Blue Angels Fly Over 2016 Super Bowl

 

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jenn Lebron, Blue Angels Public Affairs

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (NNS) -- U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, helped kick off the 2016 Super Bowl when they performed a flyover at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Feb. 7.

The Blue Angels' signature six-jet Delta Formation soared over more than 70,000 spectators at the stadium, following the national anthem.

"It doesn't get more exciting than representing the Navy and Marine Corps while flying over the world's premier sporting event," said Blue Angels Lead Solo Pilot Lt. Ryan Chamberlain. "Navy and marines serving all around the world should be proud of their efforts which make opportunities like this possible."

Flight Leader and Commanding Officer Cmdr. Ryan Bernacchi, a native of Los Altos, California, was proud to fly over his hometown.

"Being able to come back to the area you grew up in and being able to represent the Navy is always special, but being a part of this great American tradition makes this privilege that much more incredible," said Bernacchi.

The Blue Angels are currently training in California for the 2016 air show season and are scheduled to fly 65 demonstrations at 33 locations throughout North America in 2016, which is the Blue Angels' 70th anniversary year.

The mission of the Blue Angels is to showcase the pride and professionalism of the United States Navy and Marine Corps by inspiring a culture of excellence and service to country through flight demonstrations and community outreach.

Texas Guard Supports Super Bowl XLV

In addition to helping out with the massive storm slamming the Midwest, the National Guard is also helping handle logistics for this weekend's Super Bowl in Dallas.

And from a related article:

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2011 - From Air Force fighter jet flyovers to Army parachutists dropping in at halftime, the U.S. military and the National Football League have shared more than 40 years of Super Bowl history.

That tradition continues this week during the Super Bowl XLV festivities in North Texas. The Pittsburgh Steelers are playing for their second Super Bowl win in three years as they face the Green Bay Packers at Cowboys Stadium on Feb. 6.

NFL players in the area were scheduled to spend yesterday afternoon greeting troops returning from combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Tonight at 8, NFL players and hall-of-famers in Texas for the game will connect with deployed troops for the annual NFL Charities Super Bowl Celebrity Bowling Classic. The interactive broadcast will connect the celebrities with wounded servicemembers recovering at a military hospital in Afghanistan.

Ten wounded warriors recovering in San Diego and Washington, D.C., will travel to North Texas courtesy of NFL Experience. The troops will participate in the Rehabbing with the Troops program and work out with NFL players Feb. 4. The troops were selected for finishing in the top 10 of the season-long program, which used EA Active NFL training camps to help wounded troops with their rehabilitation.

Also on Feb. 4, several sevice members will participate in NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's news conference. About 150 children from Fort Hood, Texas, will participate in an NFL youth football clinic hosted by the I'm Not a Hero Foundation.

Fort Hood servicemembers will attend several other Super Bowl events as special guests of the NFL throughout the week, including the NFL Experience and the Tazon Latino Flag Football game today, VH1's Pepsi Fan Jam tomorrow, Univision Pepsi Fan Jam Feb. 4 and a special concert Feb. 5 hosted by Country Music Television.

The NFL will cap off the week with a Super Bowl party throughout the game at Joint Base Meyer-Henderson Hall, Va., for wounded warriors recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here.

Throughout the years, the Super Bowl has become one of the most highly rated televised events of the year. This year, Super Bowl XLV will be broadcast to more than 230 countries to a potential worldwide audience of more than 1 billion viewers, including servicemembers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Air Defense Exercise Readies Fighters for Super Bowl Mission

WASHINGTON - Military fighter jets will be busy this week preparing to protect the skies around Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, during Super Bowl XLV on Feb. 6.

Amalgam Virgo 11-05A, a North American Aerospace Defense Command air defense exercise, will allow interagency partners the chance to practice procedures in response to airspace violations, officials said.

The Amalgam Virgo exercise comprises a series of training flights held in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration, Customs and Border Protection, Civil Air Patrol, and the Continental United States NORAD Region's Western Air Defense Sector, officials said.

Residents in the area can expect flights to begin around 9 p.m. Feb. 2 and to continue for about an hour and a half.

"Interagency coordination is a key aspect of our daily air defense measures," said Air Force Maj. Gen. Garry C. Dean, commander of the Continental United States NORAD Region. "This Amalgam Virgo exercise is an excellent opportunity for all of our interagency air defenders to hone our air defense skills in preparation for Super Bowl Sunday."

These exercises are carefully planned and closely controlled to ensure rapid response capability, officials said, noting that flights of this nature have taken place throughout the United States since the start of Operation Noble Eagle, the command's response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Since then, officials said, the Continental United States NORAD Region's fighters have responded to more than 3,400 possible air threats and have flown more than 58,200 sorties with the support of Airborne Warning and Control System and air-to-air-refueling aircraft.

Military Prepares to Support Super Bowl XLIV

125FW F-15 Over South Florida (USAF Photo).

By Donna Miles, American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON - As the excitement builds in the minutes before the Super Bowl kickoff, four Air National Guard F-15 Eagle fighter jets will scream over Miami's Sun Life Stadium in a dramatic show of military support for the big game.

The F-15s, from the Florida Air National Guard's 125th Fighter Wing, will time their flyover to begin just as country music superstar Carrie Underwood belts out the last note of the national anthem, reported Air Force Lt. Col. Richard Bittner, the 125th Wing's public affairs officer.

Air Force Lt. Col. John Black, who goes by the call sign "Homer," will lead the formation, followed by Wing Commander Col. Bob "Squirt" Branyon. Lt. Col. Mike "Speedo" Rouse, the 159th Fighter Squadron commander, will be in position three, with Col. Bill Bair, commander of the 125th Fighter Wing's operations group, holding up the rear.

After the pilots land at nearby Homestead Air Reserve Base, a Miami-Dade police helicopter will whisk them back to the stadium, where they'll be introduced to the crowd, Bittner said.

The Super Bowl flyover is a first for the Air National Guard. The wing has done flyovers for other National Football League events, most frequently over Jaguars games near its Jacksonville International Airport base. But Bittner said there's a special panache that comes with flying over the big daddy of football games.

"It's a huge honor," he said, calling it a recognition of the wing's impressive operational readiness posture, and its 24/7 mission of being ready to scramble at a moment's notice to protect U.S. air space.

The flyover is just part of the military support being provided as the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts do battle during Super Bowl XLIV.

The Armed Forces Color Guard from the Military District of Washington will kick off that support, marching onto the field before the game to present the colors, accompanied by two drummers from U.S. Air Force Band.

Meanwhile, as more than 75,000 fans enjoy the sold-out game, military forces will be at work behind the scenes, supporting civil authorities to maintain security in and around the stadium and in the skies overhead.

Fighter jets from Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region will be airborne, working in coordination with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, FAA and local law enforcement to enforce flight restrictions over Miami during the game, reported the commander, Air Force Maj. Gen. Garry Dean.

Air Force Col. Randy Spears, commander of the 601st Air and Space Operations Center, called the mission an extension of the eagle-eyes his airmen provide every day. "The men and women of this AOC monitor the skies 24/7, 365 for the contiguous United States, and Sunday's special event is another part of our mission set," he said.

In addition, the Florida National Guard's 44th Civil Support Team will be on the ground, poised to support civil authorities, as required. The 40-member team, a mix of soldiers and airmen, is trained respond to any emergency situation, including those dealing with weapons of mass destruction, said Air Force Lt. Col. Ron Tittle, a Florida National Guard public affairs officer.

As in recent years, about 40 wounded Marine Corps warriors will be enjoying the game in person, courtesy of tickets donated by the Cleveland Browns.

Meanwhile, thousands of U.S. servicemembers will be watching, too, either at home or overseas, via Armed Forces Network broadcasts.

Amalgam Virgo exercise prepares units for Super Bowl

F-16 Fighting Falcons, like the one shown here, sit ready to deploy at a moment's notice to respond to possible or real air threats over the United States. Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region officials will be conducting Exercise Amalgam Virgo 10-Miami on Jan. 28, 2010, to test command and control and execution procedures for air defense for Super Bowl XLIV. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. David Neve)

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) -- Fighter aircraft, at the direction of officials from Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, or CONR, will be busy well before Super Bowl Sunday preparing to protect Sun Life Stadium in Miami during game day.

Exercise Amalgam Virgo 10-Miami will be held Jan. 28 in the Greater Miami area to allow interagency partners the chance to practice temporary flight restriction violation procedures.

Amalgam Virgo 10-Miami comprises a series of training flights held in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration, Customs and Border Protection, Civil Air Patrol, and CONR's Eastern Air Defense Sector.

Residents in the area can expect flights to begin around midnight Jan. 28 and continue for about two hours into the early morning Jan. 29.

"This exercise in Miami is an effective way to ensure all interagency partners are prepared for game day," said Maj. Gen. Garry Dean, CONR commander. "The exercise will test command and control and execution procedures for air defense for the Super Bowl and other like venues throughout the United States."

These exercises are carefully planned and closely controlled to ensure CONR's rapid response capability. CONR officials have conducted exercise flights of this nature throughout the U.S. since the start of Operation Noble Eagle, the command's response to the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

"Defending America's skies is our number one priority," General Dean said. "Whether it's Super Bowl Sunday or any other Sunday, the men and women of CONR are always on alert."

Since Sept. 11, 2001, CONR fighters have responded to more than 2,300 possible air threats in the United States and have flown more than 54,000 sorties with the support of Airborne Warning and Control System and air-to-air-refueling aircraft.