The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team (RAFAT), or Red Arrows, plans to reduce its fleet of mostly wartime jets from nine to seven by at least 2030 in a conscious effort to conserve spares and flight time for its Hawk T1 aircraft.
The traditionally nine-aircraft team, which has been maintained almost continuously since 1966, will have two aircraft removed from most air displays to safeguard the continued longevity of the Hawk T1 platform. From 2022, Red Arrows will be the sole operator of the Hawk T1 in the UK.
All aircraft are still available for special events such as commemorative flypasses. Those who have followed the Red Arrows’ 2026 wartime practice routine have suspected for some time that a reduction to seven aircraft is planned.
As the 2026 season begins, Air Force First Wing Commander Air Force Lt. Gen. Mark Jackson spoke about the changes spectators will see in the Red Arrows’ displays this year and how. @RoyalAirForce We are planning the future of our team.#red arrow | #RAF pic.twitter.com/PZaHnhTxgw
— Red Arrows (@rafredarrows) May 23, 2026
The team is currently finalizing the SPRINGHAWK deployment to Greece, which will use Mediterranean weather to allow for a more reliable training schedule to be completed. Now granted the necessary public display permissions (PDAs), the first UK display in 2026 will take place on May 29 at the English Riviera Airshow in Torbay, Devon.
“PDA is the culmination of seven months of intensive winter training, including the design and refinement of new, dynamic displays, the challenges of operating in prolonged adverse weather conditions, and ongoing maintenance and readiness of the Hawk T1 aircraft,” said Squadron Commander Sasha Nash, Commander, Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team (RAFAT). Nash, previously a Tornado pilot, made history in early 2026 when she became the first woman to command a Red Arrows team.
According to the team’s official website, the two new pilots who will join the Red Arrows in late 2025 were originally supposed to be the new Red 2 and Red 3 at the front of the nine-jet squadron, but will now become Red 8 and Red 9. This means they will miss most of their regular exhibition flights in 2026, but after this unusual first year, they will likely rejoin the exhibition section to replace pilots departing in 2027.
Flight Lieutenant Matt Brighty, registered Red 8, is a familiar name to airshow enthusiasts as a former RAF Typhoon display team pilot. Red 9 Lt. Christopher Deen is a former Tornado GR4 pilot who was later selected for an exchange mission with the U.S. Navy flying the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
Flying seven aircraft will allow the team to continue flying modified versions of many of their signature configurations, including the diamond shape commonly known as the ‘diamond nine’. The team last flew its seven-aircraft fleet for the 2022 season after two pilots departed ahead of schedule amid complaints of inappropriate behavior and a ‘toxic culture’.
The Red Arrows began using the Hawk T1 in 1979, transitioning from the Folland Gnat to the new aircraft at its founding. From then until the mid-2010s, the Hawk T1 was also used by the RAF for advanced pilot training. The RAF is considering options to replace the Hawk T2 ahead of schedule due to reliability issues, but this mission has now been handed over to the Hawk T2.
There have been hints that the deal to replace the Hawk T2 would also include scope for a replacement for the Red Arrows’ Hawk T1, but this will depend on the final deal signed.
Saab, Boeing and BAE Systems present the T-7 Red Hawk for the UK’s fast jet trainer fleet.
Ahead of the expected race to replace the RAF’s Hawk T2, Saab, Boeing and BAE Systems have signed an LOI to collaborate on a pilot training system centered on the T-7 Red Hawk.
https://t.co/WtufMYzjZP— The Aviation Expert (@TheAviationist) November 18, 2025
Historically, the Red Arrows flew British-designed and built jets that were sold as a sales pitch for British industry. This arrangement would be unlikely to survive aircraft replacement. Any new options will almost certainly be of overseas design, with the best-case scenario being local manufacturing and use of UK components.
Aeralis’ ambitious UK-wide proposal to build a modular jet trainer has fallen to the Executive without a clear mandate to sustain it. Although novel, the company’s product was launched into an already crowded market without a proven track record of aircraft production or physical demonstrations.
american tour
As part of the upcoming 2026 season, the Red Arrows will undertake a tour of the United States known as Operation Eagle Hawk 2026. This will allow the team to participate in several air shows, including the International Aerial Review, scheduled to be held in New York on July 4th as part of the celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.
🔴⚪️🔵 The Red Arrows will present a series of spectacular exhibitions in the United States this summer to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence. The tour is part of a 2026 program that includes dozens of events across the UK and mainland Europe: https://t.co/Lla3DAHwCf pic.twitter.com/SBshVNME1J
— Red Arrows (@rafredarrows) May 17, 2026
The decision to proceed with the tour amid tensions between the United States and its European allies, particularly threats to Denmark’s Greenlandic territory, sparked controversy among the British public. Although the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) has now been cancelled, there are still many other venues across the UK where the Red Arrows were expected to perform but have had to cancel due to their transatlantic tour.
