RIAT 2017 to pay tribute to USAF on its 70th anniversary
There will be a distinct American flavour at next summer's Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) at RAF Fairford, as it pays a special tribute to one of the world's largest air forces on its 70th anniversary.
The airshow, which takes place on 14-16 July 2017, will showcase the wide range of operational roles performed by the US Air Force (USAF) as well as the strong relationship it enjoys with the Royal Air Force and its other NATO allies.
Over the years the Air Tattoo has staged memorable celebrations marking significant USAF anniversaries, most notably in 1997 when the stealthy B-2 bomber made its first ever landing in the UK and in 2007, with the hugely popular appearance of the USAF Thunderbirds aerobatic display team.
The Air Tattoo’s close relationship with the US Air Force stretches back to 1973 when the Americans provided the airshow with a home, first at RAF Greenham Common, and then, in 1985, at RAF Fairford.
Air Tattoo Chief Executive Andy Armstrong said: “Where better to stage an international celebration of the US Air Force on its 70th anniversary than at a USAF base that happens to be the home of the world’s biggest and most exciting military airshow.”
The Royal International Air Tattoo is staged annually at RAF Fairford in support of the RAF Charitable Trust.