The organisers of the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) have announced the cancellation of the annual airshow that was set to take place in mid-July this year.
Drawing more than 175,000 people in 2025, including 41 global air chiefs, the Royal Air Force-led event, which traditionally takes place at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, will close its doors for the fifth time in its 55-year history.
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Previously the display has been cancelled for reasons ranging from COVID-19 to extreme flooding.
Now, however, this will be the first time that the airshow has been cancelled for military purposes related to the US war with Iran, which the organisers alluded to in a press release issued today:
“This has not been an easy decision. It follows extensive discussions with the Royal Air Force and the United States Air Force regarding uncertainty over access to RAF Fairford, given the ongoing situation in the Middle East.”
The war has seen an overwhelming US and Israeli air campaign wreak havoc on Iranian territory, eliminating its air defence networks to the point that the US Air Force resorted to B-52 bombing runs overland after two months of conflict.
Of course, the US Armed Forces face the problem of distance from the adversary, leading the military to rely on allied territory as a platform to conduct strikes against the Islamic Republic.
Airforce Technology has followed the large-scale build-up ahead of the campaign, with a growing number of military cargo aircraft accounted for across Europe, including Nato’s Ramstein Air Base.
RAF Fairford, likewise, has hosted heavy USAF bombers, such as the B-1B Lancer, the B-52H Stratofortress and the B-2 Spirit.
