The Saudi Falcons ( ar, الصقور السعودية Aṣ-Ṣuqūr as-Suʿūdīyah) are a BAE Hawk-equipped Royal Saudi Air Force

aerobatic team Aerobatics is the practice of flying maneuvers involving aircraft attitudes that are not used in conventional passenger-carrying flights. The term is a portmanteau of "aerial" and "acrobatics". Aerobatics are performed in aeroplanes and glid ...

History

On June 6, 1998, at King Abdulaziz Air Base (Dhahran), No. 88 Squadron was created by Gen. Abdulaziz Henaidy, the Royal Saudi Air Force's chief of staff, who is backed by Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz (Minister of Defense and Aviation). The squadron is known as the "Saudi Falcons Aerobatic Team." Flying BAE Hawk Mk.65 and 65A jet trainers, it is the Royal Saudi Air Force's (RSAF) official demonstration team. The Falcons debuted in January 1999 at Riyadh, the Saudi kingdom's capital, as part of Saudi Arabia's 100th anniversary celebrations. Six smoke-capable BAE Hawk Mk.65A and three Mk.65s-all modified by BAE Systems are assigned to the team and now wear the team's striking green and white demonstration colors. In February 2000, the Falcons first appeared outside their homeland - in Bahrain, flying out of Dhahran. Soon afterward, the team and the various RSAF Hawk squadrons moved to

King Faisal Air Base Tabuk Regional (Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz ) Airport ( ar, مطار الأمير سلطان بن عبد العزيز) is an international and public airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. It was a former military airport until its renovation to beco ...

(Tabuk) in northwestern Saudi Arabia. The team draws comparison with the RAF

Red Arrows The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, is the aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force based at RAF Waddington. The team was formed in late 1964 as an all-RAF team, replacing a number of unofficial teams ...

due to the similar aircraft. There are tangible links as ex-Red Arrows personnel have been involved in training the team. From June 2002, the team toured the kingdom for four months and performed at civil and military shows. The team performed its first ever display in Europe at the Air Power 2011 in Zeltweg. In July 2011, they displayed in the UK for the first time. The display was cancelled on the first day of the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford due to bad weather, but they flew a rolling display the following day. In June 2014, they displayed in the

Kavala AirSea Show Thessaloniki AirSea Show (previously known as Kavala AirSea Show) is a free annual airshow scheduled to be held in 2022 above the harbour of Thessaloniki, Greece. Up to 2019 the show was held above the harbour of Kavala, Greece. The show takes pl ...

which was held in Kavala, Greece. On 6 September 2015, they displayed in front of 450,000 spectators at the airshow dedicated to the 55th anniversary of the Frecce Tricolori display team at

Rivolto Air Base Rivolto Air Base is an Italian Air Force (''Aeronautica Militare'') air base located in Codroipo, province of Udine (Italy). It is the home base of the Frecce Tricolori aerobatic display team. Besides a military airport it is an important air for ...

, Italy. In January 2018, they displayed in the Kuwait Air Show, Kuwait. In July 2023, they displayed at RAF Waddington Families Evening (England) and Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford. In February 2024, the team were presented with their first Hawk Mk. 165 aircraft, celebrating the team’s 25th anniversary.

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* {{Modern aerobatic teams Royal Saudi Air Force aircraft squadrons Aerobatic teams

History

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