RAF Commercial and Draken Europe

With Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a backdrop, last year the RAF faced an urgent requirement to deliver a “Red Air” live training capability for frontline Typhoon and F35 Lightning pilots. For the first time in the UK, through extraordinary collaboration between the MOD’s Air Commercial team and the Commercial team at aviation specialist Draken, an all-new service was introduced: a privately contracted, civil-registered fleet of ex-military fighter jets and experienced pilots now flies training sorties daily as the RAF’s “enemy” in UK airspace – all in under 12 months, valued at £160m and in line with rigorous safety regimes.