Look to the Tampa sky during the national anthem performance at the 55th Super Bowl on Feb. 7 to see a first-of-its-kind flyover of three different Air Force bombers.
The B-1B Lancer from Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota, the B-2 Spirit from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri and the B-52 Stratofortress from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota will fly over Raymond James Stadium, demonstrating their flexibility and ability to deploy from anywhere in the world from the continental United States, according to an Air Force press release.
“Supporting this event is a tremendous honor for our command and the U.S. Air Force,” said Gen. Tim Ray, commander of the Air Force Global Strike Command in a statement.
“B-1 + B-2 + B-52 = Super Bowl 55 Flyover!” read the service’s Facebook post about the news.
Keep looking up, we’ll be there! #AFFlyover #B1 + #B2 + #B52 = #SuperBowl55 😉 🏈
Posted by Air Force Global Strike Command on Monday, January 25, 2021
The bombers will depart from their respective bases, join up for the flyover and return to base following the event. Tampa’s own 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base will provide air refueling before the flyover, according to Lt. Christopher Thibeaux-Moore, spokesman for the wing.
The U.S. Air Force performs close to 1,000 flyovers a year, which also serve as training for pilots, aircrew and ground control teams, according to the Air Force release.
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