The Blue Angels, formally named the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, are a flight demonstration squadron of the United States Navy. Formed in 1946, the unit is the second oldest formal aerobatic team in the world, after the French Patrouille de France formed in 1931. The team, composed of six Navy and one Marine Corps demonstration pilot, fly Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornets.
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American single-engine supersonic multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft with over 4,600 built since 1976. Although no longer purchased by the U.S. Air Force, improved versions are being built for export. In 1993, General Dynamics sold its aircraft manufacturing business to the Lockheed Corporation, which became part of Lockheed Martin after a 1995 merger with Martin Marietta.
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is an American family of single-seat, single-engine, all-weather stealth multirole combat aircraft that is intended to perform both air superiority and strike missions. It is also able to provide electronic warfare and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. Lockheed Martin is the prime F-35 contractor, with principal partners Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. The aircraft has three main variants: the conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) F-35A, the short take-off and vertical-landing (STOVL) F-35B, and the carrier-based (CV/CATOBAR) F-35C.
Eielson Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located approximately 26 miles (42 km) southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska, and just southeast of Moose Creek, Alaska. It was established in 1943 as Mile 26 Satellite Field and redesignated Eielson Air Force Base on 13 January 1948. It has been a Superfund site since 1989. Eielson AFB was named in honor of polar pilot Carl Ben Eielson.
The USAF Air Demonstration Squadron ("Thunderbirds") is the air demonstration squadron of the United States Air Force (USAF). The Thunderbirds are assigned to the 57th Wing, and are based at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. Created 71 years ago in 1953, the USAF Thunderbirds are the third-oldest formal flying aerobatic team in the world, after the French Air Force Patrouille de France formed in 1931 and the United States Navy Blue Angels formed in 1946.
Misawa Air Base is an air base of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), the United States Air Force, and the United States Navy located in Misawa, Aomori, in the northern part of the island of Honshū of Japan. It is located 3 NM northeast of Misawa railway station, 4.8 km (3.0 mi) west of the Pacific Ocean, 16 km (9.9 mi) northeast of Towada, 29 km (18 mi) northwest of Hachinohe, and 684 km (425 mi) north of Tokyo at the "Tip of the Spear". It is a Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) facility with the 35th Fighter Wing as its host wing. It hosts both Japanese and American troops.
Royal Air Force Lakenheath or RAF Lakenheath is a Royal Air Force station near the village of Lakenheath in Suffolk, England, UK, 4.7 miles (7.6 km) north-east of Mildenhall and 8.3 miles (13.4 km) west of Thetford. The installation's perimeter borders Brandon.
Luke Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. It is located 7 miles west of the central business district of Glendale, and 15 miles west of Phoenix.
A fighter pilot or combat pilot is a military aviator trained to engage in air-to-air combat, air-to-ground combat and sometimes electronic warfare while in the cockpit of a fighter aircraft. Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and dogfighting. A fighter pilot with at least five air-to-air kills becomes known as an ace.
The 944th Fighter Wing is an Air Reserve component of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to Tenth Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, stationed at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.
The 419th Fighter Wing is an Air Reserve Component (ARC) unit of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the Tenth Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, and is stationed at Hill Air Force Base, Utah.
The 388th Fighter Wing (388FW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Fifteenth Air Force. The unit is stationed at Hill Air Force Base, Utah.
The F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team is a United States Air Force flight demonstration team stationed at the home of Air Combat Command at Langley AFB in Hampton, Virginia. The team flies the USAF's Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor at airshows around the globe, performing air maneuvers that demonstrate the supermaneuverability of the F-22. These demonstrations include the power loop, split, and tail slide, as well as a high-speed pass and dedication pass. These maneuvers are based on those designed for combat operations, but are performed at much lower altitudes than most pilots are certified to fly at. The US Air Force approved the demonstration in 2007, replacing Air Combat Command's F-15C demonstration team.
The 34th Fighter Squadron is part of the United States Air Force's 388th Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. On 2 August 2016, the Air Force announced that the 34th had become the first squadron to achieve initial operating capability with the F-35A, the Air Force′s variant of the F-35 Lightning II. With an operational history extending back to World War II, and including the Cold War, Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Southern Watch, Operation Desert Fox, Operation Noble Eagle, and the Afghanistan War, it had most recently operated F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft on air superiority missions prior to its reactivation as a F-35A squadron.
The 63d Fighter Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit, assigned to the 56th Operations Group, at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. It operates the F-35A aircraft, and conducts advanced fighter training since its reactivation in 2016. When this Squadron was reactivated in 1975, their mission was to train pilots and weapons systems officers for the McDonnell F-4E Phantom II, and they switched to the F-4D in 1978.
The 310th Fighter Squadron is part of the 56th Operations Group at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. It operates the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II, conducting advanced fighter training.
The 56th Operations Group is a unit of the United States Air Force, and the flying component of the 56th Fighter Wing.
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of stealth multirole fighters that first entered service with the United States in 2015. The aircraft has been ordered by program partner nations, including the United Kingdom, Italy, Norway, and Australia, and also through the Department of Defense's Foreign Military Sales program, including Japan, South Korea, and Israel. The units that operate or plan on operating the aircraft are listed below.
Scott L. Pleus is a lieutenant general in the United States Air Force. He served as the deputy commander of United States Forces Korea, commander of the Air Component Command, United Nations Command, commander of the Air Component Command, Combined Forces Command, and commander of the Seventh Air Force. He now serves as the director of staff of the United States Air Force.
Lance Keith Landrum is a retired United States Air Force lieutenant general who served as the 23rd Deputy Chair of the NATO Military Committee from 2021 to 2023. He most recently served as a special assistant to the commander of the United States European Command and prior to that served as the Director of Operations (J3) for United States European Command from July 2020 to July 2021.
United States Air Force