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U.S. Navy and Marine Corps to Participate in Super Bowl 54 Flyover

Sunday, February 2, the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs will take place in Super Bowl 54 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. The Super Bowl is one of the most watched events in the world annually, with over 100 million people tuning in in the United States alone. One of the biggest traditions of the Super Bowl is, of course, the pregame flyover.

Over the last three years, the United States Air Force has participated in the Super Bowl flyover, twice with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and once with the U.S. Air Force Heritage Flight. In 2016, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels conducted the flyover in San Francisco. This year, the U.S. Navy will once again represent in the skies above the Super Bowl, this time with a joint flyover alongside the U.S. Marine Corps.

Sunday’s flyover will consist of four aircraft, both from the Navy and Marines. An EA-18 Growler will lead the formation from VAQ-129, an Electronic Attack Squadron based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Oak Harbor, Washington. Alongside the Growler will be an F/A-18E Super Hornet from Naval Air Station Lemoore, California, a Navy F-35C Lightning II also from Naval Air Station Lemoore, California, and a Marine Corps F-35B from MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina, which is designed for vertical or short takeoffs and landings.

The aircraft are being staged this weekend at Homestead Air Reserve Base, which is about a five minute flight from Hard Rock Stadium. However, the formation will be airborne Sunday evening well before the National Anthem begins at 6:26 Eastern time.

Meet the pilots that will be participating in Sunday’s Super Bowl flyover: