Major international air show is axed in the UK because it is too busy hosting Donald Trump's bombers lined up to attack Iran

By ROBERT FOLKER, NEWS REPORTER Published: 18:06, 23 May 2026 | Updated: 18:25, 23 May 2026 This year's Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) has been cancelled due to the ongoing war in the Middle East. Organisers of Britain's largest airshow said cancelling the event was 'not an easy decision' and came after discussions with the United States Air Force (USAF) regarding uncertainty over access to RAF Fairford. Earlier this year, dozens of US bombers arrived at RAF Fairford, which is being used as a base of operations by the American military for the war in Iran. The air show in Gloucestershire, which was due to take place in July, has been going for more than 50 years and attracts attendances of more than 170,000 people. In a statement, airshow organisers said: 'This has not been an easy decision. It follows extensive discussions with the Royal Air Force and the United States air force regarding uncertainty over access to RAF Fairford, given the ongoing situation in the Middle East.'  Those who have purchased a ticket can either use their tickets for next year, receive a full refund, or donate the cost to the RAF Charitable Trust, organisers said.   The USAF has continued using B-52 and B-2 bombers based at RAF Fairford to strike targets in Iran during the ongoing conflict, which saw the country's supreme leader killed on February 28, 2026. A two-week ceasefire deal was reached in April and later extended, but failed negotiations have reignited speculation that strikes may continue. Earlier this year, dozens of US bombers arrived at RAF Fairford, which is being used as a base of operations by the American military for the war in Iran The USAF has continued using B-52 and B-2 bombers based at RAF Fairford (pictured) to strike targets in Iran during the ongoing conflict Plane spotters watch a US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber taking off from RAF Fairford Trump has been threatening for weeks that the ceasefire reached in mid-April could end if Iran does not make a deal, and in recent days has said he is ready to restart combat operations. RAF Fairford is usually an underused airfield, meaning RIAT's organisers spent around two months preparing for the airshow. But due to the ongoing war and the possibility that combat operations may continue in the coming weeks, RAF Fairford is unable to host the airshow. Last year, around 200 military aircraft from 27 different countries attended the show.    Gavin Gager, Chief Executive Officer of Royal Air Force Charitable Trust Enterprises, said: 'We know how much RIAT means to everyone, and recognise how disappointing this news will be.  'It is a disappointment we feel just as strongly. 'We would like to thank everyone for their support, loyalty, and understanding.  'Looking ahead, we look forward to welcoming everyone back in 2027, and to making sure RIAT comes back stronger than ever.' No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.