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World’s ‘greatest’ military air show leaves RAF base at centre of terror probe
Organisers of the Royal International Air Tattoo have announced that the air show will move from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire to MoD Boscombe Down in Wiltshire from 2027. They say the change is intended to secure the event’s long-term future; the move follows the cancellation of this year’s show amid uncertainty around Fairford, which was the subject of an alleged terror plot.
RIAT has been held at Fairford for more than 40 years and attracts up to 170,000 visitors. Police initially arrested five people after suspicious vehicles were reported near the base on 27 September, and later arrested two more men, who were bailed; the investigation is ongoing. Wiltshire Council welcomed the move, while Gloucestershire leaders and a local MP voiced disappointment over the loss of the show and its benefits to the area.
In short
- RIAT will move to Boscombe Down from 2027.
- The show has drawn up to 170,000 visitors.
- Gloucestershire leaders say the area will lose a major event.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Moving RIAT to Boscombe Down could give organisers greater certainty and help protect the show’s long-term future after the Fairford cancellation and security concerns. A stable venue may also reassure visitors, participants and sponsors, while allowing the event to continue delivering its wider benefits.
The case against
Keeping RIAT at Fairford would preserve a venue with more than four decades of history and the established links, infrastructure and local expertise built around it. Gloucestershire would retain the visitors and economic benefits the show brings, and leaving after an alleged plot could be seen as a significant loss for the community and the base.