The Red Arrows will not fly jets designed by Russia, Sir Keir Starmer has indicated.
The RAF aerobatic display team’s Hawk T1 jets are due to leave service in 2030, fuelling speculation that a replacement based on a Russian design could be considered.
But the Prime Minister said it was “uppermost in my mind” that there would not be “Russian influence” on the Red Arrows.
The Sun reported that Aermacchi M-346 planes, made by an Italian firm but which began as a joint project with Russia’s Yakovlev, is being considered to replace the ageing Hawks.
Asked to guarantee that the Red Arrows’ new plane would not be designed by Russia, the Prime Minister said: “Yes, of course, that will be absolutely uppermost in my mind.
“I can give you that guarantee – it’s very, very important that we don’t have Russian influence in Red Arrows or anything else for that matter.”
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said it was “pure speculation” to suggest the M-346 was being considered for the Red Arrows.
He said: “The procurement for the replacement jets for the Red Arrows has not started. So it’s clearly not true to say that any particular company is being considered.
“And indeed, the Ministry of Defence and the Italian company have said that there have been no discussions with the company over buying that aircraft.”
The spokesman added: “We do not procure any military equipment whatsoever from Russia.”
