The UK Royal Air Force (RAF) Red Arrows aerobatic display team has cancelled its annual oversea training deployment due to the coronavirus, and will review its air display commitments for the 2020 season.
The Red Arrows would normally decamp to Greece ahead of the air show season to hone their skills in the good weather conditions. This will not now happen due to the coronavirus, and the team’s air show commitments for the year will be reviewed as the situation becomes clearer. (Crown Copyright)
The decision, announced by the RAF on 24 March, will see the BAE Systems Hawk T1-based display team remain at their homebase of RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire when they would normally decamp to Greece over the coming weeks to take advantage of the good weather conditions.
“Given the current restrictions in the UK and many European partner nations to contain the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, the decision has been taken not to send the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows, overseas for work-up training this year,” the RAF said in a statement.
While the RAF said that the Red Arrows would continue their workup for the national and international summer air show season in the UK, it noted that “2020 will clearly not be a normal campaign”.
According to the service’s statement, updates will be given as the details of the Red Arrows’ commitment to displays this season becomes clearer.
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