Blue Angels anniversary
- The U.S. Navy Blue Angels marked their 80th anniversary on April 24, 2026, highlighting eight decades since the flight demonstration squadron was created in 1946 to promote naval aviation. - The team now flies the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and Marine Corps C-130J, with 158 active-duty Sailors and Marines supporting the 2026 season after annual certification in February. - The anniversary comes five years after the Blue Angels shifted from legacy Hornets to Super Hornets for the 2021 season, tying the milestone to today’s fleet aircraft. (blueangels.navy.mil)
The U.S. Navy Blue Angels turned 80 on April 24, 2026, marking eight decades since the squadron was formed in 1946. (blueangels.navy.mil 1) (blueangels.navy.mil 2) The team’s official site says the anniversary is centered on the Blue Angels’ role as ambassadors for the Navy and Marine Corps, with Pensacola still serving as the squadron’s home during show season. (blueangels.navy.mil) (dvidshub.net) In 2026, the Blue Angels are flying the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and the Marine Corps’ C-130J Super Hercules, the aircraft the team says reflect today’s operational fleet. (blueangels.navy.mil 1) (blueangels.navy.mil 2) That aircraft lineup is relatively new. The Navy said in November 2020 that the Blue Angels’ final flight in the older F/A-18 A/B/C/D Hornets marked the official transition to the Super Hornet, with 2021 becoming the first show season on the new platform. (navy.mil) The current team is larger than the six jets most spectators see in the air. Chief of Naval Air Training said 158 active-duty Sailors and Marines make up the 2026 Blue Angels team, including pilots, aircrew, maintainers, and support staff. (dvidshub.net) The 2026 season had already started taking shape before the birthday. Chief of Naval Air Training said the Blue Angels completed annual certification on Feb. 23, 2026, earning “airshow ready” status after winter training in El Centro, California. (dvidshub.net) Capt. Adam Bryan, the Blue Angels’ commanding officer, said in the certification announcement that the team had worked to “honor that legacy” during the 80th season. Rear Adm. Max McCoy, a former Blue Angel who now leads Chief of Naval Air Training, approved the team for the season. (dvidshub.net) The Blue Angels’ own history page places this anniversary in a longer chain of aircraft changes: from the F6F Hellcat and F8F Bearcat in the 1940s to the F/A-18 Hornet in 1986 and the Super Hornet in 2021. (blueangels.navy.mil) The 80th anniversary leaves the core image unchanged: six blue-and-gold jets over Pensacola, backed by a much larger team on the ground and a mission the Navy has kept since 1946. (blueangels.navy.mil 1) (blueangels.navy.mil 2)
