Warbird Information Exchange

New threat to axe Red Arrows
21/01/07
By Jason Groves

THE famous Red Arrows face the axe in the latest round of defence cuts demanded by Gordon Brown.

Ministers confirmed last night that, despite an earlier pledge to keep the elite RAF air display team, it has been included in a wide-ranging spending review.

MPs warned the move would cause huge damage to the RAF, the aerospace industry and Britain’s image as a world power.

Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram has refused to give assurances about the future of the Red Arrows, saying only that the defence review would lead to cuts in “areas of lower priority”.

That leaves the squadron, which costs only just over £5million a year, facing the prospect of disbandment – or at the very least swingeing cuts – as military chiefs scramble to meet the Chancellor’s targets.

The Ministry of Defence confirmed the Red Arrows have been included in the cost-cutting review, despite previous assurances that their future was safe until at least 2010, when the aircraft will need replacing.

Shadow Defence Minister Gerald Howarth said axing the squadron – which has thrilled crowds around the globe – would make a mockery of Tony Blair’s claim to have made defence a spending priority.

Mr Howarth, chairman of the all-party Commons RAF group, said: “The Red Arrows are a hugely valuable advertisement for the professionalism of the RAF and British industry. They are fantastic ambassadors for the UK overseas. The value of that far exceeds the cost of their funding.

“It is inconceivable that they should be axed. The real villain is Gordon Brown, who has no understanding of the military and has starved them of the resources necessary to carry out Tony Blair’s military expeditions.”

Lib Dem spokesman Nick Harvey said: “The Red Arrows are a public display of Britain’s military pride and skill. Were they to be axed we would lose one of the great ambassadors and showcases for our country.”

Tory MP Tobias Ellwood said he would write to Defence Secretary Des Browne to demand assurances that the Red Arrows would not be chopped.

Mr Ellwood, who has tabled a series of Parliamentary questions on the issue, said he was horrified by the threat to the squadron.

He called on the MoD to focus on cutting waste, such as the £77million spent on an aircraft hangar in South Wales that may not be needed now.

“When you look at the wastefulness of the MoD it is outrageous that they are even considering cutting funding for the Red Arrows,” he said.

“The Red Arrows don’t only provide great entertainment, they also showcase the Hawk training jet – one of our most successful defence exports.

“It would be a very sad day to see the Red Arrows consigned to the history books. I am amazed that we cannot get a firm commitment from the MoD.”

Since their formation in 1965, the Red Arrows have become a byword for the skill and daring of the RAF, the team’s nine jets flying in formation at 400mph, sometimes a mere 6ft apart, trailing red, white and blue smoke.

But they are seen by some at the MoD as a non-combat luxury the cash-strapped department can no longer afford.

Three years ago the Sunday Express fought a successful campaign to save the Red Arrows during the last round of military cuts.

Following a wave of public protest, the MoD backed down and indicated that the squadron was safe – at least until the Hawk jets go out of service around 2010.

But, facing a budget shortfall of £5billion to meet its current commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan, the MoD is expected to inflict deep cuts on the RAF and the Navy in order to reduce the strain on the over-stretched Army.

The future of the Red Arrows’ base at RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire, is in grave doubt and ministers have not ruled out axing the squadron.

Under one bizarre cost-cutting plan, since shelved, the Red Arrows would have been forced to drop their famous red and blue smoke trails, which require expensive dyes and equipment, saving £500,000 a year.

An MoD spokesman said: “A range of proposals for the defence programme are being considered. Decisions will be made later this year.”

However, given Mr.Blair has just thanked 1.8 MILLION UK motorists for saying they don't want a transponder fitted to every car in the land ~ and he's going ahead with a pilot sheme anyway ..... don't hold your breath.

The UK government want to know where every car is ~ at all times so the populace can be automatically charged an extra tax for driving during busy times of day

OK rant over ~ back the Reds ..... the informed opion is that a compromise will be reached by reducing the team down to six aircraft and I think the display will be cut from 20 minutes.