An Italian-schooled team

Fursan Al Emarat, the Knights of the Emirates, is usually called Al Fursan. The idea dates from 2008, and the Farnborough show describes the team as established that year from pilots of the UAE Air Force and Air Defence; Arabic Wikipedia says pilot selection and training began in 2010. Instructors from Italy’s Frecce Tricolori helped prepare the team, which flew the Italian Aermacchi MB-339NAT and made its first public display at the Dubai Airshow in November 2011.

Seven jets for seven emirates

The team flies seven aircraft, one for each of the seven emirates, in a black and gold scheme, and trails smoke in the colours of the national flag. At home it has flown at the Dubai Airshow, IDEX in Abu Dhabi, the Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix, Expo 2020 Dubai and the National Day celebrations of 2 December. At the 2023 Dubai Airshow the Emirati astronauts Sultan Al Neyadi and Hazza Al Mansouri took part in its display, according to Arabic Wikipedia.

Abroad and at home

Abroad, English Wikipedia lists appearances at the LIMA show in Malaysia and the Royal International Air Tattoo, and a five-aircraft display at the Bahrain International Airshow at Sakhir in 2022. On 6 March 2024 it flew alongside an RAF A400M over Al Minhad when the Princess Royal opened the UK’s Donnelly Lines there.

The switch to the L-15

At the Dubai Airshow in November 2025 the team unveiled the Hongdu L-15, its first change of aircraft after some fifteen years on the MB-339. The UAE ordered twelve of the Chinese twin-engined, fly-by-wire trainers, and AeroTime reported that the team’s black and gold scheme was carried over in revised form. In July 2026 Al Fursan brought seven L-15s to the Farnborough International Airshow. The sources reached do not name the team’s home base, and no accident involving the team was found.