A Royal Air Force Hawk T2 advanced jet trainer crashed near RAF Valley (RAF) on the island of Anglesey, North Wales, on the afternoon of September 23, 2026. Both pilots ejected and were located shortly afterwards. Police said their injuries were thought to be minor.
An RAF spokesperson confirmed an incident involving an RAF T2 Hawk aircraft flying out of RAF Valley occurred near Anglesey, adding that an investigation is underway and the service would not comment further at this time. North Wales Police said officers were responding to an incident involving an RAF training aircraft in the Pencarnisiog area of Anglesey.
The RAF, North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, the Welsh Ambulance Service and the Helimed air ambulance were all at the scene. The fire service later reported the fire at the crash site was under control and asked the public to avoid the area.
RAF Valley hosts No. 4 Flying Training School, which uses the Hawk T2 to prepare pilots for the Typhoon and F-35B. Before the crash, the school operated a fleet of 28 Hawk T2 aircraft that has had persistent availability problems. In January 2023, the RAF temporarily paused Hawk T2 flying after an engine issue on the runway at RAF Valley, reportedly linked to blade wear on the Rolls-Royce Turbomeca Adour Mk 951 engine.
The loss comes as the UK Ministry of Defence seeks a successor to the Hawk. The 2025 Strategic Defence Review called for the Hawk T1 and T2 to be replaced by a more cost-effective fast jet trainer. On August 7, 2026, the ministry published a request for information for a new advanced jet trainer covering both the training fleet and the Red Arrows, with £360 million ($485 million) allocated in the Defence Investment Plan. The response window closed on September 11, 2026.
