Malta once again welcomed the distinctive green-and-white aircraft of the Royal Saudi Air Force’s Saudi Hawks, who arrived at Malta International Airport on 2 October 2026 for an overnight stop while positioning for their next international appearance at the Marrakesh Airshow in Morocco. The visit came as the team continues its return to the international airshow circuit with its new Hawk T-165 aircraft. Following their debut with the new aircraft at the El Alamein International Airshow in Egypt earlier this year, the Saudi Hawks are now heading for the Marrakech Airshow, taking place in Morocco from 7 to 10 October.
The Saudi Hawks were formed in the late 1990s and have become one of the most recognisable aerobatic teams in the Middle East. Flying the Hawk, the team represents the Royal Saudi Air Force at airshows around the world, with its displays characterised by the distinctive Saudi green-and-white colour scheme and coloured smoke.
The team has a particularly strong connection with Malta, having participated in the Malta International Airshow in 2017. Their aircraft have also used Luqa as a staging point during previous overseas deployments, making yesterday’s visit another interesting chapter in the long relationship between the Saudi Hawks and Malta’s aviation community.
Although this was only a technical overnight stop rather than a public display, the arrival generated considerable interest among local aviation enthusiasts and photographers, providing a rare opportunity to capture the latest generation of Saudi Hawks aircraft operating through Malta.
