“Supporting the demonstration team is important, even during times of war. The team is a frontline ambassador for the 35th Fighter Wing, Misawa, PACAF, and the Air Force,” explains Brig. Gen. Dana Atkins, 35th FW commander. “Its involvement with the communities surrounding Misawa and performing for our neighbors in the Pacific increase public awareness, support, and understanding of the Air Force’s mission. Team members take pride in the programs they showcase for the community, which in turn enhances morale and readiness.”

The team is composed of fourteen volunteers who are handpicked annually from members of the 35th FW for their performance and professionalism. The team includes a demonstration pilot, two narrators who are also pilots, four crew chiefs, two avionics specialists, two electrical specialists, two engine specialists, and a maintenance superintendent. All team members are assigned to the Fightin’ Samurai of the 14th Fighter Squadron. Membership is considered an additional duty, and team members perform their full-time duties in the squadron when they are not performing demonstration practices, maintaining the aircraft, or traveling to support demonstrations throughout the Pacific.

The successful deployment to Australia hinged on the dedicated work of several Air Force organizations outside the demonstration team. Security Forces of the 35th FW supported the team throughout the two-week trip. Additionally, due to the vast expanses of ocean throughout the Pacific, the team relies upon aircraft tanker support to reach many of the season’s destinations. The deployment to Australia, for example, involved tanker planning and support from the 909th Air Refueling Squadron from Kadena AB, Okinawa. The ten-plus-hour mission required four tankers—two positioned in Kadena, one in Guam, and the last in Australia. Since the 909th Air Refueling Squadron at Kadena is the only refueling unit based between Alaska and Europe, it is often supported by non-PACAF tanker units. For the Avalon deployment, this support came from the New Hampshire and Ohio ANG units.

The F-16 demonstration profile requires both the aircraft and pilot to operate at performance extremes. The F-16 flies with no external stores except for missile rails on the wingtips, so it is not as restricted in terms of airspeed and g forces. The pilot must be proficient in two versions of the demonstration, a high show and a low show. The high show lasts approximately fifteen minutes and requires at least a 7,000-foot ceiling and five-mile visibility. The low show ceiling minimums are reduced to 2,500 feet. The show takes about twelve minutes to perform.

Highlights of the high show include an afterburner takeoff to an immediate Cuban eight, a high-speed pass at 0.94 Mach, three maximum deflection aileron rolls, a nine-g turn, and a double Immelmann. For the low show, some of the more vertical portions of the demonstration are dropped, including the Cuban eight, the double Immelmann, and a vertical climb. However, the pilot adds a knife-edge pass near the end of the performance.

Maintenance team members are highly qualified. Competition for slots includes reviews of candidates’ annual performance reports and face-to-face interviews. Team members fill their respective positions for eighteen months to two years. While each member has a maintenance specialty, they all support each other because of the team’s small size. Team members perform scripted, highly polished launches and recoveries before and after the demonstrations. Additionally, they spend about ten hours per day greeting people and answering questions about the Air Force and the F-16 during the shows. The public relations aspects of some shows include interviews with local television stations and visits to area schools, helping to build relationships and presenting the military way of life to potential recruits.

Though their demonstration schedule spans only six to eight months—generally May through December—the team practices year-round. Typically, the team travels to a variety of locations, including Korea, Singapore, Alaska, Malaysia, Australia, New Guinea, and many sites around Japan. Appearances remaining for the 2003 schedule include Chitose AB, Japan, on 10 August; Misawa as well as Osan AB, South Korea, on 7 September; Langkawi, Malaysia, from 30 September through 5 October; Tsuiki AB, Japan, at a date still to be determined; and Nyutabaru AB, Japan, on 7 December.

Renee Ekman is an aviation photographer based in Japan.