The government has announced that the Red Arrows will receive new aircraft as part of a £15 billion increase in military spending.
Under the UK’s Defense Investment Plan (DIP), the Ministry of Defense (MoD) has committed to investing £360 million in the development of a new “Britain Training System” which will include “new aircraft for the Red Arrows to replace aging Hawk aircraft.”
The team said last month it would fly fewer aircraft at most shows as it seeks to extend the life of the Hawk, which entered service in the 1980s.
Welcoming the announcement, former Red Arrows pilot Andy Wyatt said: “It provides much-needed confidence that the Hawk replacement process is finally moving forward.”
He said: “The aircraft chosen must meet the operational requirements of the Royal Air Force, but I hope equal weight will be given to supporting British engineering, protecting highly skilled jobs and preserving sovereign aerospace capabilities.
“The plane, carrying the famous red, white and blue smoke, should stand as a symbol for decades to come of the very best that Britain can design, build and support.”