FEBRUARY 6, 2026 – On the flightline at Moffett Air National Guard Base, preparations for Super Bowl LX are echoing well before kickoff.
Home to the California Air National Guard’s 129th Rescue Wing and located just five miles from Levi’s Stadium in nearby Santa Clara, Moffett is serving as the hub for a joint U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy flyover scheduled to thunder overhead as pop singer Charlie Puth holds the final note of the national anthem of the afternoon on Feb. 8, kicking off the Super Bowl LX matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots.
The eight-ship formation will feature two U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancers from Ellsworth Air Force Base and two F-15C Eagles from Fresno Air National Guard Base, flying alongside a pair of U.S. Navy F/A-18E Super Hornets and two F-35C Lightning IIs from Naval Air Station Lemoore.
An anticipated crowd of about 70,000 is expected to see and feel the flyover from inside Levi’s Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers, while millions more around the world will watch live on television — a moment made possible by days of staging, coordination and readiness at Moffett.
“It’s a privilege to be here supporting the Super Bowl and flyover,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Thomas Keegan, wing commander. “Our Airmen are thrilled to do the outreach, show people what we do and invite them onto our base.”
Throughout the week, the base has hosted aircraft and personnel from across the joint force, providing flightline space for flyover jets, additional security forces, fuel, airfield management and workspaces for visiting aircrews and maintainers.
Two community engagement events on Feb. 5 showcased the flyover aircraft alongside the wing’s mission. During live rescue demonstrations, pararescue jumpers fast-roped from an HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter along the flightline, giving nearly 500 spectators — including school groups, Civil Air Patrol cadets, Sea Scouts and ROTC cadets — a firsthand look at the wing’s personnel recovery capabilities.
As the events got underway, the 129th Rescue Wing simultaneously remained on standby for a possible real-world search and rescue mission hundreds of miles over the Pacific Ocean, underscoring the unit’s ability to execute multiple high-profile missions while maintaining readiness to support the U.S. Air Force’s global personnel recovery mission.
“We are incredibly grateful for the support that the 129th Rescue Wing has given us,” said Katie Spencer, sports outreach program manager for the Department of the Air Force. “Our Air National Guard partners are such a big part of our flyover program, so to be here and to see it all happening in real time for such a big operation like the Super Bowl is incredible.”
The base’s proximity to the stadium allows flyover crews to operate efficiently while supporting a full slate of outreach, media and distinguished visitor engagements on base, at the stadium and in downtown San Francisco, about 40 miles away.
“The support from the base is unmatched,” Spencer said.
For Navy maintainers supporting the flyover aircraft, working alongside Air Force personnel at Moffett has been seamless.
“It’s actually been a very easy transition,” said U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Trevor Hendricks, an aviation electrician’s mate assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 2, an F/A-18 squadron participating in the flyover. “Air Force and Navy have worked very much in stride. They’ve been super accommodating with their facilities, with what we need to do to get our jets ready to man up for this joint flyover we’re doing.”
Navy pilots echoed that sentiment.
“It’s been incredible,” said Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Grier, one of the F/A-18E pilots from Strike Fighter Squadron 192 slated for the flyover. “Everything seemed to be pretty well organized for us.”
After the flyover, aircrews and maintainers staged at Moffett will travel to Levi’s Stadium to be recognized on the field during the second half of the game.
“We are very close to the stadium, which is great for our flying,” Spencer said. “It’s great for when we bring the crews back for recognition.”
As one of the most-watched sporting events in the world approaches, attention to Moffett reflects the coordination, readiness and people behind a flyover that will unfold in seconds and be seen by millions.
Located in the heart of Silicon Valley at the southern end of the San Francisco Bay, the 129th Rescue Wing is home to a triad of rescue capabilities, including rescue airplanes, helicopters and Guardian Angel pararescue Airmen trained for combat rescue in contested environments. Stationed at Moffett Air National Guard Base, the unit is the military’s only West Coast rescue wing and conducts high-risk, long-range maritime rescue missions in coordination with the U.S. Coast Guard.
By Tech. Sgt. Crystal Housman
129th Rescue Wing