(Ret.) U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Dave Stilwell, the first PACAF F-16 Demonstration Team commander, and Capt. Ethan Smith, its final commander, reflect on the team’s origins and deactivation. Based out of the 35th Fighter Wing at Misawa Air Base, Japan, the team launched in 1995 as the first to fly the Block 50 F-16 in demonstrations. For 30 years, it served as the premier U.S. aerial demonstration team in the Indo-Pacific. On May 30, 2025, the team flew its final performance—marking a milestone in Misawa’s ongoing modernization to bolster the U.S.-Japan alliance and regional security. (U.S. Air Force video by Tech. Sgt. Peter Reft)
