Whilst I've very much enjoyed the Red Arrows for many years, and thought that they were fantastic ambassadors for the whole of the UK, as well as the RAF, I'm beginning to wonder whether, in these cash-strapped times, they are value for money. I can't help at look at what the cost of running the team for a season might do if directed at helping Ukraine, for example. Yes, it would a great loss if they stopped performing for a time, but everyone in the UK is being asked to make cuts for the next two or three years, the country is essentially broke and there are more important things we need to spend our defence budget on.
I'm not suggesting they be permanently scrapped, just stood down for a time and the money redirected to where it might be better value to the taxpayer. Perhaps the team could then be re-instated when the country's finances are in better shape and the defence budget isn't being so heavily squeezed. This furlough period could be used to plan how to re-invent the team, address some of the issues that have plagued them in recent times and come back with a team that is as good, or better, than the existing one.