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The Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) will highlight specialised aircraft used for intelligence, surveillance, maritime patrol, search and rescue, surveying and reconnaissance at next year's show.
This exciting new theme is a unique opportunity to allow you to get up close and personal with specialist aircraft that usually operate out of sight given the nature of their missions.
RIAT25 will take place on the 18th, 19th and 20th July at RAF Fairford, also marking 40 years since the world-renowned show made its way to Gloucestershire after being established at North Weald and then taking place at Greenham Common. We'd love you to join us to celebrate this and our RIAT25 theme ─ Eyes in the Skies.
Continuing on the SAR theme, we're pleased that Historic Helicopters
will bring their
Whirlwind and Wessex helicopters
to RIAT 2025.
The current plan is for these two aircraft to arrive on Friday, and then join the static displays on Saturday & Sunday.
The German Army will return to RIAT with their NH90 Tactical Transport Helicopters
- one for the flying display
and one available for closer inspection on static display.
Finally this week, two more static display additions as part of our Eyes in the Skies theme.
Firstly from Italy, we'll welcome a Piaggio P.166C which is operated in civilian hands but painted in authentic Italian Air Force colours. We're also welcoming the Catalina, based at Duxford,
This week, with members of our team away in Prague attending the European Airshow Council Convention, it seems very appropriate to announce the Czech Air Force's participation in RIAT25!
Firstly, we're very pleased to see their W-3 Sokol helicopter perform in the flying display. When we last saw it perform at RIAT in 2022 the squadron flew one of their camouflaged helicopters, so this year we'll be asking them to bring an airframe painted in their Red/White SAR colour scheme.
This may be the last time we see the Sokol in the UK,
with the type planned to be withdrawn from Czech Air Force use in the coming years.
In addition to the Sokol, the Czechs will contribute two aircraft to the static displays:
an L-159 ALCA and LET 410FG.
The participation of the LET 410G will be a highlight for aviation enthusiasts as this airframe,
with a glass nose to enable aerial photography, is a rare machine and very appropriate for our Eyes in the Skies theme!
Finally, those of you attending the arrivals and departures days will see their CASA C-295 transport aircraft operating as a support aircraft (it is not intended to be present over the show days).
Of note, the Czech Air Force also hopes to send their SAAB Gripen to perform in the flying display - however, this will not be able to be fully confirmed until early May -
hence it is not included on our participation list for now.
This week we start with confirmations from the Spanish Air & Space Force,
including a rarely seen fast jet solo display.
We're very pleased to welcome their C.16 Tifón (aka Eurofighter Typhoon)
to perform in the flying display at RIAT25, which we haven't seen here since 2016.
In addition to the Tifón, as part of our Eyes in the Skies theme,
they'll also be sending one of their Sikorsky S-76C helicopters,
used for Search and Rescue, for static display which is also an excellent addition to the show.
Continuing the SAR theme we have two civilian additions to the static display.
Firstly, a German Huey, now flown in civilian hands but still in military SAR markings.
These helicopters were frequent participants in Air Tattoos in the 1990s and 2000s, so we're looking forward to hearing the iconic sound of the Huey back at RAF Fairford.
In addition, we're very excited that Channel Islands Air Search are joining us with their Britten-Norman Islander.
CIAS are a charity organisation that provides fixed-wing search and rescue cover in the English Channel surrounding Jersey and Guernsey, so their red and white aircraft will be a very interesting addition to RIAT25.
We start this week's update with confirmation from the
Belgian Air Force of two aircraft to join our static displays.
Firstly, we're pleased to welcome one of their F-16 Fighting Falcons to RIAT25. The plan is that this will be a twin-stick F-16BM airframe from the Operational Conversion Unit, specifically FB-24 which has a specially painted tail, serviceability dependant of course.
In addition, we'll also be seeing one of their Airbus A400M Atlas transport aircraft on static display.
Whilst the A400M has visited RAF Fairford previously in a support capacity, this will be the first time we've had a Belgian A400M on static display at the show,
and we're sure the crew from 20 Squadron will give those who visit the aircraft a very warm welcome.
The current plan is that both Belgian aircraft will arrive on Friday 18th July and be parked at the western end of the showground.
We're also pleased to be welcoming a new aircraft type from the Hungarian Air Force,
with their Airbus H225M
confirmed to participate on static display.
This week we've continued conversations with several European Air Arms about RIAT participation which we hope to confirm in the coming weeks.
We are also hoping to receive our formal confirmation of Royal Air Force flying display participation in the coming weeks too.
Also this week we're pleased to announce another flying display debut:
We're pleased to be welcoming a pair of Black Hawk helicopters from Sweden
to RIAT for the first time!
Known as the Hkp16 in Swedish service, but more commonly known as the UH-60,
one aircraft will be performing in the flying display
and the other example will be on static display at RIAT25.
Sadly this week we have been informed by the Portuguese Air Force
that the participation of their P-3C Orion has been cancelled
due to an "unforeseen operational commitment".
However, we are still looking forward to welcoming their Merlin helicopter to the show in July.
In addition to this week's confirmations, discussions have also continued with many other operators.
Specifically we've heard from our friends in Germany,
with a number of aircraft from their Air Force & Navy pencilled in to appear at RIAT25...
we hope to announce confirmed details of these aircraft next week.
We're pleased to welcome the German Navy back to RIAT, with one of their Westland Sea Lynx helicopters coming for static display.
A helicopter type we've not seen at the show in a number of years, this will likely be it's final RIAT appearance as the type approaches retirement from German service.
Not participating Air arms
Brazilian Air Force
Italian Navy,
Swiss Air Force
Turkish Air Force,Turkish Naval Forces,Turkish Land Forces
This week we were jumping for joy with the news that the Spanish Navy will once again be flying the iconic Harrier at RIAT25!
Known as the Matador II in Spanish service,
we're extremely lucky to have these iconic 'Jumper Jets' return to RAF Fairford again this year to perform in the flying display programme.
As per usual, they will be supported by a Cessna Citation aircraft.
Another welcome addition to the static aircraft displays this week, this time from the Slovak Air Force. They'll be sending their C-27J Spartan to the show once again, an interesting transport aircraft which will hopefully be open for visitors to climb onboard.
Four smaller contributions to the static displays come from civilian operators this week, with a pair of Chipmunks (both in RAF colours) and a pair of Soko Kraguj.
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, Merlin still on the programme. 
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