Royal International Air Tattoo 2025

In 2025 the Royal International Air Tattoo celebrated its 40^th anniversary of being hosted at RAF Fairford. Over the years, lots of spectecular aircraft found their way to the (Royal) International Air Tattoo. 2025 was no different with the Egyptian Air Force participating for the first time with an Antonov An-74T. Also nice participants were the Pakistan Air Force who brought their JF-17C Thunder fighter aircraft making their RIAT debut.

Themes

The main theme of RIAT 2025 was ‘Eyes in the Skies’. Most interesting in the static show were a French Air and Space Boeing E-3F Sentry, Czech Air Force Let L-410FG and Spanish Air Force Sikorsky HD.24. The United States Air Force displayed their Lockheed U-2S and Boeing RC-135V Rivet Joint. Historic photo reconnaissance and search and rescue types were a Lockheed 12A Electra Junior and Supermarine Spitfire FR.XVIe and an ex-German Air Force Bell UH-1D Iroquois from Poland. Another theme this year was Apache 50. Four Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardians from the British Army, US Army, Royal Netherlands Air Force and Qatari Emiri Air Force were parked at the Apache 50 static. To celebrate the Fairford 40 theme, two aircraft from the 1985 event were presented on static park, the Agusta/Bell Sioux AH1 of the Historic Army Aircraft Flight and the Commemorative Air Force’s Douglas R4D-6S ‘Ready 4 Duty.’

The International Static Aircraft Display

The static display showed various highlights. An Egyptian AIr Force Antonov An-74T ‘Coaler’ tactical transport aircraft from 533 Wing based at Cairo International Airport and the Pakistan Air Forcebrought two of their PAC JF-17C Thunder multi-role combat aircraft for the first time. For rotary fans, there were plenty of highlights. The highlight of the United States Air Force contribution was the long-awaited return of the Lockheed C-5M Super Galaxy from the 439th Airlift Wing from Westover AFRB. Also worth a mention were a beautiful Fouga CM.170 Magister from the Association for the Preservation of French Aeronautical Heritage and the bright orange Aermacchi MB326E from the Catellani Group based in Italy.

Flying Display

The ‘Eyes in the Skies’ theme saw a 51 Squadron Boeing RC-135V Rivet Joint perform two flypasts on Friday while Saturday and Sunday both saw appearances by a 120 Squadron Boeing P-8A Poseidon MRA1.

Two PZL-Swidnik W-3A Sokóls form the Czech Air Force showed a Search And Rescue demonstration. The Swedish Air Force Sikorsky Hkp.16 (UH-60M) Blackhawk demonstration made a first time appearance. This was also the first time ever a H-60 variant displayed at the Air Tattoo. Another display worth to be mentioned came from the French Navy’s Dassault-Breguet Atlantique ATL2 from 23F based at Lann Bihoué. The highlight of the Eye to the Skies theme was a full flying demonstration by the United States Air Force Lockheed U-2S from the RAF Fairford based 99^th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron. Completing the flying display were an international coast of solo jet displays. The F-16C Fighting Falcon of the Polish Air Force ‘Tiger Demo Team’ flown by Major Maciej ‘SLAB’ Krakowian won the ‘AS THE CROW FLIES’ TROPHY: presented for the best overall flying demonstration as judged by the Friends of the Royal International Air Tattoo (FRIAT), the show’s aviation enthusiast supporters club. The Royal Danish Air Force’s Lockheed Martin F-16AM Fighting Falcon flown by Captain Troels ‘TEO’ Vang could be seen for the last time. TEO’s display won the Sir Douglas Badar Trophy for the Best Individual Flying Demonstration.