Photo By Sgt. Julian Elliott-Drouin | U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets with the Navy Flight Demonstration Team, the Blue...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAI‘I – Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH) opened their gates to the public and invited thousands of people to their 2025 Kāne‘ohe Bay Air Show at Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH) on Aug. 9-10, 2025, with Military Appreciation Day being recognized on Aug. 8, 2025.
A SPECIAL OCCASION
This is the installation’s third notable air show in recent history and is one of MCBH’s largest community outreach events, bringing people together by highlighting military aviation history and educating the public about modern military technology.
The 2025 Kāne‘ohe Bay Air Show featured a variety of military and civilian demonstrations, with the headlining performers being the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and the U.S. Air Force’s F-22 Raptor demonstration team. Attendees also had the opportunity to explore a range of static displays, allowing the public to get up close with aircraft and equipment, fostering a better understanding of military operations.
“On behalf of the hard-working Marines, Sailors, and civilians, it is a privilege to welcome you aboard the installation today.” Said U.S. Marine Corps Col. Jeremy W. Beaven, commanding officer of MCBH, during the opening ceremony of the air show.
“You’ll see some of the best aircrew, best aircraft, best equipment than any military in the world, and it’s an honor to share that with you,” said Beaven.
Both days began with an opening ceremony that featured the Hawaiian blessing given by
Kelekona Bishaw. The Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Kāne‘ohe Bay color guard and Marine Corps Forces, Pacific Band took center stage to play music and conduct colors. While the band was playing ‘Star Spangled Banner’ service members with the Special Operations Command “Para-Commandos” had the honor of parachuting in with the U.S. flag to set the tone for the air show.
HISTORY & AERIAL PERFORMANCES
One of the first aerial performances of the day was the T-6 Texan “Manbear”, made famous in World War II as an attack fighter and pilot trainer aircraft. The ‘Manbear’ was designed by North American Aviation and underwent various evolutionary stages after WWII.
For its versatility in combat and pilot training applications, the T-6 is an integral part of U.S. military history, and air show goers got the chance to see it up close and personal.
Another part of history that attendees got the see at the air show was the U.S. Air Force’s
KC-135 Stratotanker, primarily designed for aerial refueling and airlift capabilities. The Stratotanker’s first flight was in 1956, and with initial production beginning in 1957, it is one of the oldest flying U.S. military aircraft.
Other military aerial performers included the U.S. Air Force’s C-17 Globemaster demonstration as well as the U.S. Coast Guard’s MH-65 Dolphin and C-130 Hercules Search and Rescue demonstration.
The Joint Task Force (JTF) demonstration painted a clear picture of MCBH’s interoperability with other branches of service on the island of Oahu. The demo showed the aerial capabilities of the U.S. Navy’s MH-60R Sea Hawk Helicopter, the U.S. Air Force’s F-22 Raptor, the U.S. Marine Corps’s MV-22 Osprey, and the KC-130J. The scenario of the performance demonstrated that the MH-60R Sea Hawk and F-22 Raptor could provide aerial superiority and pave the way for the MV-22 Ospreys to land and deploy ground units. In this case, Marines with the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment landed and began moving in tactical formations toward to audience. The JTF demonstration showcased the capability and readiness of U.S. forces that included coordination of air, land, and sea assets.
One Facebook user commented and replied to one of the official Marine Corps Base Hawaii posts, stating, “The most memorable part about this airshow was the Joint Task Force demo- that was awesome! It was a truly great show! Great Job, everyone involved in putting this together.”
Not only did the audience get to see a small preview of the F-22 Raptor before its scheduled aerial performance later in the day, but they also got to see the famous ‘Wall of Fire' during the Joint Task Force Demonstration. There were a couple of unique aerial performances, but none made the crowd look more to the skies than the F-22 and the U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets with the Navy's Blue Angels.
The F-22 Raptor roared through the sky, performing aerial maneuvers that stunned the crowd. The F-22 is a fifth-generation fighter jet, designed to show off stealth, speed, and maneuverability. Some of its aerial maneuvers include the power loop, split tail slide, and high-speed passes at low altitudes. On a social media post after the airshow, the F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team thanked the local community for coming to the show, “You welcomed us like family and sent us off in style. Every handshake, conversation, and smile helps us share the story of the F-22 Demonstration Team and the Airmen behind it. Until next time.”
As the headlining performer, the Blue Angels captivated the audience with their beautifully blue and yellow painted F/A-18 Hornets, with the detailed yellow lettering of ‘U.S. Navy’ underneath their wings. The Blue Angels performed a variety of aerial maneuvers and formations that displayed the true meaning of air superiority and versatility.
U.S. Navy Flight Leader and Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Adam Bryan explained, “One of our missions of the Blue Angels is to represent the over 800,000 active-duty Sailors and Marines, many of which have come from this duty station.” Not only is it important for the Blue Angels to inspire the next generation of service members, but their performance also becomes a crucial opportunity to show the public the values of dedication, teamwork, and professionalism instilled into the mindset of the Blue Angels. When asked his favorite part of being a Blue Angel, Bryan explained, “I have the pleasure and honor of working with 160 of the finest professionals of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, and while they are incredible at their jobs, they’re even better people to be around every single day. I consider being a teammate with them one of the greatest professional honors I’ve had in my entire life.”
U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Natalia Luchetti, Blue Angels maintenance officer, shared that her first introduction to the Blue Angels was as an enlisted sailor stationed at MCAS Kāne‘ohe Bay. As sailor of the year, she received a unique opportunity to ride inside the Blue Angels’ KC-130, also known as ‘Fat Albert,’ providing her with the motivation to continue serving in the Navy and one day become part of the Blue Angels team.
“The community in Hawai’i welcomed my family with open arms and I’m so happy to be back after so much time away,” explained Luchetti. “I am most excited to welcome the people of Hawai’i to this air show. We haven’t been here since 2022 … I think it’s long overdue, so it’s pretty exciting when we get a big crowd and they get to see what we do for a living.”
COMMUNITY & STATIC DISPLAYS
The two-day air show contained a multitude of U.S. military aviation and ground static displays as well as a car exhibition, food vendors, and a performance from the Hawaiian Caledonian Pipe Band. Attendees also got an unforgettable experience to drive supercars with renowned air show exhibitors ‘Precision Exotics.’ The aerial static displays allowed the community to get up close and personal and even actually inside the aircraft of the Marine Corps’s KC-130, the U.S. Army’s AH-64 Apache, the U.S. Air Force’s C-17 Globemaster III and KC-135 Stratotanker, and lastly, the U.S. Navy’s MH-60R Sea Hawk.
Ground static displays included vehicles from the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment and Marine Wing Support Squadron 174, which consisted of Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTV), the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS), and the Patriot Missile System. Other educational booths included a STEM zone and MCBH’s environmental department, which educates the audience about MCBH’s mission to preserve and protect natural and cultural resources by managing the beaches, wildlife, and vegetation on base and surrounding the peninsula of which MCBH uses to train and call ‘home’. In addition to that, MCBH prides itself on actively collaborating with state and federal agencies to practice the highest discipline of environmental stewardship.
In an interview with Hawai’i News Now, Beaven explained his most memorable experience at his first ever air show as a 6-year-old boy, “my first air show, I was six years old and I flew in a helicopter that doesn’t even exist anymore, but I remember it like it was yesterday.” Today, as the commanding officer of MCBH, he expressed his gratitude to the community by stating, “when we have an opportunity to bring our keiki and even our kupuna and bring them in here, aboard this space, it’s fun for everybody.” The 2025 Kāne‘ohe Bay Air Show drew in approximately 92,500 of guests and attendees aboard the installation.
CONCLUSION
All in all, by opening the gates of MCBH to the public for this airshow, it allowed the community to observe their investment in our military and gain a better understanding of what service members do on a day-to-day basis as well as serving as an opportunity to showcase the work MCBH does to preserve our environment, tell the story of military aviation history and show our appreciation to the local community by inviting them into our space and sharing the experience with us. The next Kāne‘ohe Bay Air Show is scheduled for 2027. MCBH is excited to host an amazing event and invite you to the show again. A big Mahalo from everyone at MCBH! See you at the next one.
For more information, please visit: https://www.mcbhawaii.marines.mil/
| Date Taken: | 08.28.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.28.2025 17:48 |
| Story ID: | 546847 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 64 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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