FEBRUARY 12, 2023 – To commemorate 50 years of women flying in the U.S. Navy, the service will conduct a flyover of State Farm Stadium during the national anthem with female aviators as part of the formation.
History will be made on the field at Super Bowl 57, but it will also be made in the sky above before kickoff between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.
For the first time in history, the traditional pregame military flyover will be piloted by an all-female team.
Two of the four female pilots who will orchestrate the diamond formation — a tribute to 50 years of women flying in the U.S. Navy — talked to the television program on Thursday about what it was like to be selected for the honor.
The formation will be composed of an F-35C Lightning II from the “Warhawks” of Strike Fighter Squadron VFA- 97, two F/A-18F Super Hornets from the “Flying Eagles” of VFA-122, and an EA18G Growler from the “Vikings” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 129.
- Warhawks VFA 97 out of Lemoore, California
- Flying Eagles VFA 122 out of Lemoore, California
- Vikings VAQ out of Oak Harbor, Washington
F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
F/A-18E/F Super Hornet entered fleet service in 1999, as the replacement for the F-14 Tomcat. The Super Hornet is the second major model upgrade since the inception of the F/A-18 aircraft program highly capable across the full mission spectrum: air superiority, fighter escort, reconnaissance, aerial refueling, close air support, air defense suppression and day/night precision strike. The single-seat F/A-18E and the two-seat F/A-18F are high performance, twin-engine, mid-wing, and multi-mission tactical aircraft designed to replace the F/A-18C (single-seat) and F/A-18D (two-seat) aircraft as they reach the end of their service lives and retire.
EA-18G Growler
The EA-18G Growler is a variant in the F/A-18 family of aircraft that combines the proven F/A-18F Super Hornet platform with a sophisticated electronic warfare suite. Built to replace the EA-6B Prowler, the Growler is the first newly-designed electronic warfare aircraft produced in more than 35 years. The aircraft also retains all of the F/A-18E/F’s multi-mission capabilities with its validated design and the capability to perform a wide range of enemy defense suppression missions.
F-35C Lightning II
The 5th generation F-35 Lightning II integrates advanced stealth technology into a highly agile, supersonic aircraft that provides the pilot with unprecedented situational awareness and unmatched lethality and survivability. As new threats emerge, it is more important than ever for U.S. and allied fighter fleets to fly the F-35 stealth fighter, the world’s only 5th generation international aircraft. While each aircraft is uniquely designed to operate from different environments, all three variants set new standards in network-enabled mission systems, sensor fusion and supportability. The F-35 redefines the multirole fighter.