A major military display at an international air show has had to be cancelled as operational commitments continue to demand manpower which would otherwise be available for the event.

Defence 2004, under the leadership of the Royal Air Force, was scheduled to take place as part of the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) programme at RAF Fairford in Gloucester in July.

But now the Tattoo itself will be “enhanced with support from the Armed Forces, although on a reduced scale to that originally planned for Defence 2004,” according to Defence sources.

The Tattoo, which is run under the auspices of the RAF Benevolent Fund, will see a “significant contribution” by some 1,800 Service personnel, and a Youth Day and Armed Forces Careers Convention, a commemoration of the centenary of Entente Cordiale and a celebration of the 60th anniversary of D-Day.

The Defence 2000 series of events was launched in the year 2000 as a successor to the Royal Tournament.

Each event was to be led by one of the three Services with the object of presenting aspects of Defence to the nation and maintaining the armed Forces in the public eye.

The next schedule event is now the 2005 version, led by the Royal Navy and concentrating on the bicentenary of the Battle of Trafalgar.

On the cancellation, Defence Minister Ivor Caplin said: “I understand the disappointment many people will feel that Defence 2004 cannot go ahead as panned.

“But the heavy operational commitments our Armed Forces are facing must clearly take precedence.

“However, we can all still look forward to a varied and exciting range of events at Fairford which will show visitors the Armed Forces at their best.”

Director of the RIAT Paul Bowen said: “Whilst regrettable, the cancellation of Defence 04 was not entirely unexpected.

“At a time when the Armed Forces are so heavily involved with continuing commitments overseas, events such as Defence 04 were always going to be vulnerable.

“However, I am delighted that there will still be a very strong RAF, Army and Royal Navy presence at this year’s Royal International Air Tattoo and features such as Armed Forces Youth Day – one of the centrepieces of Defence 04 – will still go ahead.

“Defence 04 was always planned to be an addition to the Tattoo’s core programme and with a number of special and unique events being organised to mark the 50th anniversary of the C-130 Hercules, the 60th anniversaries of both D-Day and the Great Escape, plus the centenary of the signing of the Anglo-French ‘Entente Cordiale’, we shall still have a magical blend of show-stopping aerial attractions to entertain the crowds in July.”