The Royal Worldwide Air Tattoo delighted crowds with an unimaginable variety of fashionable plane, together with for the primary time the RAF E-7 Wedgetail AEW1.
The most recent within the collection of Airborne Early Warning and Management (AEW&C) plane for the Royal Air Pressure, the E-7 Wedgetail AEW1 took to the skies over RIAT on Saturday for its public debut. Flanked by the Pink Arrows show crew, the plane roared into Fairford’s skies, earlier than performing a contact and go touchdown for the watching crowds. The RAF’s sole Wedgetail then returned to Birmingham Airport the place take a look at and analysis trials proceed.
Programme Director for the E-7 Programme, Group Captain Osselton, said:
“The Wedgetail look at RIAT not solely reinforces the exhausting work and collaboration of all these contributing to the mission but in addition displays the significance of delivering the subsequent era of airborne surveillance and management capabilities to help the RAF’s operational effectiveness within the years to return.”
RAF’s E-7 Wedgetail debut at RIAT pic.twitter.com/exyErLojk1
— Brian Everstine (@beverstine) July 19, 2025
The Wedgetail has been the main target of serious media consideration in latest weeks, owing to business delays pushing supply into 2026, vital adjustments to American coverage in the direction of manned AEW&C plane, and the announcement from the British Authorities that extra Wedgetails are more likely to be procured within the close to future.
This might seemingly enhance the fleet from a deliberate order of three to 5, going together with what the RAF recommends for a minimal viable functionality. The RAF expects to function these plane from RAF Lossiemouth alongside the fleet of 9 Poseidon MRA1 already based mostly there, as the 2 plane share the identical base aeroplane.
The Wedgetail’s unveiling is the centrepiece to this 12 months’s RIAT theme of ‘Eyes within the Sky’, celebrating the function that aviation performs in surveillance missions of many differing kinds. Plane attending, each civilian and navy, represented the important thing areas of airborne surveillance, together with AEW&C, maritime patrol, search and rescue, reconnaissance and indicators intelligence.
Underneath this theme, the French Armée de l’Air et de l’Eespace despatched an E-3F Sentry AWACS for the static show, representing the final 30 years of western AEW&C plane. The Sentry has been on the core of western air campaigns for the reason that 1991 Gulf Battle, with different variants flying for the UK, USA and NATO, over its lengthy service life.
The French E-3F had just lately been deployed to watch Ukrainian air area, following the temporary pause in American intelligence sharing that passed off earlier within the 12 months. It was revealed just lately on the Paris Air Present that the E-3F might be changed by the Saab GlobalEye, an plane of rising reputation worldwide.
Alongside the air drive, the Marine Nationale despatched a fairly uncommon aeroplane, the Bréguet Atlantique 2 (ATL2) maritime patrol plane, which placed on a beautiful air show. The plane is used to guard the navy’s SSBN nuclear submarines from being tracked by adversarial submarines and transport. To this finish the plane comes outfitted with a big bomb bay for carrying each sonar buoys and Exocet anti-ship missiles.
In the course of the show the plane opened the bay doorways to disclose a dummy Exocet to the gang, earlier than it continued its low altitude passes alongside the flightline. Anticipated to remain in service till at the very least 2035, the ATL2 was my private spotlight of Sunday’s shows owing to its gradual velocity making pictures a lot simpler.
USAF Surprises
RIAT 2025 included a shocking assortment of plane from the USA Air Pressure, with plane arriving from RAF Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall and the continental United States. The Individuals all the time convey numerous nice plane to the RIAT flightline with a single F-15E, two F-35As and a wide range of transport plane from the nation’s UK bases. These had been additionally joined by three stunning rarities that made this occasion a should go to.
Displaying to the crowds with the distinctive roar of its engine was the Lockheed U-2S, also referred to as the Dragon Woman. The Dragon Woman might not have been named for the sound that its engine makes on takeoff, however it’s a becoming moniker given the virtually Vulcan-like noise it’s able to producing. Initially designed for top altitude photograph reconnaissance missions overflying the Soviet Union (USSR), the plane proved to be fairly useful through the low stage shows over Fairford. Credit score to the pilot as this straight winged glider-like plane is reportedly a tough buyer to fly at the very best of occasions.
🇺🇸 U-2 out at #RIAT25 as we speak.
Residing close to to Fairford I’ve posted a variety of movies of the U-2 over time together with the observe for RIAT just a few weeks in the past.
Would recognise that sound now wherever! 🐲 pic.twitter.com/upOC6Uq2Yc
— Planes Out The Window ✈️ (@window_planes) July 19, 2025
Taking to the skies for the primary time in 1955, the U-2 might be 70 years outdated this 12 months, making it one of many oldest plane around the globe nonetheless in service. Two are based mostly at RAF Fairford offering the USA Air Pressure with expeditionary air surveillance capabilities which will be deployed globally.
Touchdown mandates the deployment of a chase automotive with one other U-2 pilot within the passenger seat giving indications to the pilot of the descending plane. The chase automotive radio operator calls out the plane’s top above the bottom in order that the pilot can induce a stall on the right second and safely land the plane on the bottom. These manoeuvres can be very troublesome with out the chase automotive, owing to the restricted view that pilots have from their cockpits. The top of the air show gave us a terrific view of the chase automotive following the Dragon Woman down the runway, which was a improbable alternative to witness.
Becoming a member of the U-2S on the static was the Rockwell B-1B Lancer, the USAF’s premier supersonic bomber. It’s an imposing determine on the flight line, attracting a variety of consideration from onlookers on the bottom; the RAF hasn’t had an analogous functionality for the reason that Nineteen Eighties.
Able to carrying 50,000 kilos of payload to a goal, the Lancer had previously been part of the US’ nuclear triad, nevertheless these capabilities had been eliminated following the tip of the Chilly Battle. As an alternative, these bombers deploy within the standard bombing function, working throughout most USAF deployments during the last 30 years. The Lancer is moreover deployed in present of drive missions, the place the sight of an American strategic bomber close to a nation’s border acts as a stern warning to keep away from pointless battle with the USA and its allies.
My absolute favorite American plane to look at RIAT was the behemoth of a transport aircraft referred to as the C-5M Tremendous Galaxy. It’s an absolute monster when it comes to its dimension and payload capability, with it able to carrying as much as six whole AH-64 Apache Gunships in a single flight.
The Galaxy represents the sheer scale of American logistical capabilities, with the plane being integral to America’s international navy presence. This visualisation of the American logistics chain is a powerful sight at the very best of occasions, however the variety of individuals that might match into the cargo bay was an awe-inspiring picture. Actually a spotlight of the weekend.
Lockheed C-5M Tremendous Fred into RIAT 2025 😍 The Royal Worldwide Air Tattoo #RIAT2025 pic.twitter.com/qBqvjtz6Yf
— Abbasi (@MohammedAbbasi) July 16, 2025
Guests From Abroad
This weekend noticed visits from some noticeable abroad individuals, bringing with them numerous uncommon and extremely adorned plane. The Egyptian Air Pressure is a primary time participant to RIAT, now the 59th participant nation to participate within the aviation celebration.
They introduced with them a really uncommon AN-74T Coaler transport plane, initially designed by Antonov within the USSR, now Ukraine, as a Quick Take off and Touchdown (STOL) transporter. It’s designed to maneuver cargo and passengers to unprepared strips, too quick for conventional plane, and was initially meant for chilly climate operations with the choice of becoming of skis.
The Egyptian Air Pressure at present operates three plane and is one in every of solely three navy operators worldwide, together with each Iran and Turkmenistan. This makes it a particularly distinctive plane to grace Fairford.
🇵🇰 JF-17 Thunder Wins “Spirit of the Meet” at RIAT 2025! 🇵🇰
PAF’s JF-17 has been awarded the distinguished Spirit of the Meet Trophy for its placing livery and the unimaginable journey from Pakistan, made doable via continuous Air-to-Air Refueling (AAR). pic.twitter.com/s15vVwfcJF
— Tipu Creativity (@Tipu_Creativity) July 18, 2025
The Pakistani Air Pressure has made a major contribution to RIAT, bringing with them numerous thrilling plane. Making its RIAT debut is a pair of JF-17C Thunder multirole fighters, collectively developed by Pakistan and China. This plane warranted its personal article as a consequence of its involvement in a latest aerial skirmish with India and its profitable of a RIAT ‘Spirit of the Meet’ award, which will be examine right here. The JF-17 is one in every of only a few fashionable and efficient 4th era multirole plane, making its go to to Fairford one in every of eager curiosity for followers of aviation.
#PakistanAirForce C-130 Hercules wins the Concours d’Magnificence Trophy at #RIAT2025 in the UK (UK)#Pakistan #PAF #RIAT #ISPR pic.twitter.com/IhoXKDOmoi
— Pakistan Armed Forces Information 🇵🇰 (@PakistanFauj) July 19, 2025
For individuals who keep in mind the Covid occasions and the unlucky cancellation of the 2020 and 2021 air exhibits, the JF-17 was proven, in a restricted style, in movies made by the PAF for the Digital Air Tattoo that passed off in RIAT’s stead. RIAT organisers the Royal Air Pressure Charitable Belief organized for video recordings to be constructed from a wide range of air forces worldwide to display plane that they wish to come to Fairford when Covid restrictions had been lifted. 5 years later, their promise has now been fulfilled, and boy was it value it.
The PAF additionally despatched two transport plane, an Ilyushin Il-78 Midas aerial refueling tanker and a specifically adorned Lockheed C-130E Hercules. The Il-78 was a shock to many because it was introduced in to help the deployment of the 2 JF-17 fighters midway around the globe.
Designed because the USSR’s first devoted air-to-air tanker, the Il-78’s utilized by Pakistan had been purchased from Ukraine and refurbished, changing into the only tanker plane utilized by the PAF. The Midas can refuel three plane directly utilising the probe and drogue technique, with pods in place on every wing and a single pod beneath the fuselage. Curiously the Indian Air Pressure additionally operates the Il-78, with these plane purchased from the Russian Federation.
The C-130E despatched by Pakistan had an unimaginable paint scheme emblazoned with the picture of an eagle on the entrance fuselage close to the cockpit, and a adorned tail artwork depicting present and future PAF fighters alongside different components of the community that Pakistan makes use of to coordinate air defence. It was carried out celebrating the ‘Eyes within the Sky’ theme and deservingly it received a prestigious RIAT award because of this.
Alongside the newcomers to RIAT, this 12 months noticed the return of the Royal Jordanian Air Pressure, a stalwart of RIAT air shows. They as soon as once more despatched their Royal Jordanian Falcons aerobatics crew to participate within the air shows throughout the weekend flying the Further 330LX plane. Curiously, the plane are owned by Royal Jordanian Airways, while the pilots of the 4 plane are RJAF officers.
They had been supported at Fairford by a nicely adorned C-130H named ‘Guts Airline’ which is a typical incidence at RIAT. This time it sported the placing picture of a Falcon sporting a shemagh, highlighting its function as a Royal Jordanian Falcons help plane, which I believed appeared extraordinarily cool. The RJAF is a agency pal of the air tattoo, and I look ahead to seeing what they create subsequent 12 months.
Portuguese Merlin #RIAT2025 pic.twitter.com/MoielhgY9Y
— Adventures of an Aviation Nut (@Aircraft_Nutter) July 22, 2025
Air Shows Galore
The air shows at RIAT are all the time a spotlight, and this 12 months was no exception. A trio of Typhoons from the RAF, the Spanish Air Pressure and the Italian Air Pressure all proved the sheer brilliance of this fighter in its prime. Becoming a member of them had been shows from F-16s operated by the Polish Air Pressure and the Royal Danish Air Pressure, with the latter performing for the final time at RIAT. The Danish F-16, painted in a improbable particular scheme, made its final air show on Sunday, ending its efficiency with a water cannon salute on the runway. Denmark’s final F-16s might be heading on for a second life with the Ukrainian Air Pressure while Denmark re-equips with F-35As.
The Danish F-16 including a pop of color to a gray sky on Friday @airtattoo pic.twitter.com/1INEJKtbKH
— Caroline Haycock (@Caz801) July 22, 2025
The Pink Arrows had been joined by the Frecce Tricolori, the Royal Jordanian Falcons and the Royal Navy’s Black Cats because the 4 predominant show groups of the RIAT weekend. The Pink Arrows surprised as typical, with high-speed shut proximity passes alongside their bigger nine-ship formations. In addition they made historical past performing their shows utilizing sustainable aviation gasoline for the primary time, which will be examine right here. This follows the RAF Storm show plane which carried out on sustainable aviation gasoline at RIAT 2024.
Pink Arrows having a little bit of a whoosh at #RIAT2025 on Friday. I occurred to be standing in a really beneficial place 🙂 pic.twitter.com/ywLFHbh1sV
— Jo Brodie (@JoBrodie) July 19, 2025
The Frecce Tricolori took off with a particularly vibrant show, firing out the colors of the Italian nationwide flag of their jet exhausts, trying spectacular. The Frecce Tricolori are celebrating their sixty fifth anniversary show season this 12 months, with this being one in every of their final performances with the Aermacchi MB-339 coach plane. They may quickly be transferring to the extra fashionable Leonardo T-346 Grasp superior jet coach.
The Italian Airforce at #RIAT2025. pic.twitter.com/jiIFqnTXnL
— A-129 Mangusta (@NichoConcu) July 20, 2025
Talking of the Grasp, the Italian Air Pressure despatched two examples to RIAT to participate within the air shows, with one flying solo and the opposite partaking in a duet with the world’s solely flying Fiat G.91R. Designed to fulfil NATO’s requirement for a light-weight strike fighter following the Korean Battle, the G.91 received the competitors and went on to serve into the Nineteen Nineties.
The G.91 was the second plane sort for the Frecce Tricolori show crew, being preceded by the North American F-86 Sabre. This show by the Grasp and the Fiat was a delight, showcasing each the previous and the way forward for the Frecce Tricolori in the identical formation. It was a improbable spotlight to this 12 months’s present.
One of many last shows of the present was a efficiency from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, that includes a Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane and the UK’s sole flying Avro Lancaster bomber. The Lancaster and the BBMF have been a relentless performer at RIAT, and it’s only becoming that the present ended with a trio of plane with such lengthy standing historic significance.
It’s been a improbable day right here at @airtattoo, and we’ve simply had as we speak’s Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane show 😍✈️
We might be again once more tomorrow with one other show, and on the bottom throughout the RAF Expertise Zone and on the Heritage Nook! #RIAT2025 pic.twitter.com/vtJ4kXFX1x
— RAF BBMF (@RAFBBMF) July 19, 2025
Fourth Technology Fighters
Fourth era fighters are one of many greatest appeals that RIAT has for its many many followers, with a whole bunch of 1000’s of individuals queuing up for hours simply to see these plane in individual. Right here we’ll focus on a few of these plane and the nations they arrive from, highlighting the internationalism on the core of RIAT.
The Czech Air Pressure made one other look at Fairford this 12 months with its JAS-39C Gripen, though it was not in a position to carry out as a consequence of an damage sustained by the pilot within the week previous to the air present. This plane got here from 211 Tacticka Letka (211th Tactical Squadron) which relies at Caslav Air Base in Czechia.
Regardless of the unavailability of the air show, it was nice to see such a improbable trying plane up shut on the static in a terrific particular scheme. The Czech Gripen is at present set to retire in 2027 though there are ongoing discussions about holding them in service till the arrival of the F-35.
As an alternative of the C variant, the gang was in a position to see the most recent JAS-39E Gripen flown by Saab within the air show. The Gripen E is to be flown by the Swedish, Brazilian, Thai, Colombian and now the Peruvian Air Forces.
The Polish Air Pressure and the Belgian Air Pressure each introduced with them F-16s for the static show. Poland nonetheless depends on an honest variety of former Warsaw Pact plane, such because the Mig-29 Fulcrum and the Su-22 Fritter, alongside its fleet of extra fashionable F-16Cs. Nonetheless, these plane are on their method out, changed by newer FA-50 gentle fighters from South Korea and the F-35 Lightning II.
A lot of Poland’s Mig-29s have already been despatched to Ukraine and it’s seemingly that the remainder of the fleet will observe when Poland receives extra F-35s to switch them. Equally, Belgium is adopting the F-35 with its F-16s additionally earmarked for Ukraine, alongside these flown by the Danes.
Final 12 months noticed the fiftieth anniversary of the F-16, and a lot of F-16s from all around the world had been delivered to RIAT for one of many final nice meets of the plane. The F-16 Combating Falcon is without doubt one of the most iconic fighter jets of all time and it was nice to see these two on the static show.
RIAT 2025 🇬🇧 331 ΜΟΙΡΑ «THISEAS»Hellenic Airforce 🇬🇷 #Mirage2000_5 #Dash_5 pic.twitter.com/H4kzSkKF0r
— AegeanDeltas331® (@AegeanDeltas331) July 19, 2025
Alongside the Gripens and the F-16s, the Hellenic Air Pressure despatched a pair of Dassault Mirage 2000-5 plane for the static show. These plane have been flown by Greece for the reason that Nineteen Eighties, with the modernised variations ending their deliveries in 2007.
They’re nonetheless extraordinarily succesful platforms, solely surpassed by the Rafale, which Greece can also be shopping for alongside an order of American F-35s. These plane are flown by 331 Mira ‘Thiseas’ working historically over the Aegean Sea.
General, RIAT 2025 was a improbable present with extra plane and air forces collaborating than will be talked about in simply this text. While these are simply among the highlights of the weekend there have been many extra to select from. RIAT stays one of many greatest and greatest airshows around the globe and it’s a improbable alternative for these which might be in a position to go to.
RIAT is about extra than simply the plane, it’s a image of the united pleasure that aviation brings every participant whether or not within the crowd or within the sky. Each plane that’s despatched to the UK to participate is an emblem of friendship between nations and peoples that’s shaped by this shared feeling. It’s this that makes the Air Tattoo as particular as it’s.
Roll on 2026.
That’s a wrap on @airtattoo 2025, the weekend has flown by – see you subsequent 12 months 👋
What had been your highlights?#RIAT25 #RIAT pic.twitter.com/LJg9SOSSpb
— Royal Air Pressure (@RoyalAirForce) July 20, 2025
