The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, who are more commonly known as the Red Arrows, represent the very best of the Royal Air Force (RAF). Each member of the team goes through a series of rigorous tests before they are selected and together, they represent the excellence and capabilities of the service. Renowned for their captivating aerial displays and precision flying, the Red Arrows have flown nearly 5,000 displays in 57 countries since their inception in 1964 and first public show in 1965.
People from a wide variety of RAF roles and professions are key to the success of the Red Arrows and their performances would not be possible without ‘The Blues’, their hardworking engineers and support team on the ground. As the public facing side of the RAF, the Red Arrows also serve as a recruitment tool for the Armed Forces, with many pilots and support staff choosing a career in aviation after seeing the spectacular displays as a child.
Celebrating the Red Arrows
To celebrate the legacy and continuing story of the Red Arrows, we have produced a UK 50p coin in their honour. Designed by Nigel Tudman at Tuch Design, the reverse of the coin features three of the Red Arrows’ distinctive BAE Systems Hawk T1 aircraft accompanied by the trail used in the team’s aerial displays.
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The Royal Air Force logotype is a registered trademark. © Crown Copyright 2025.