RAF’s elite demonstration team will use eco-friendly fuel blend during three performances at major British air show this weekend
The Royal Air Force’s Red Arrows will perform their first aerobatic displays using sustainable aviation fuel during the 2025 Royal International Air Tattoo, marking a significant milestone in military aviation’s push toward environmental sustainability.
The elite nine-aircraft demonstration team will use both sustainable aviation fuel and Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil to power three performances at RAF Fairford from Friday through Sunday. More than 170,000 spectators are expected to attend the annual air show, one of the world’s largest military aviation events.
The performances represent the first time the Red Arrows have conducted full aerobatic routines using the alternative fuel blend, though the team previously completed a flyover of London using sustainable aviation fuel on June 14 for King Charles III.
“Their nine-ship team are known across the world, so we are delighted to be hosting this landmark display here at RAF Fairford,” said Kate McKinley, director of people and sustainability at Royal Air Force Charitable Trust Enterprises. “In 2024 we were lucky enough to secure the RAF Typhoon’s first public display on SAF and being able to continue the Typhoon for another year and add the Red Arrows is great for us as an event.”
The RAF’s Typhoon display team will also perform using sustainable aviation fuel, marking the second consecutive year the fighter aircraft has demonstrated using the alternative fuel at the air show.
The initiative is supported by Air Space Intelligence, Intel Foundry and Team Lewis, with Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil supplied by Power Electrics and sustainable aviation fuel provided by AFS Aviation.
The RAF has steadily expanded its sustainable fuel testing since 2021, when it successfully flew a microlight powered by synthetic fuel derived from air and water. A major breakthrough came in 2022 when an RAF Voyager became the first large military aircraft to complete a 90-minute flight powered entirely by 100% sustainable aviation fuel.
The service expanded trials in 2023 to include air-to-air refueling operations, conducting missions using sustainable fuel blends of 43% to 48% while refueling Eurofighter Typhoon and C-130J Hercules aircraft.
Sustainable aviation fuel is produced from renewable and waste-based materials including used cooking oil, animal fats, agricultural residues and municipal waste. The International Air Transport Association estimates sustainable aviation fuel could contribute up to 65% of emission reductions needed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
However, the fuel faces significant challenges including high production costs, limited scalability and questions about its environmental impact. In the UK, much sustainable aviation fuel is produced from used cooking oil imported from Asia, adding transportation-related emissions to the supply chain.
Sir Dieter Helm, professor of economic policy at the University of Oxford, expressed skepticism about the technology’s environmental benefits, telling the BBC: “It’s very hard to think there is such a thing as a sustainable aviation fuel. There are aviation fuels that are less polluting than those currently used, and you can use elements of biofuel and chip fat and so on.”
Several airlines have revised sustainability targets after determining original goals may be unrealistic. Air New Zealand shifted from specific emission reduction targets to a tracking approach with its 2030 Emissions Guidance, citing technological challenges and uncertainty around meeting original targets.
The RAF’s sustainable fuel initiative aims to reduce dependence on fossil fuel supply chains and enhance energy security while strengthening operational resilience for current and future aircraft operations.
The Royal International Air Tattoo runs Friday through Sunday at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, featuring aircraft and personnel from air forces around the world.
Key Takeaways
- The RAF Red Arrows will perform their first aerobatic displays using sustainable aviation fuel during the 2025 Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford this weekend.
- The demonstrations build on four years of RAF sustainable fuel testing, including the first military aircraft flight powered entirely by sustainable aviation fuel in 2022.
- The RAF Typhoon display team will also use sustainable aviation fuel for the second consecutive year at the air show.
- Sustainable aviation fuel faces significant challenges including high production costs, limited scalability and questions about environmental impact.
- The initiative aims to reduce military dependence on fossil fuel supply chains and enhance operational energy security.
