Who are Red Arrows, how many are in the team and what do they do? Here is everything you need to know about the RAF Aerobatic Team

All nine Red Arrows display pilots are fast-jet pilots who have previously flown with frontline RAF squadrons.

Their team tour usually lasts three years altogether and they will go back to operational, training, staff duties in the RAF.

The Red Arrows aerobatic displays have become an annual tradition during the summer where they tour various parts of the UK, including villages, towns and coastal locations.

The display team is based at RAF Scampton. Their badge logo shows the aircraft in their trademark diamond nine formation, with the word Eclat, which means ‘brilliance’ or ‘excellence’ in French.

The Red Arrows have performed more than 4,900 displays in 57 countries all over the world.

Who are the Red Arrows?

The Red Arrows aerobatic team is a group of nine pilots who represent the Royal Air Force through a variety of aerobatic displays.

Wing commander David Montenegro

He has been flying with the Red Arrows from 2009 to 2011, 2015 to 2017 and 2020 to present. He joined the RAF in 1999.

His role involves commanding a team of RAF regular and reserve personnel and working alongside civil service colleagues.

Squadron leader Tom Bould (Red 1) - team leader

He has flown with the Red Arrows since 2015; from 2015 to 2017 and 2021 to present. He joined the RAF in 2005.

His primary responsibility involves overseeing all aspects of the display, from running the training programme to choreographing the show. He leads the nine-aircraft aerobatic display.

Flight lieutenant Stuart Roberts (Red 2)

This is Stuart’s first year on the team and he joined the RAF in 2009.

Flight lieutenant Patrick Kershaw (Red 3)

This is his first year on the display team and he joined the RAF in 2006.

Squadron leader Jon Bond (Red 4)

This is Jon’s fifth year with the Red Arrows. He joined the RAF in 2006.

Flight lieutenant David Simmonds (Red 5)

This is his third year and he joined the RAF in 2002.

Squadron leader Gregor Ogston (Red 6) - synchro leader

This is Gregor’s fourth year and he joined the RAF in 2005.

Flight lieutenant James Turner (Red 7) - synchro two

He has been with the Red Arrows team for three years and joined the RAF in 2006.

Squadron leader Graeme Muscat (Red 10) - supervisor

This is Graeme’s first year on the Red Arrows team and he joined the RAF in 1995.

What do the Red Arrows aerobatic team do?

The team first flew in 1965 and has since performed more than 4,900 times across the globe.

The pilots all perform displays as part of a choreographed formation in the skies above multiple locations.

The RAF amalgamated its first display teams into one main unit - the Red Arrows - in 1964. The name was borrowed from the Black Arrows team and the colour theme was a tribute to the Red Pelicans.

RAF Scampton, which is the team famous for its role in the 1943 Dambusters raid, became the team’s new base in 1983, moving from RAF Kemble (which was its base since 1966).

Between October 1995 and February 1996, the Red Arrows team toured internationally and performed to nearly a million people in Sydney on Australia Day.

To commemorate Her Majesty The Queen’s Golden Jubilee in 2002, the Red Arrows flew with a British Airways Concorde over London.

The team represents the speed, agility and precision of the RAF, assists in recruiting to the Armed Forces and act as ambassadors for the UK at home and overseas.

The Red Arrows were not the first RAF aerobatics team as an RAF pageant was held at Hendon in 1920 with tems from frontline biplane squadrons.

In 1925 No. 32 Squadron RAF flew an air display six nights a week called ‘London Defended’ at the British Empire Exhibition.