Modern-Aviation

The RAF is planning a fighter jet that can fly at more than 4,000mph and be controlled by virtual reality helmet.

The £100million Tempest stealth aircraft is being designed to replace the Royal Air Force's long-serving Typhoon, and will enter service in 2035.

The hypersonic aircraft will be able to fly at more than Mach 5, three times as fast as existing aircraft, as reported by the Daily Star.

The defence companies behind it – BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, Leonardo's UK arm and MBDA – are due to present further proposals to ministers at the end of 2020.

BAE Systems' Jean Page told the newspaper: 'We are looking at what we are calling a wearable cockpit.

'You remove many of the physical elements of the cockpit, and replace it with a virtual display, projected through the helmet.'

The sixth-generation craft - which will be able to fly unmanned, feature high-tech weaponry and control swarms of drones - are meant to replace the fourth-generation Typhoons and complement the fifth-generation F-35 stealth jets which are currently entering service.

It was previously reported by This is Money, that defence companies working on the jet are set to recruit 1,500 staff this year.

This will see them increase the total number of people working on the project from 1,000 to 2,500, the Ministry of Defence has said.

The fighter is being developed jointly by the UK, Italy and Sweden, with BAE and the RAF leading the work.

Rolls-Royce is set to design the engines, while European missile firm MBDA will contribute weapons and Italy's Leonardo will develop the sensors and electrical systems.

A prototype is planned for 2025, with the jets entering service by 2035.