F-22 Raptor stealth fighters have been dropped from the Super Bowl LX pre-game flyover after the jets were reassigned to operational missions, U.S. Air Force officials confirmed this week. The Raptors had been part of the original plan, which was designed to showcase fifth-generation combat aircraft from both the Air Force and the Navy over Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Katie Spencer, the Department of the Air Force’s sports outreach program manager and planner for the flyover, said rising operational demands forced the change, with the F-22s redirected to undisclosed missions. “We wanted fifth-generation aircraft from the Air Force and fifth-generation aircraft from the Navy, but operational tempo has increased, and so the F-22s got pulled for some operational assignments,” she said in a recent interview.
The revised formation will instead feature a mix of bombers and fighters representing 250 years of American airpower, including two Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers, two Air National Guard F-15C Eagles, two Navy F/A-18E Super Hornets and two F-35C Lightning II fighters. Air Force planners emphasized that the flyover still doubles as valuable time-on-target training for aircrews and maintainers, allowing them to rehearse complex real-world scenarios while providing a spectacle for fans.
Despite the absence of the F-22s, officials say spectators can expect a powerful display as the eight-ship formation roars over the open-air stadium shortly before kickoff on Sunday evening. Fans inside Levi’s Stadium are expected to both see and feel the flyover, which has been in planning for nearly a year in coordination with the NFL, broadcasters and aviation authorities.
