Ministers warned Red Arrows face the axe

THE RED Arrows could be axed if the Government fails to support British manufacturing, Ministers have been warned.

Labour former Defence Minister Kevan Jones added the alternative option for the Lincolnshire-based Royal Air Force aerobatic team could involve flying jets built in Italy, France or South Korea.

MPs want the Government to bring forward orders, including replacing the Red Arrows’ fleet of Hawk aircraft, in a bid to provide additional work for BAE Systems – which has announced plans to cut almost 2,000 jobs – and keep production in the UK.

They also cast doubt on the Government’s suggestion that no new Red Arrows Hawk jets are needed until 2030.

Ruth Smeeth (Stoke-on-Trent North), a Labour member of the defence select committee, said the job cuts could result in a loss of skills and expertise which could “set us back a generation”.

She said jobs could be protected in the short term if the Government committed to bringing forward the order for new Hawk aircraft for the Red Arrows, while also securing the next wave of export contracts.

Ms Smeeth told the Commons: “Let’s be clear, this is a brand new aircraft and our Red Arrows should be selling it to the world with their own skill set.”

Mr Jones added in a later speech: “It’s a short-sighted Government which is making lots of promises in terms of equipment but in practice if you actually look what’s happened it’s not being funded and the actual problem facing our industry is that once we get rid of those skills you can’t turn them back on like a tap.”