Edinburgh Tattoo to put Royal Navy central stage

Edinburgh Military Tattoo to put Royal Navy central stage this year. Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

The finale of the world-renowned spectacle will feature a Lynx Mk III maritime aircraft, and a CGI projection on to the castle walls of an aircraft taking off from the deck.

The display is in recognition of 2017 being the Year of the Royal Navy, as well as Scotland’s role in building UK warships, the Ministry of Defence said.

Overall, hundreds of sailors and marines are set to star in the Tattoo, which is returning for its 68th season.

The Royal Navy will be further represented in the show by the massed bands of HM Royal Marines, and a 24-strong Royal Navy Guard of Honour will welcome the audience every night.

The Type 23 frigate HMS Somerset will also berth in Leith for the last week of the Tattoo and host a number of demonstrations.

In total, Armed Forces musicians will make up a cast of 1,200 performing to a live audience of 220,000, and a global TV audience of more than 100 million, over the course of the Tattoo’s August run.

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said: “The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo represents all that is best in the UK’s Armed Forces - talented, professional and engaging internationally with our global allies.

“This Tattoo helps showcase our Armed Forces and has raised over £10 million through its charitable trust, and it contributes £77 million a year to the Scottish economy.”

The Tattoo will run from August 4 to 26.