Emirati Knights Parade New Steeds

Fursan al-Emarat (the Knights of the Emirates)—the UAE’s national aerobatic team—is making its first public appearance with its new mounts in Dubai. Having flown the Leonardo MB-339NAT since the team’s formation in 2008, Al Fursan (the Knights) have now switched to the Chinese Hongdu L-15 Falcon advanced trainer.

UAE interest in the L-15 dates back several years. During the 2022 UMEX/SIMTEX exhibition in Abu Dhabi, China’s CATIC export organization announced an order from the UAE for 12, plus 36 options. Visitors to the Dubai Airshow in the previous year had been treated to a preview of the type when CATIC displayed the L-15A with a non-afterburning AI-222-25 engine.

The order was reaffirmed at the IDEX show in February 2023, and L-15s from CATIC returned to the Dubai Airshow that year to participate in both static and flying displays. Those demonstrator aircraft were painted black with aerobatic team-style markings. During the show, it was revealed that the initial 12 for the UAE were destined for Al Fursan. The UAE also has a requirement for an advanced jet and lead-in fighter trainer to replace its aging BAE Systems Hawks, for which the L-15 is a strong contender.

Characterized by a distinctive howl from the AI-222 engines, the Al Fursan L-15s cut quite a dash during the polished display. All of the team’s seven aircraft—each representing one of the Emirates that combine to form the UAE—have been adapted for the aerobatic display role, including a smoke dye system with a ventral tank for colorful displays.

They are resplendent in a new scheme devised by renowned Italian designer Mirco Pecorari, who previously worked with teams including the Royal Jordanian Falcons and the Italian Frecce Tricolori. 

Pecorari describes the L-15 itself as a “very beautiful airplane with nice proportions” and an ideal starting canvas for the scheme. An initial scheme focusing on the concept of horses, representing the team’s “Knights” association, was soon developed into the fully developed linear version. Undulating lines encompassing the L-15’s fuselage follow the aircraft’s natural contours, with the seven interwoven bands of gold representing the seven Emirates. The addition of a national flag on the underside of the aircraft provides a contrast while reflecting the team’s national pride and mission. A paint scheme is “a purposeful tool to explain a concept you cannot describe in another way,” Pecorari added.

From conception to completion, the project took around two years. After an initial design proposal was submitted, team representatives traveled to Italy, where 3D renderings helped convey the concept to the team commander. Augmented-reality goggles were also employed to project the proposed scheme onto a real aircraft in Al Ain. Alongside collaboration with the military, the team itself worked closely with Pecorari to refine operational considerations. This included the need for various visual reference points when flying in formation, meaning that certain lines could not be too narrow.

This article was updated on November 17 to remove an incorrect reference to the design for Al Fursan's earlier MB-339NAT aircraft. These were not designed by Mirco Pecorari, but were the work of Alberto Anzellotti.