Editing UFO (band) (section)

===50th anniversary tour and retirement (2018–present)===
In May 2018, vocalist Mogg announced that UFO's 50th anniversary tour in 2019 would be his last one as the frontman of the band, who may also either split up or move on with a replacement for him. Mogg explained, "This decision has been a long time coming. I've considered stepping down at the end of UFO's previous two tours. I don't want to call this a farewell tour as I hate that word, but next year's gigs will represent my final tap-dancing appearances with the band." He added that "the timing feels right" for him to quit, and that "there will be a final tour of the U.K. and we will also play some shows in selected other cities that the band has a strong connection with. But outside of the U.K. this won't be a long tour."<ref name="UFO retire"/> Despite earlier reports that Mogg had intended to leave the band in 2019, the band planned to resume their touring activities in 2022, which had been pushed back from a year earlier due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref name="2022 tour"/> UFO's last-ever show was intended to take place on 29 October 2022 in [[Athens|Athens, Greece]], where the band performed its first show with current guitarist [[Vinnie Moore]] 18 years earlier. However, the show was cancelled.<ref name="Blab">{{cite web|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/ufo-to-play-last-ever-concert-in-october-2022/|title=UFO To Play Last-Ever Concert In October 2022|publisher=[[Blabbermouth.net]]|access-date=September 4, 2021|date=September 3, 2021}}</ref>

[[File:UFO Cambridge 22-3-19.jpg|thumb|UFO at [[Cambridge]], 22 March 2019. ''Last Orders'' Tour.]]

Longtime keyboardist and guitarist [[Paul Raymond (musician)|Paul Raymond]] died from a heart attack on 13 April 2019 at the age of 73.<ref>{{cite web|title=UFO Keyboardist/Guitarist PAUL RAYMOND Dead At 73|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/ufo-keyboardist-guitarist-paul-raymond-dead-at-73/|website=[[Blabbermouth.net]]|access-date=April 13, 2019|date=April 13, 2019}}</ref> Two weeks later, it was announced that Raymond's initial replacement [[Neil Carter (musician)|Neil Carter]] would be rejoining UFO for the remainder of the band's final tour.<ref>{{cite web|title=UFO Rejoined By Guitarist/Keyboardist NEIL CARTER For Remainder Of 'Last Orders' Tour|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/ufo-rejoined-by-guitarist-keyboardist-neil-carter-for-remainder-of-last-orders-tour/|website=[[Blabbermouth.net]]|access-date=May 1, 2019|date=April 30, 2019}}</ref> Former guitarist [[Paul Chapman (musician)|Paul Chapman]] died on his 66th birthday on 9 June 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/former-ufo-guitarist-paul-chapman-dead-at-66/|title=Former UFO Guitarist PAUL CHAPMAN Dead At 66|website=[[Blabbermouth.net]]|date=June 9, 2020|access-date=August 14, 2020}}</ref> Chapman was followed two months later by original bassist [[Pete Way]], who died from accident injuries at the age of 69.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/legendary-ufo-bassist-pete-way-dead-at-69/|title=Legendary UFO Bassist PETE WAY Dead At 69|website=[[Blabbermouth.net]]|date=August 14, 2020|access-date=August 14, 2020}}</ref>

In late August 2022, Mogg suffered a heart attack.<ref name="Blab"/> On 1 September 2022 doctors pronounced a strict performance ban for Mogg, after having performed several detailed examinations in the previous days. This resulted in the farewell tour, which was set to occur across Europe in October 2022, being cancelled.<ref name="mogg health issues"/>

When asked in April 2024 by ''Ultimate Classic Rock'' about the future of UFO, Mogg said, "I think it's come to a conclusion. We did that last U.K. tour in 2019, just before COVID. So that was kind of the end of it and the time was right."<ref name="mogg health issues"/>