Attendees at a recent Miami airshow witnessed an unprecedented “Freedom Flyover” of three types of Air Force bombers and four types of fighters that had never been seen flying together before, said Charles Hoffman, a spokesman for Air Force Global Strike Command.
“It’s not just about fighters and bombers,” Hoffman told Task & Purpose. “It’s about an integrated team of professionals coming together across the total force to illustrate the readiness and resolve of the active duty, Guard and Reserve force any time…anywhere.”
The 2025 Hyundai Air & Sea Show on Saturday marked the first time that a B-52H, B-1B, B-2, F-22. F-15C, F-16C, and A-10 have flown in a formation, Hoffman said.
“We have done a few tri-bomber flyovers, and the command wanted to do something special and unique to honor the fallen for Memorial Day at the Miami Air Show,” Hoffman said.
The reason that an F-35A Joint Strike Fighter was not part of the formation is that none were available at the time, Hoffman said.
Each of the aircraft showcased different capabilities that the Air Force brings to the fight, Hoffman said. The B-2 is designed to penetrate advanced enemy air defenses, and both the B-52 and B-1 are able to attack targets from a distance with standoff weapons, he said.
“The fighters represent the ability to get global strike to and from anywhere … anytime and maintain air superiority and persistent tactical ground attack,” Hoffman said.
The airmen had to show tremendous skill to fly the seven aircraft in a single formation, especially since the fighters are designed to fly much faster than the bombers, he said.
The display of airpower comes after a recent “elephant walk” of 53 Air Force and Navy aircraft along with Army missile batteries at Kadena Air Base, Japan. As Task & Purpose previously reported, that elephant walk contained just about every airframe needed for a fight in the Pacific — and was likely put on with China in mind.
Task & Purpose asked Hoffman if the Air Force was sending a message to China with the Freedom Flyover’s unique combination of fighters and bombers.
“The flyover served to honor the fallen for Memorial Day and simultaneously illustrated the Air Force’s ability to project power, communicate resolve, and provide options in times of crisis,” Hoffman replied.
Still, the formation’s first-ever combination of bombers and fighters demonstrated that the Air Force is “not to be trifled with,” said retired Air Force Col. Mark Gunzinger, a former B-52 instructor pilot and flight evaluator.
“Did it send a signal to our nation’s enemies, including China? Absolutely,” said Gunzinger, who previously served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for forces transformation and resources.
Gunzinger noted that the planes that took part in the Miami airshow were flown by both active-duty troops and reservists.
“China is rolling out a lot of new kit, but a key point is their airmen lack the decades of combat experience our airmen have, and that can make the difference between victory and failure in war,” said Gunzinger, who is currently the director of future concepts and capability assessments at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.
However, Gunzinger added that the planes that flew at the Miami airshow were designed decades ago. The B-52, for example, first flew in 1952, just five years after the Air Force became an independent military branch.
“We have the combat edge in terms of experience,” Gunzinger said. “We have the best airmen in the world, but we must increase our advantage over China by providing our airmen with new kit, because we don’t want to engage in a fair fight. We want to dominate, and that will only occur if we modernize our Air Force.”
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