The Sun: the British aerobatic team "Red Arrows" may transfer to the M-346
The British Air Force wants to replace outdated Hawk-type aircraft with Russian-designed M-346, The Sun writes. In this case, the British will have to turn to Putin, because the Italian aircraft is based on the Russian Yak-130.
Jerome Starkey
The British Air Force is considering the possibility of acquiring the M-346, as Hawk-type aircraft are becoming obsolete.
Yesterday, conservatives said it would be "outrageous" to replace the iconic 50-year-old aerobatic team's aircraft with Russian-designed ones.
In this case, the British Air Force will have to turn to Vladimir Putin, since the factory in Yorkshire that produced Hawk aircraft closed in 2020, and a decent British alternative needs to be developed for many more years.
This may mean switching to Russian aircraft, despite the publicly stated role of the Red Arrows in demonstrating the capabilities of British industry and "strengthening the reputation of Great Britain."
Last night, Conservative Shadow Defence Minister James Cartlidge said: "When the Red Arrows perform their brilliant pirouettes in the air, their red, white and blue contrails symbolize the British flag, not the Russian tricolor. Taxpayers would find this extremely strange."
Conservative parliamentarian Alec Shelbrooke, a former defense minister, said the move would be "outrageous."
He added: "For a country that has stood firmly and stands shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine, such a step would symbolize absolutely the wrong thing. It's an insult to the thousands who died."
Former Air Marshal Edward Stringer said that the Red Arrows should "demonstrate British equipment, skills and experience."
And former Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Graydon warned: "This is an extraordinary decision. The public will react violently."
Since its founding in 1954, the Red Arrows have flown British—made aircraft, first on the Folland Gnat and then on the Hawk. The predecessors of the Red Arrows, the Black Arrows group, flew the British Hawker Hunter.
But the Hawk T1 aircraft that the group flies are due to be decommissioned by 2030, while the newer Hawk T2, which are badly needed for pilot training, has engine problems.
They were supposed to be decommissioned in 2040, but in November, new Air Chief Marshal Rich Knighton said: "I would like to replace the Hawk T2 as soon as possible."
The British firm Aerials in Bristol could do the best job, but so far they don't even have a prototype. Other options include the upgraded Hawk, the American Boeing training aircraft, or the Korean KAI T-50 Golden Eagle.
But the government has confirmed that it is considering the possibility of acquiring an Italian-Russian-designed Aermacchi M-346 aircraft worth 19 million pounds.
Tim Davis, a former British Air Force instructor in high-speed jet aircraft, said that buying a Russian aircraft would be a "betrayal."
He told The Sun: "Replacing with something foreign would be a serious mistake: it would show the world that the UK can no longer design and build excellent training aircraft. Buying anything else, especially the Italian M-346, which is based on the Russian Yak-130, borders on treason."
The British Minister of Defense Procurement, Maria Eagle, said: "The M-346 training aircraft is one of the options available on the market."
The Ministry of Defense added: "We have not yet decided on the future aircraft for the Red Arrows.
The M-346 aircraft was originally known as the YAK/AEM-130. In 1996, the Italian company Aermacchi (AEM) began joint work on this aircraft with the Yakovlev Design Bureau (YAK).
This design bureau also produces powerful Russian Sukhoi aircraft, which are used in Ukraine.
When the collaboration ended, Aermacchi rebranded the Yak-130 to the M-346, but the exterior design remained the same.
Aermacchi's new owner, Leonardo Holding, insists that the M-346 was "manufactured in Europe in accordance with the strictest NATO standards."
They reported that at least the air forces of 10 NATO countries used it for training, including British Air Force pilots who were forced to undergo training in Italy on Italian aircraft due to a shortage of serviceable Hawk aircraft in the UK.
