More than 700,000 people are expected to visit Sussex for the county's largest free air show.

The Red Arrows will celebrate their 40th display season by blazing their famous red, white and blue smoke trails at Airbourne in Eastbourne.

The event runs from tomorrow until Sunday and organisers say they have lined up the strongest flying programme in its history.

The United States Air Force will perform at Airbourne for the first time.

Its low-flying MC-130P Combat Shadow can fly at night without communications or external lights to avoid radar detection.

It is often used for dropping special operations teams, providing air-to-air refuelling for helicopters and providing humanitarian aid.

Flying tomorrow and Friday, the Combat Shadow will be joined by two F16s, a Belgian air force Fouga Magister and a Royal Netherlands PC7.

The RAF Falcons parachute display team will drop in from up to 12,000ft on all four days and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight returns with a Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane.

The RAF exhibition returns, with the RAF Police volunteer dog display team and the RAF Regiment presentation team performing in the arena.

Visitors can sit in the cockpit of a life-size replica Harrier or Hawk jet, visit a Nimrod cockpit and fuselage or try a Eurofighter Typhoon interactive cockpit.

Other attractions include a "wings and wheels" exhibition featuring Formula One cars and vintage vehicle cavalcades.

Visitors can ride helicopters, visit children's playzones and try out simulators. On Sunday evening the sunset ceremony and flypast at the bandstand will mark the end, followed by a spectacular firework finale from Eastbourne pier.

Airbourne will be open from 10am to 6pm each day. For details visit www.eastbourneairshow.com or call 01323 411400.