Saudi Hawks Team

The Saudi Hawks Team or the Green Hawks Team is a military aviation team. It serves as the official aerobatic team of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, affiliated with the Royal Saudi Air Force. It was founded on January 24, 1999. On that day, it performed the first-ever aerobatic show held over the skies of Riyadh City as part of the centennial celebrations.

The Saudi Hawks Team was formed with the approval of Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Minister of Defense at the time. They were given the name 'Saudi Hawks' as the team's official designation since 1998. The team participates in aerobatic shows at national events and festivals in the skies of various Saudi cities and abroad to showcase its efficiency and the readiness of the Saudi forces to perform aerobatic shows.

The Saudi Hawks Team consists of fifty individuals and three crews: the aircrew, which comprises seven pilots who perform aerobatic shows; the technical crew, which specializes in logistics, maintenance and equipment of aircraft, and ensuring ground safety; and the administrative crew, which handles administrative matters and facilitates the team’s mission.

The team uses British 'Hawk' aircraft painted in white and green, reminiscent of the colors of the Saudi flag. Additionally, the aircraft carries three smoke containers used for air shows: white, green, and red.

The team's first-ever participation in the large aerobatic show in the skies of Riyadh City was on Sunday, January 24, 1999, commemorating the centennial anniversary of the Kingdom's founding, under the patronage of King Fahd Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Two years after the team was established, approval was granted to transfer it from King Abdulaziz Air Base in Dhahran to King Faisal Air Base in Tabuk.

The team participated in the occasion of the Kingdom's hosting of the G20 Leaders' Summit in 2020 by presenting a participatory aerobatic show featuring Saudi Hawks aircraft and Saudia aircraft carrying the Saudi flag, adorned with the G20 Presidency logo. Additionally, the team took part in the Saudi National Day celebrations, performing aerobatic shows in the skies of major cities in the Kingdom.

The Saudi Hawks Team participates in regional and international aerobatic shows as a representative of the Kingdom. It took part in the celebration of the Defense Force Day of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the World Aerobatic Championship in the city of al-Ain, United Arab Emirates, where it achieved first place and earned the gold medal for two consecutive years. Additionally, it set a 'Guinness' World Record for the largest logo in the sky using aircraft smoke when it drew the Kingdom's emblem: the crossed swords and palm tree.

The team also participated internationally in the Kecskemét Airshow in Budapest, Hungary, and presented an aerobatic show on August 28-29, 2021, and participated in the Athens Flying Week at Tanagra Air Base in Greece, in addition to participation in the United Kingdom, Belgium, Austria, Italy, Poland, and Malta.