Royal International Air Tattoo
Believed to be the world's largest military air show, the Royal International Air Tattoo will take place at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, the UK on 16-17 July.
This year's event marks the 40th anniversary of the Air Tattoo since it was first staged at North Weald airfield in Essex in 1971. The milestone is one of three show themes to be celebrated this year, along with the 50th anniversary of the NATO Tiger Association and √¢'Star 11', which will recognise the contribution made by strike, attack and reconnaissance aircraft during current operations around the globe.
Another aviation anniversary will also be highlighted at RIAT, with the five Hawker Hunters of the Team Viper aerobatic display team due to open the show each day. This honour marks the fact that the first P.1067 prototype made its flight debut on 20 July 1951.
Other key attractions at the show will include the Vulcan to the Sky Trust's Avro Vulcan XH558, which has impressed the crowds within recent weeks at air shows at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire and RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset.
An Airbus A330 Voyager modified via the UK's Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft programme will make its show debut, but a planned return by Airbus Military's A400M transport has been cancelled as the company works towards achieving civil type certification before year-end with its four-strong Grizzly fleet. It will, however, send its new C-295 airborne early warning and control system demonstrator to Fairford.
In a late addition, a Eurofighter Typhoon will also take part in the flying display, with a BAE Systems test pilot to fly instrumented production aircraft 5 in a swing-role configuration. The development aircraft will take to the skies carrying four laser-guided bombs and six air-to-air missiles, plus external fuel tanks. The RAF will also have the Typhoon on static display.
RIAT is staged annually in support of fund raising activities for the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust. Flightglobal will bring you coverage from the two-day event, plus a behind the scenes look from final practice on 15 July.
Latest images
See the latest pictures from RIAT 2011 on our AirSpace site, where you can also upload your own images and have the chance to get them into Flight International magazine. Remember to use Royal International Air Tattoo in the description to see your favourite images on this page.
Other highlights
The latest tweets from the show