Reds in 10 years time?

[BlackIsle]

Having enjoyed the reds flyby today I just wondered what they might be flying 10 years from now - what is the position with Hawk life and any future deliveries?

[Union Jack]

Desks, probably!:)

Jack

[Hangar_9]

perhaps todays "formation" was a glance at the future :rolleyes:
In other words wouldnt it be nice to see the Typhoons in use on a regular basis. let the General public see what there paying for :)

[GPMG]

http://www.links999.net/robotics/robots/images/UAV-Hellfire-Missile.jpg
:)

[Hangar_9]

would that mean airmen and aircrew alike could at last apply to fly those remote controlled beasts :rolleyes:

[harrogate]

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/519/Redbull_Flugtag.jpg

[Nige321]

4 posts before the Reds are slagged off... About normal:ugh:

The question has been asked before - I've yet to see a serious answer...

Sadly I suspect that once FIs get to a certain level, President Broon (or whoever is in no's 10 & 11) and the Politburo will 'Cut some costs' :{

N

[A2QFI]

Typical rubbish from a 90 year old = Plot Finder - who has obviously lost the plot!

[mr fish]

wishfull thinking ,but just like the blue angels and thunderbirds i would love to see our blokes in a proper loud jet. imagine 4+ typhoons in scarlet ripping up da place(street slang)!!!!

[BYALPHAINDIA]

No Comment After The Last 'Performance':ugh::*:rolleyes:

I have a memory like a 'microchip' lol:}

[dropintheoggin]

No Comment After The Last 'Performance'

Can you expand on that?

[harrogate]

The question has been asked before - I've yet to see a serious answer...


I don't doubt for a minute that RAFAT won't survive much beyond the lifespan of the Hawk T1s.

Maybe it'll be half a dozen Tucanos, as has been mentioned on here before.

[LBGR]

Diamond 9 of A330 Tankers!


With two in RAF colours, and seven in BA colours by the sound of things...

[cargosales]

Reds. .. Why the plural?

Gordo will have killed off any sense of a team long before 2018 :ugh:

[GPMG]

So the next time the 'Reds' fly over London will be the reformed USSR when they walk into a defenceless Britain in 10 years time?

[teeteringhead]

My spies tell me there have been "studies" on the engineering possibilities of extending a "small number" of Hawks to 2018 ........

..... go figure, but my money would be on a farewell season for the centenary........:ok:

[sluf goat]

10 years time, no problem, same old displays we have seen time and time again. There are after all only so many formations to try. Yawn.
Scrap the reds, money saved :D, and lets see the Vulcan again, now that would be top of the show !!!:)

[ShyTorque]

Gordo will have killed off any sense of a team long before 2018

I think he's already managed that, within the Labour Party. :oh:

[Rory57]

They are a display team. The RAF has more to display than a red, white and blue ballet.

OK, it is a demonstration of massively skilled flying but is aerial dance what the RAF is for?

Abandon the Hawk-dance and use the money for the historic flight, including a jet component, and for a few public demo's (outside of the "airshow context") of the force's real abilities: ie a low, fast, massed-Typhoon demo. over Hyde Park or Brighton beach.

[GPMG]

Mmmmmm good idea Rory.

I like the Reds but the thought of having the BBMF and also a Lightning, Buccaner, Hunter, and maybe a Phantom zipping around at airshows.

And for the selling Britain and Queens Birthday events etc 9 Typhoons just doing a fast low flypast..Nice.

[airborne_artist]

It strikes me that running a free-standing, non-operational display team is a peace-time luxury that we can't afford any more. I realise that the Reds are not, in the big order of things, hugely expensive, but I'm still unclear why the RAF can run a display team, and not the Royal Navy or the Army.

The idea that some of our most talented pilots get rewarded with two years away from the front line seems to be a kick in the face for the SH and AT lads/lasses who are working very hard without enough resources.

Admittedly the Army have the Household Division, but they get to go to sandy/rocky places in between their ceremonial duties in London/Windsor.

[GPMG]

AA,

Perhaps in that case the Reds can mount a gun pod and a couple of cannisters of napalm to each airframe and provide formation CAS in Afganistan.

Or just provide a distraction to the Taleban. The Reds can fly over and perform their display, Terry Taleban stands up craneing his neck in wonder to see it all, our lads slot them like Figure 11's.....The Meercat effect.

[mr fish]

GPMG, lightning, bucc etc, you forgot shar, oh hang on, we just gave the best remaining airframes to the indians:{:{:{

[AH Veteran]

AA,

I know that they are neither as impressive (noise, speed etc) as the Reds nor do they have such disappointing chat, but the Army and Navy do have display teams, namely the Blue Eagles and Black Cats, respectively.

I must say that last year's Eagles didplay is the best I have seen, too!!

Regards,

AHV

[airborne_artist]

AH V - the difference being though that the teams you mention operate as a secondary duty for guys who have a full-time job.

[Occasional Aviator]

I say keep the Reds. They are largely paid for by sponsorship, so the money couldn't be used elsewhere anyway, and they have a significant and measurable effect on recruitment and public image.

I do like the idea of a Typhoon team though...






PS - much respect to the Blue Eagles - great display!

[The Helpful Stacker]

Isn't the lions share of the expense of operating the Red Arrows covered by sponsorship by private companies?

[Grob Driver]

Hawk, AJT's 'loaned' by BAE Systems, because the Red's are still the best advert they've ever had!!! (IMHO!!!)

It's ok all you boys and girls going on about scrapping the Reds but I'm sure you'd all put your name to the on line petition to keep them, if such a petition ever arose... because when you have the likes of the Americans, the French, Italians and Spanish, to name but a few flying their own national display team, do you think it would be a crying shame if we were just sat on the side lines watching?

[BlackIsle]

thanks grob driver for an attempt to answer what the team might be flying in 10 years - some severe thread drift has occurred!!!

What is the projected life of hawk?

[Megaton]

If I was a betting man I might put some money on modification of 2010 standard airframes from Valley to RAFAT standard thus extending the life for a further 10 years or so.