Super Bowl LIX Flyover Plans Shifted Due to ‘Operational Tempo’
The planned flyover for Super Bowl LIX on , will feature a revised aircraft lineup, with the Air Force F-22 Raptor absent from the formation despite appearing on commemorative flight suit patches. The change is due to increased operational demands, according to a planner for the flyover.
Katie Spencer, the Sports Outreach Program manager for the Department of the Air Force, explained that the initial plan included a pair of F-22s to showcase the most advanced jets from both the Air Force and the Navy. “We wanted 5th-generation aircraft from the Air Force and 5th-generation aircraft from the Navy,” Spencer told Military Times in a Friday interview.
However, “as things happen in our military, you know, operational tempo has increased and so the F-22s got pulled for some operational assignments,” Spencer said. She did not elaborate on the specifics of those assignments.
The F-22 has been heavily involved in recent military operations, notably playing a key role in Operation Midnight Hammer, the B-2 Spirit bomber-led strike campaign on Iranian nuclear facilities in June. More recently, U.S. Aircraft, including potentially F-22s, conducted strikes on ISIS sites in Syria as part of Operation Hawkeye Strike in January and early February.
Despite the last-minute change, the flyover will still feature a significant display of American airpower. The formation will now include Air Force B-1 Lancer bombers and F-15C Eagle fighters, alongside Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets and F-35C Lightning fighters. F-15s from Fresno Air National Guard Base, California, were added to the formation late in the planning process to fill the gap left by the F-22s.
“Our Guard members have stepped in to fill that role, and we’re super grateful for that,” Spencer added.
The flyover is designed to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States and represents the first joint Super Bowl flyover by the Air Force and Navy. Planners aimed for a unique and symbolic display of American airpower.
The B-1 Lancer, nicknamed “the Bone,” will lead the formation. “We wanted a unique display of air power,” Spencer said. “Our bombers are beloved by everybody, and they really replicate what it means to be time over target at a certain point. So it was a no-brainer to have bombers in this formation.”
The F-35Cs represent 5th-generation fighter capability for the Navy, while the F/A-18 and F-15 are also considered iconic aircraft, according to Spencer.
“While we have a lot of aircraft in our inventory, we thought that this would be the coolest formation,” Spencer said. “And the loudest.”
On the ground, a joint color guard from the Military District of Washington, comprised of members from the Navy, Air Force, Army, Marines, Coast Guard, and Space Force, will participate in the pre-game ceremonies.
“This prestigious inter-service team from the Capitol’s region combining members from the Navy, Air Force, Army, Marines, Coast Guard, and Space Force provide unparalleled ceremonial precision and national representation,” Navy officials said in a release.
Spencer emphasized that the flyover serves as valuable training time for aircrews and maintenance personnel, and does not require additional taxpayer funding. “These flyovers serve as time-over-target training for our crews,” she said. “They serve as recovery efforts with our maintainers. And so the reason that we are so proficient at operations like Midnight Hammer and other things that you’ll see is because People can replicate those real world scenarios with this type of flying.”
The flyover has been roughly a year in the making, requiring coordination with the National Football League, NBC broadcasters, and the Federal Aviation Administration. The location, Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, a conventional stadium rather than a dome, allows for a larger-than-typical flyover formation.
“And so I think the fans are really going to see something special, and they’re going to hear something special,” Spencer said. “They’re going to feel the sound of freedom in the pits of their soul when this formation flies over.”