The Red Arrows, the UK’s renowned Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, will perform this year at the Bahrain International Airshow, the Bahrain News Agency reported on Monday. It will be the first time they have done so in the 10-year history of the event.
The announcement, by Bahrain’s Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications, came during the Royal International Air Tattoo, which took place over the weekend at RAF Fairford in England, during which Air Marshal Martin Sampson, the UK’s defense senior advisor to the Middle East and North Africa, met Mohammed Al-Kaabi, Bahrain’s minister of transportation and telecommunications.
The BIAS, which is held every two years under the patronage of King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, is scheduled to take place between Nov. 9 and 11 at the Sakhir Air Base.
“We are very pleased to welcome the Red Arrows to our airshow this year, which marks 10 years of success in bringing some of the top global players and flying teams to Bahrain,” said Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, personal representative the king and chairman of the BIAS Supreme Organizing Committee. “This is yet another successful outcome of Bahrain’s long-standing relationship with the UK.”
Al-Kaabi said: “The air displays at Bahrain International Airshow are one of its main features, which we strive to expand on, so we are thrilled to announce that we are hosting one of the world’s premier aerobatic display teams at BIAS and which I am certain will add significant value to our flying display program.”
Sampson added: “It is with great pleasure that I can announce that the Red Arrows will be in Bahrain later this year. The Bahrainis are a vital partner for UK defense and I am sure that the Red Arrows will put on a spectacular show there, as well as carrying out inspirational ground activity.”
The Bahrain International Airshow has established itself as a leading aviation event over the past decade. This year’s event is expected to attract more than 50,000 trade visitors, and 215 military and civilian delegations.
The airshow is organized by the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications and the Royal Bahraini Air Force, and builds on long-standing relationships with key partner countries. The UK’s Royal Air Force and the Bahrain Defense Force have a history of military cooperation stretching back decades.
“The Red Arrows represent the RAF’s commitment to excellence; the dedication of the team’s pilots and ground crews ensure they perform world-class displays,” said Ben Wallace, the UK’s secretary of state for defense.
“The UK has enjoyed a long and prosperous partnership with Bahrain. Both nations benefit from these strong links and this Red Arrows tour represents the UK’s commitment to maintaining these links.”
Following the conclusion of the team’s busy domestic season, the Red Arrows will embark on a tour of the Gulf that, in addition to Bahrain, will take in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
As well as performing their daring aerial displays, the team will also take part in a series of events on the ground with the aim of inspiring young people by highlighting the importance of science, technology, engineering and math. Taken together, the aerial displays and ground engagements provide an opportunity to strengthen long-standing diplomatic, military and trade relations between Bahrain and the UK, organizers said.