Red Arrows to streak across Bahrain skies

Manama : The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, will perform a flypast on the team’s arrival to the Kingdom today.

The ideal location to watch the breathtaking manoeuvres will be the Seef area waterfront or along the Corniche.

The aerial salute will coincide with a reception being hosted by the UK’s Department for International Trade, aimed at highlighting British engineering, technology and innovation to invited guests.

Members of the world-renowned display team will spend two days in Bahrain, as part of a global tour.

Crowds in Bahrain will also get to see a joint flypast with aircraft from the Royal Bahraini Air Force tomorrow.

The spectacular mixed formation will include nine Red Arrows Hawk T1 fast-jets and Hawk 129 from Bahrain. The flypast will celebrate the close links between the United Kingdom and Bahrain.

Officer Commanding Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, Wing Commander Martin Higgins, said: “We are delighted to fly alongside our Royal Bahraini Air Force colleagues and have the opportunity to exchange experiences and ideas.”

“We hope the people of Bahrain enjoy the Red Arrows’ precision flying and demonstration of the best of British in the air and on the ground,” he added.

Since its formation in 1965, the team has flown more than 4,700 acrobatic displays in 56 countries and 2016 as the Squadron’s 52nd season. They are known for their dare devil acrobatics and synchronised flying.

The Red Arrows’ visit to Bahrain forms part of a major 60-day tour of the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions – the team’s biggest overseas exercise in a decade. 

Team’s itinerary includes more than 20 displays and a series of fly pasts during the two-month tour that began on September 29.

Besides Bahrain, the metal birds’ spell-binding acrobatic shows cover other GCC countries including Oman, UAE and Kuwait. They will return to the UK in early December.