The Red Arrows 2019 campaign will culminate in a major tour of North America and displays and flypasts across the United Kingdom and mainland Europe, say the RAF.

It marks the official start of the Red Arrows’ 55th display season.

Wing Commander Andrew Keith, Officer Commanding, Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, said:

“The 2019 season is set to be a very busy period, both at home and overseas. It is a privilege to be the public face of the RAF and to symbolise the dedication, teamwork, attention-to-detail and drive to excel that underpins the ethos of our Service.

Getting to the point where we are ready to display in front of millions of people takes a huge amount of effort, over a sustained period, by every member of the Red Arrows. It is an honour to command this dedicated group of men and women, that not only showcase the RAF exceptionally well but are also proud ambassadors for a Global Britain.

The Red Arrows embody the founding principles of the RAF – an organisation which is fully inclusive, with opportunities for all based on merit alone, regardless of background.”

Tom has spent the last 13 years working in the defence industry, specifically military and commercial shipbuilding. His work has taken him around Europe and the Far East, he is currently based in Scotland.
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Cam
Cam
4 years ago

I wish the RN would get a fast jet display team again.

Fedaykin
Fedaykin
4 years ago
Reply to  Cam

What capability within the Navy do you wish sacrificed to enable the restoration of an FAA jet display team?

Cam
Cam
4 years ago
Reply to  Fedaykin

It would help with recruitment and inspire the next generation, the red arrows were always hero’s to me, they fill me with pride, and you can’t put a price on that. We British have the money we just won’t spend it these days….

HF
HF
4 years ago
Reply to  Cam

I think you could leave out ‘these days’….

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
4 years ago
Reply to  Cam

Well said Cam.

Cam
Cam
4 years ago

Cheers mate?

Chris H
Chris H
4 years ago
Reply to  Cam

@ Cam – Some people ‘these days’ know the price of everything and the value of nothing. Well said.

HF
HF
4 years ago
Reply to  Chris H

It was always so

Cam
Cam
4 years ago
Reply to  Chris H

Thanks m8 ?

Cam
Cam
4 years ago
Reply to  Fedaykin

.

david
david
4 years ago
Reply to  Fedaykin

lol – +1

AndyB
AndyB
4 years ago
Reply to  Fedaykin

The RAF

Fedaykin
Fedaykin
4 years ago
Reply to  AndyB

The RAF is not a capability within the Navy.

IKnowNothing
IKnowNothing
4 years ago

How can we possibly justify this continued expense? The RN don’t have a ‘display frigate’. Waste of money and resources – scrap the team and use the money to fund front line services.

(suspect not everyone will share this view…)

Will
Will
4 years ago
Reply to  IKnowNothing

I can imagine a lot of young pilots are inspired to join the RAF because of the red arrows. They are a massive PR element for the armed forces and are great and promoting the armed forces throughout the UK and beyond.

Cam
Cam
4 years ago
Reply to  Will

Exactly you can’t put a price on what they do and have done for the UK plc.

The Big Man
The Big Man
4 years ago
Reply to  Cam

Hear hear or hear ye, hear ye depending on how old you are.

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
4 years ago
Reply to  IKnowNothing

I’m one of them.

How about when nations the world over scrap theirs we join them.

Which will be never, as most I pray can see the value of assets such as this beyond the costs.

Cam
Cam
4 years ago
Reply to  IKnowNothing

Yeah the Royal Navy have a display helicopter team called the black cats, and isn’t HMS victory still a RN commissioned ship? Display teams are a great part of the millitary and help with recruitment and pride in our forces, granted they aren’t vital but close.

Chris H
Chris H
4 years ago
Reply to  IKnowNothing

@ IKnowNothing – You are absolutely right. I couldn’t disagree more. What these teams provide for comparatively little outlay (above the cost of a front line squadron) is priceless. Global projection of: Pride; UK PLC; who we are; what we stand for and why we are the best military. And what better way to say thank you to the British taxpayers that fund it all?

HF
HF
4 years ago

looking forward to seeing them at Cosford again

The Big Man
The Big Man
4 years ago
Reply to  HF

Hear hear again

Peter Crisp
Peter Crisp
4 years ago

There was a discussion a while ago about buying new aircraft for the Red Arrows, has that completely gone away now?

Christopher Hurford
Christopher Hurford
4 years ago
Reply to  Peter Crisp

The Red Arrows will only likely get new aircraft when the Hawk is replaced in regular service by the RAF. No point until then.

Almac
Almac
4 years ago
Reply to  Peter Crisp

I believe that they are still planning to replace them at some point but think that is still six to eight years away.

Heidfirst
Heidfirst
4 years ago
Reply to  Peter Crisp

the Hawk T2 apparently isn’t as good an aircraft for the Red’s needs as the T1. more likely to reuse older T1s if needed I would have thought.

Expat
Expat
4 years ago

I just wish we’d commit to new aircraft, touring the world shows of the skill of our pilots but not what the UK has to offer in the trainer or light attack markets.

Cam
Cam
4 years ago
Reply to  Expat

Wasn’t the hawk a succesfull Aircraft?

Paul T
Paul T
4 years ago
Reply to  Cam

Absolutely Cam,it has been a great success here and with numerous exports,its just a case of newer Jet Trainer designs have caught up and offer more than what the Hawk does.

Expat
Expat
4 years ago
Reply to  Cam

point is the Red Arrows don’t fly the latest offering, yes the Hawk T1 was successful but the UK is now marketing the advanced Hawk with slatted wing with better turn rate and a more powerful Adour engine, surely it would be better for our national display team to be showing the world what that advance Hawk could do.

Robert Blay
Robert Blay
4 years ago
Reply to  Expat

I think they havent bought the T2 yet for the reds simple down to cost, and they can get another 10 years out of the T1 airframe. The T2 is also technically a much more advanced aircraft, and requires quite alot more maintance, the T1 is a simple aircraft, and therefore a highly subtle aircraft for a touring display team. I for one hope we have a red arrows display team for decade’s to come. The cost of running the reds is a fraction tion of the cost of say a sqn of Typhoons.

Expat
Expat
4 years ago
Reply to  Robert Blay

I’m not saying the T1 is a bad aircraft. But I did think the T2 would be lower maintenance cost, I thought the engine had longer overhaul times and part of the airframe we’re redesigned for to give longer life. I understand the cost argument to a degree but investing in the newer airframe could generate sales of the T2.

Paul T
Paul T
4 years ago
Reply to  Expat

On previous threads here about the Red Arrows and the Hawk,the Advanced Hawk was mentioned,being mainly developed in India from what I can remember,but the gist of it was the RAF/MOD had absolutely no interest in buying it.

Expat
Expat
4 years ago
Reply to  Paul T

The advance Hawk was to be for both India and UK to sell, BAe hoped India would also buy some. Difficult to sell something when your own country won’t even buy it. I believe BAe want a further 100m to develop it further which has probably killed the project.

Cymbeline
Cymbeline
4 years ago

As in scrapping the Royal Tournament, that was a great event, even took part myself once in the late 70’s. Unfortunately I know the navy was under some pressure in releasing the numbers required for such events and ships being understaffed. I know it was a huge favourite as every showing was a sell out.

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
4 years ago
Reply to  Cymbeline

Agree. I’d bring that back if I had my way.

Cymbeline
Cymbeline
4 years ago

Too much manpower nowadays sadly, but for the army it sure filled the KAPE acronym Keeping the army in the puplic eye.

Crabfat
Crabfat
4 years ago
Reply to  Cymbeline

We need to remember the Red Arrows has always been a small but significant part of the UK’s ‘Soft Power’ projection. Even amid all the crap, chaos and confusion of Brexit, the UK still managed to grab the top spot (No 1) in the 2018 Soft Power 30 rankings. In fact, we are always in the top 1 or 2, usually vying with the USA or France. See https://softpower30.com/ To quote SP30… “While striking out alone in the current geopolitical context looks exceedingly risky, the UK has the resources, global connections and infrastructure to make a success of it. To… Read more »