Will Red Arrows still fly the flag for Britain?

The Red Arrows entertain audiences around the world. But, with its current British-made jet thundering closer to its expiry date, could the team soon be flying foreign aircraft for the first time in its 62-year history?

They "represent British excellence", states retired Gp Capt Terry Holloway.

"By virtue of their flying skills, the Red Arrows would still show the world their excellence if they were to perform in foreign aircraft," he adds.

"But I can't help but feel they would half lose their purpose because they wouldn't, of course, be promoting British manufacturing."

The Hawk T1 - flown by the Red Arrows since 1980 - is due to go out of service in March 2030, with the race on to find a replacement.

In its 2025 Strategic Defence Review, the government set out its requirement for a "cost-effective, advanced trainer jet" to replace the Hawk T1 and its later variant, the T2. Both trainer jets are built by UK manufacturer BAE Systems.

Sam Wise, an aviation analyst at Janes, a defence intelligence company, points out that, within the RAF, only the Red Arrows retain the Hawk T1, with fast jet pilots currently trained on the Hawk T2.

Citing widely reported issues around the T2's availability, reliability and engine issues, Wise thinks it is unlikely the Ministry of Defence (MOD) would seek to modify that aircraft for use by the Red Arrows.

"It would be possible," he says. "But it's more likely the MOD would bring into service a new aircraft."

The MOD makes clear no decisions on procurement have been made.

According to Wise, so far the only UK-designed-and-built contender to replace the Hawk is the AERALIS jet, which would be manufactured in locations across England and completed in Scotland.

However, BAE Systems has told the BBC it is working with US manufacturer Boeing and Sweden's Saab to develop the T-7 jet into a replacement for the Hawk, with the aircraft - crucially - assembled in the UK.

The first Boeing T-7A Red Hawk training jet was inducted in to service with the US Air Force in January.

AERALIS says it is still developing its jet.

"Because it's not a tried and tested aircraft, and there is not an aircraft to actually see as yet, going down the AERALIS route would probably represent a bigger risk for the MOD," suggests Wise.

But buying an aircraft designed and built abroad would inevitably trigger strong emotions.

"There is, of course, an emotional side to that approach," says Wise. "The Red Arrows are aerial ambassadors for the UK military and industry."

Wise says in addition to the T7 and AERALIS trainer jets, there are several other aircraft that could reasonably be considered as a replacement for the Hawk including:

• M-346 Master by Leonardo (Italy)
• Hürjet by Turkish Aerospace Industries (Turkey)
• TF-50 by Korea Aerospace Industries and Lockheed Martin (US)

According to aviation website FlightGlobal, Leonardo has offered the UK final assembly of the M-346.

If the MOD was to opt for a foreign manufacturer, the Red Arrows - based at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire - would not be the only national aerobatics display team to do so.

Wise says: "Switzerland [Patrouille Suisse] use American F-5s, Spain [Patrulla Águila] is moving to the Swiss-made Pilatus PC-21, and France [Patrouille de France], are in the same position as the Red Arrows, with its Alpha jets needing replacing."

But Wise says the key point in any negotiations with a foreign aircraft manufacturer and its government would be where they are built.

"The UK, with its strong aviation heritage, would want them built here," he says. "And this would form part of the sell to the British public."

A BAE Systems spokesperson said: "Our joint proposal brings together three leading global defence primes at the heart of UK combat air capability and offers the UK a cost effective, capable and reliable solution that protects sovereign industrial skills, meets RAF requirements, and delivers economic and social benefits to the UK."

They said the company was "incredibly proud of the success of Hawk", adding the aircraft would "continue to be a cornerstone of global fast jet training for years to come".

The spokesperson added BAE Systems "continue to meet the RAF's daily flying hours requirements on the Hawk T2 and Red Arrows fleets in line with our contract".

In a statement, AERALIS confirmed it was "developing a British-designed-and-built light jet aircraft system for future RAF training and display roles".

It added the programme has been in development for several years and is "progressing towards first flight before the end of the decade".

In its response, an MOD spokesperson said: "The fast jet trainer programme is ongoing and no final procurement decisions have been made.

"More broadly, this government is backing British jobs, British industry, and British innovators. Since July 2024, we have signed 1,100 major contracts, with 84% of our annual spend going to British companies."

The BBC understands a decision on any future fast jet trainer will not be taken until after the publication of the delayed Defence Investment Plan, which is being finalised.

Meanwhile, Holloway, who spent most of his 34-year RAF career in engineering and logistics, says: "There seems to be a lot of dithering from the MOD regarding the replacement."

He added a warning that, in the current climate of "squeezed budgets", he believes a switch to a foreign-built aircraft could "call into question the relevance of the Red Arrows".

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