Defence chiefs have signed a £9million deal paving the way for a Red Arrows replacement plane.
In July last year we revealed the RAF’s display team could, for the first time, be forced to fly foreign jets when their current Hawks are retired in 2030.
But now the Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with Bristol-based Aeralis as a down-payment on a new generation of aircraft.
The £9million deal will give the MoD access to digital engineering support and data which could, in turn, lead to the firm producing a “family” of light military aircraft.
Sources say they would be the first fully British designed, engineered and manufactured military jets since the Hawk, originally made by Hawker Siddeley, came into service in 1976.
It is thought all will have the same fuselage and cockpit but noses, wings and tails will be different depending on whether they are to be flown with a pilot or remotely.
Variants are expected to include a fast jet trainer.
An industry source said: “It’s good to see we have finally started investing in and supporting British aircraft.
“This announcement shows how UK engineering can provide a flexible and affordable approach on the global stage while making the Red Arrows cost-effective in times of challenging budgets.”
Aeralis boss Tristan Crawford said: “This contract is another step towards rejuvenating our ability to develop whole aircraft.
“We are the only UK company taking this pioneering digital engineering approach.”
The technology developed by Aeralis will also be used in the UK’s Tempest project to build a replacement for the RAF Typhoon.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced last week that the Britain would partner Japan and Italy on the programme, officially known as the Future Combat Air System.
Welcoming the deal with Aeralis, MoD director of Future Combat Air Richard Berthon said: “The learning
we will get from Aeralis will support digital engineering across our FCAS enterprise, giving us the information we need to make decisions as this programme progresses.”
Top Gun aces blazing a trail across skies since 1965
When the Red Arrows formed in 1965, the air aces used the Folland Gnat – the two-seat aircraft then used for the RAF’s advanced pilot training.
In 1979, the team began flying Hawks, which were the planes used to train rookie Top Gun pilots at No4 Flying Training School at RAF Valley on Anglesey in Wales.
But the famous Hawk planes are due to be replaced in 2030.
Typhoon and F35-B Lightning II fighter jets are thought to be unsuitable replacements for the small, agile, highly manoeuvrable Hawk, whose pilots perform breathtaking 350mph stunts and fly just feet apart in tight formations.
The United States Navy display team, the Blue Angels, fly American-made F/A-18 Hornets. France’s Patrouille de France display unit uses the Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet, manufactured jointly by France and Germany.
