The Red Arrows are set to fly with seven aircraft for most displays this summer rather than the usual nine.
The change comes as the fleet, formally the RAF Aerobatic team, transitions ‘to a future aircraft type’.
All nine Hawk T1 jets will still take to the skies for their annual flypast for the King’s Birthday in June.
A full formation is also expected when the Red Arrows cross the pond for the July 4 250th anniversary celebrations in the US.
The ageing fleet has performed nearly 4,000 displays across the globe.
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Substantial maintenance is now required to keep the famous aerobatic aircraft flying, with critical components such as engines becoming harder to come by.
They are now set to be replaced by 2030 after the Conservative government extended their out-of-service date in 2021.
It’s not the first time the fleet has flown in a formation of seven, having previously done so during the 1960s and again in 2012 and 2022.
The Red Arrows are in Greece this weekend for the 85th anniversary of the Battle of Crete in Chania.
They will then travel to Torbay for the English Riviera Airshow before heading north for the Midlands Air Festival.
A spokesperson for the RAF said: ‘The Red Arrows are the pride of the nation, known globally for their world-class precision, speed, and teamwork.
‘The Red Arrows will fly in a nine-aircraft formation for HM The King’s Birthday Flypast and the 4th of July 250 Commemorations in the USA this year.
‘For other displays, they will operate with seven aircraft, continuing to deliver high-quality, engaging displays at air shows and events across the UK, mainland Europe and further afield.
‘This will support the sustainable management of the Hawk T1 fleet and prepare the team for a transition to a future aircraft type.’
Where are the Red Arrows this summer?
May 24 – Crete, Greece
May 29-30 – English Riviera Airshow, Torbay
May 30-31 – Midlands Air Festival
June 4 – Isle of Man TT Races
June 6 – Gassed on track, Silverstone
June 13 – HM The King’s Official Birthday Flypast, London
June 14 – RAF Cosford Airshow
June 27-28 – Sail 250 Maryland & Airshow Baltimore, Maryland, United States
July 4 – International Aerial Review New York City, United States – flypast
July 5-6 – FourLeaf Air Show, Jones Beach, New York, United States
July 11-12 – Great State of Maine Airshow, Brunswick Executive Airport, Maine, United States
July 17-19 – Thunder Over Michigan Air Show, Willow Run Airport, Ypsilanti, Michigan, United States
July 24-26 – EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, Wisconsin, United States
August 14-16 – Eastbourne International Airshow
August 16 – Lyme Regis, RNLI Lifeboat Week
August 19 – Cromer carnival and air display, Norfolk
August 22-23 – Swedish Air Force 100-Year Anniversary Show 2026, Linkoping, Sweden
August 27-28 – Clacton Air Show
August 29 – Sidmouth Regatta and air show
September 4-5 – International Ayr Show Festival of Flight, Ayr, Scotland
September 9 – Guernsey air display
September 10 – Jersey international air display
September 12 – IWM Duxford Battle of Britain Air Show, Cambridge
September 13 – tbc
September 19-20 – NATO days in Ostrava, Czechia
September 29 – Le Touquet airshow, France
October 4 – IWM Duxford flying finale
Royal International Air Tattoo cancelled
Meanwhile, the air force was forced to cancel this year’s Royal International Air Tattoo due to the geopolitical situation in the Middle East.
The RAF Air Cadets HQ said it would not be ‘safe’ or ‘possible’ to perform the annual airshow with increased missions operating from RAF Fairford and the force needing to be on standby around the clock.
It said: ‘We understand that this news will cause a great deal of concern, disappointment, and frustration for many of you. RIAT is the absolute highlight of the year for so many of our cadets and adult volunteers, and we know just how much passion, time, and meticulous planning our community had already poured into preparing for this summer’s event.
‘To see that hard work halted so close to the event is deeply upsetting for all of us.’
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