel the development of the ISANKE & ICS (Integrated Sensing and Non-Kinetic Effects & Integrated Communications System) systems of the next generation Tempest fighter.
ISANKE represents a "web" of capabilities aboard an aircraft that activates the potential of sixth generation sensors, moving from distinct single equipment to integrated systems. The ICS, on the other hand, connects the ISANKE to the wider FCAS system.
The relationship between Leonardo UK and Mitsubishi Electric is being consolidated and also this year the two companies are verifying the feasibility of further integration of the ISANKE subsystems.
In December 2021, Japan and the United Kingdom signed a cooperation memorandum for the development of fighter technologies. The partners are now carrying out various technological developments of subsystems and are testing the possibility of collaborating on the main platform as well.
