Former RAF pilots demand the Red Arrows are assured a British designed & built aircraft

26 April 2026

The front page of today’s Sunday Express features a clear and unequivocal demand from former Red Arrows pilots that the team’s future aircraft must be designed and built in Britain.

The former Reds have launched a Parliamentary petition stating how the choice of replacement aircraft has a significant bearing on issues far beyond air displays, namely that an aircraft designed and built in Britain for the future Red Arrows tells the nation and allies around the world that the UK has the ingenuity, engineering capability, and determination to develop and display high-end aircraft.

As such, this is a once in a generation opportunity to rebuild the UK’s soft power, protecting the nation’s ability to develop and operate military equipment when and where it is needed, creating high-value UK jobs and generating high value exports to deliver essential economic growth.

As the only British-designed jet trainer programme, AERALIS’s modular aircraft system will deliver both a sovereign aircraft for the Red Arrows and the UK, whilst also delivering aircraft variants for export markets using a common system, delivering jobs and economic growth for the UK whilst also strengthening air combat capability with partners and allies around the world.

If you agree this matters, we encourage you to support the petition calling for a British designed and built replacement aircraft for the Red Arrows.