Leaders watch Red Arrows flypast over Nato summit

Описание: Leaders attending the Nato summit at Celtic Manor in Newport, Wales were treated to military flypast by the Red Arrows and other aircraft

The awesome air power of Nato thundered over the skies of Cardiff and Newport today - watched by world leaders and a crowd of thousands.

The 22-plane flypast - with aircraft from nine nations - whooshed over the Welsh capital first, led by an RAF Typhoon jet.
It was flanked by two Polish Mig-29s and followed by a convoy of fighter planes from the USA, Germany, Canada, France, Denmark, Portugal and the Netherlands.

Also taking part in the display was the RAF's largest and newest aircraft, Voyager - which has a span of more than 197ft (60m) and can act as a "flying petrol station" for other planes.
Topping off the show were the famous Red Arrows trailing their signature tricolour smoke.

The first jets passed over Cardiff Bay at around 9pm, with hundreds of people spread around the Roath Basin - including First Minister Carwyn Jones and Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb who watched from the steps of the Welsh Assembly's Senedd.

Scores more onlookers were dotted on the hilltop across the water in Penarth, while in Newport people gathered on the Millennium Footbridge as the flypast went over the south of the city centre.

World leaders, including US President Barack Obama, Prime Minister David Cameron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, were all smiles as they watched the display outside summit venue the Celtic Manor.

A Wales Office spokesman said: "The display represented some of the many Nato nations which have been involved in policing the air space across Europe as part of the Alliance's efforts to support and reassure its Eastern member states."

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