Red Arrows

Red Arrows
Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team
Red Arrows badge
Active1964 (1964) – present
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
RoleAerobatic display team
Size11 pilots
100 engineering & support staff
Part ofNo. 1 Group
Home stationRAF Waddington[1]
Nickname(s)"The Reds"
Motto(s)Éclat (French for 'Excellence')
ColoursRed, white and blue
WebsiteOfficial website
Commanders
Officer Commanding Wing Commander Adam Collins
Team Leader (Red 1) Squadron Leader Jon Bond
Display Supervisor (Red 10) Squadron Leader Graeme Muscat
Senior Engineer Squadron Leader Andy King
Aircraft flown
TrainerHawk T1A
The RAF Red Arrows depart the 2014 Royal International Air Tattoo, England, in a colour scheme that commemorates their 50th year.

The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, is the aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force (RAF) based at RAF Waddington.[1] The team was formed in late 1964 as an all-Royal Air Force team, replacing a number of unofficial teams that had been sponsored by RAF commands.

The Red Arrows have a prominent place in British popular culture, with their aerobatic displays a fixture of British summer events.[2] The badge of the Red Arrows shows the aircraft in their trademark diamond nine formation, with the motto Éclat, a French word meaning "brilliance" or "excellence".

The four published roles of the Red Arrows are:

  • Representing and showcasing the skills and values of the Royal Air Force
  • Supporting British industry
  • Assisting in defence diplomacy
  • Aiding recruitment for the UK Armed Forces

Initially, they were equipped with seven Folland Gnat trainers inherited from the RAF Yellowjacks display team. This aircraft was chosen because it was less expensive to operate than front-line fighters. In their first season, they flew at 65 shows across Europe. In 1966, the team was increased to nine members, enabling them to develop their Diamond Nine formation. In late 1979, they switched to the BAE Hawk trainer. The Red Arrows have performed over 4,800 displays in 57 countries worldwide.[3]

The team is currently and publicly celebrating their 60th Diamond Season in 2024, with an anniversary decal applied to the fuselage and fin, as well as a special 'anniversary break' manoeuvre being included in the display.

  1. ^ a b "RAF Red Arrows move to new Lincolnshire home". raf.mod.uk. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  2. ^ "Why everyone loves the Red Arrows". BBC. 10 April 2017. Archived from the original on 20 February 2009.
  3. ^ "Red Arrows - Royal Air Force". www.raf.mod.uk. Archived from the original on 3 July 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2018.