July

In July, we welcomed the news that The Ministry of Defence (MOD) had awarded a contract worth approximately £250m to progress the design and development of Tempest, the UK’s Future Combat Air System (FCAS). Continued funding of the programme emphasised the Government’s confidence in its progress, which is set to deliver the military, industrial and economic requirements of the national combat air strategy.

After announcing the contract during a visit to BAE Systems’ Warton site in Lancashire, Ben Wallace, UK Secretary of State for Defence, spoke to members of the Tempest Early Careers Network (TECN), including Joe Sheffield from Leonardo, about challenging and changing the shape of advanced engineering across the combat air sector.

Also looking to inspire the next generation in the STEM and Defence industry was the Virtual Air Tattoo, which we were proud to sponsor in July. We were treated to virtual displays, a run-through of a ‘Day in the Life’ of RAF Typhoon Display Team pilot Sainty, and an interview with Leonardo Industrial Placement student Izaak, from our Yeovil site, talking about his time working on the AW149, amongst other events throughout the livestream. The month also saw the return of Families Day at both RAF Coningsby and RAF Lossiemouth, where the Typhoon Display Team dazzled the crowds, including some budding engineers.

We looked to inspire young STEM enthusiasts (and offer some relief for parents) by launching the Leonardo STEM Survival Kit in time for schools breaking up for the summer holidays around the country. The pack, which was designed by our graduates and apprentices, contains hours of exciting activities that school students can take part in at home, and is available to download alongside our other fantastic STEM resources.

July also saw some big news for the AW101, with the Polish Navy’s first flight of the helicopter, and gearbox testing to validate torque on the aircraft taking place. Embarked on the Carrier Strike Group (CSG)’s Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier was Connor Flavell, Field Service Representative at Leonardo. Connor told us about life on-board, working with 820 naval Air Squadron who operate the Royal Navy AW101 Mk 2 Crowsnest helicopters, in a ‘Day in the Life’ piece on our website.