RED ARROWS HEROES FLYING FOREIGN JETS!

THE RED ARROWS may use foreign-built jets for the first time after government "dither and delay" in picking a replacement plane tipped the balance to US firms.

- EXCLUSIVE BY JAMES KNUCKEY

The prospect of the iconic RAF display team having to fly an overseas craft was blasted by experts last night.

Sources claimed that defence chiefs are biased towards major US companies since they are seen as lower risk.

Meanwhile, the long and costly process put in place by Labour to replace the aces’ ageing Hawk jet may well sideline British aircraft makers.

Insiders say a protracted competition is likely, with the firm behind the only UK-designed-and-built option forced to instead seek opportunities abroad as a result. The Red Arrows, which fly the British flag in performances around the world, are one of the UK’s strongest “soft power” assets.

Mike Turner, former chief executive of defence giant BAE Systems, which built the Hawk, said that the idea of the team using a foreign aircraft is “absolutely nonsense”.

Former Red Arrows pilot Andy Wyatt agreed with his verdict, saying: “Whenever and wherever we flew, the Red Arrows carried more than smoke trails and precision formation aerobatics across the sky. We carried a message.

“As pilots, we were acutely aware that we represented the very best of the Royal Air Force but also something broader British engineering, British innovation and British confidence on the world stage.

"Flying a British-built aircraft has always been a source of pride, not nostalgia. It sends a clear message to allies, partners and potential customers that the UK still designs, builds and believes in its own aerospace future.

"Airshows may be theatre but they are also soft power, trade promotion and national branding rolled into one."

Red Arrows’ Hawk T1s, which are due to go out of service in March 2030, have been flown by the team at displays since 1980.