This wasn’t an ordinary airshow performance. Classified as a National Special Security Event (NSSE) by federal authorities, Super Bowl LX demanded an integrated aviation safety and defense architecture — a layered shield blending military readiness, Temporary Flight Restrictions, radar surveillance, and quick-reaction alert aircraft. Beneath the roar of the crowd at Levi’s Stadium lay an invisible but unbroken ring of airborne security stretching miles beyond the arena.
For millions of viewers worldwide, the spectacle overhead was a patriotic flyover timed to the final note of the national anthem. But long before eight warplanes streaked across the California sky in precise formation, powerful fighters were already airborne — patrolling, scanning, and prepared to intercept any aircraft that threatened one of the most-watched sporting events on Earth.
At the heart of that mission were California’s own F-15 Eagle fighter jets.
Days before kickoff, the Federal Aviation Administration established a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) centered on Santa Clara. The protected airspace extended roughly 30 nautical miles, forming a tightly controlled zone monitored jointly by the FAA and the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
Within this invisible bubble, civilian air traffic was either restricted or rerouted. Aircraft without proper clearance risked interception. Drones were prohibited. Even routine general aviation pilots received repeated advisories warning them of the restrictions.
Such measures have become standard for major events since the September 11 attacks reshaped U.S. aviation security doctrine. But the Super Bowl — combining global viewership, high-profile attendees, and concentrated crowds — demands particular vigilance.
While fans celebrated tailgate parties and halftime performances, radar screens in command centers quietly painted a complete picture of the airspace above Northern California.
Leading the air defense mission were F-15C Eagle fighters from the 144th Fighter Wing of the California Air National Guard. Based at Fresno Air National Guard Base, the unit’s primary federal mission is homeland air defense — safeguarding airspace from the Mexican border north to Oregon.
The aircraft assigned to the mission was the iconic F-15 Eagle, a twin-engine air superiority fighter with a top speed exceeding Mach 2.5. Designed during the Cold War to dominate enemy aircraft, the F-15 has compiled one of the most impressive combat records in aviation history, never having been shot down in air-to-air combat.
For Super Bowl LX, however, the Eagle’s mission was not combat — it was protection and deterrence.
Pilots and maintainers from the 144th Fighter Wing operated under quick-reaction alert (QRA) conditions. That means aircraft were fueled, armed, and ready to launch within minutes. Aircrews remained on standby in alert facilities — often called “alert barns” — prepared to sprint to their jets at a moment’s notice.
According to interviews conducted during preparations, pilots trained extensively with simulated intercepts in the weeks leading up to the event. Working alongside the Civil Air Patrol and coordinating closely with civilian air traffic controllers, they rehearsed potential airspace violations to ensure seamless response.
Airspace incursions during major events are rarely hostile. More often, they involve general aviation pilots who miss a notice to airmen (NOTAM) or misinterpret GPS navigation boundaries. Increasingly, commercially available drones also pose risks, whether through negligence or curiosity.
When unidentified aircraft approach restricted airspace, the response is swift.
An F-15 may be scrambled, climbing rapidly toward the target. Pilots attempt radio contact on emergency frequencies. If the aircraft is unresponsive, fighters maneuver into visual range. Standard intercept procedures include rocking wings, flashing lights, and positioning close enough to establish unmistakable presence.
The goal is clarification, not confrontation.
If necessary, the intercepted aircraft is escorted out of the TFR zone. Only in the most extreme scenario would escalation occur — and that remains extraordinarily unlikely. The visible presence of fighters alone serves as a powerful deterrent.
These procedures mirror NORAD’s broader homeland defense mission, in which alert fighters across the United States stand ready to respond to aircraft without transponders or to unresponsive traffic near sensitive sites.
The 144th Fighter Wing exemplifies the dual nature of the National Guard. Federally, the unit falls under Air Combat Command for national defense missions. At the state level, it can be activated for emergencies such as wildfire reconnaissance, disaster response, and humanitarian assistance.
This dual responsibility places Guard units at the intersection of civilian and military life.
During Super Bowl LX, that intersection was on full display. The same pilots who may assist during wildfire seasons or respond to natural disasters were simultaneously executing a high-profile homeland defense operation under federal authority.
The spotlight of the Super Bowl flyover showcased their precision and professionalism. Yet the patrols orbiting unseen above Santa Clara underscored a deeper commitment: constant readiness.
For viewers inside Levi’s Stadium, the climax of the aerial display came at the anthem’s final crescendo. Eight aircraft thundered overhead in flawless formation — a rare joint-service composition designed to commemorate 250 years of U.S. armed forces defending the nation.
Two B-1B Lancer bombers from Ellsworth Air Force Base
Two F-15C Eagles from the California Air National Guard’s 144th Fighter Wing
Two F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft
Two F-35C Lightning II fighters from Naval Air Station Lemoore
The combination was striking. The B-1B Lancer — a long-range supersonic strategic bomber — shared airspace with Air National Guard interceptors and Navy carrier-based strike fighters. It was a symbolic display of interoperability across services.
Unlike defensive patrols, flyovers are public missions requiring split-second timing. Pilots rely on GPS timing cues, synchronized altitude profiles, and formation geometry calculated to ensure the formation appears overhead precisely at the anthem’s final note.
Multiple rehearsal flights are conducted in the days before the event. Mission planners coordinate with FAA controllers to integrate the formation into civilian air traffic patterns without disruption.
When the eight jets crossed above Levi’s Stadium, they did so with seconds-to-spare precision — a fleeting spectacle months in the making.
The question arises every year: Why are high-performance fighters needed for a sporting event?
The answer is layered.
First, deterrence. The visible presence of military aircraft signals that airspace is monitored and defended. Second, rapid response capability. If an aircraft were to lose communications, stray into restricted airspace, or pose an unidentified risk, fighters can reach the scene in minutes.
Third, coordination. Events like the Super Bowl serve as real-world exercises for joint civil-military command systems. Radar operators, air traffic controllers, pilots, and defense commanders operate within a unified structure, ensuring clarity of authority and communication.
Since 2001, no major U.S. sporting event has experienced a catastrophic airborne security breach. That record reflects years of disciplined procedure and layered protection.
Modern air defense integrates advanced radar networks, secure communications, and increasingly sophisticated monitoring systems capable of detecting small drones and low-altitude aircraft.
Future Super Bowls may see enhanced artificial intelligence assisting in airspace analysis, filtering anomalies, and improving response times. Integrated command systems continue to evolve, merging military and civilian data streams in real time.
Yet technology alone does not secure the skies.
Pilots in flight suits, maintainers on the tarmac, radar operators behind consoles — these professionals remain the decisive factor. The F-15 Eagle may be a machine of speed and power, but it is the aircrew’s judgment and discipline that determine outcomes.
At Fresno’s alert facility, crews maintained readiness even as fans celebrated touchdowns. In Santa Clara, formation leaders synchronized their approach with mathematical precision. Both missions — unseen patrol and visible flyover — required equal dedication.
As fireworks illuminated the stadium and confetti fell on the championship team, the protective bubble gradually dissolved. The TFR expired. Civilian traffic resumed normal patterns. Alert aircraft returned to routine posture.
But the operation demonstrated something enduring.
Super Bowl LX was not just a sporting event; it was a demonstration of coordinated national preparedness. From the alert barns in Fresno to the roaring formation over Levi’s Stadium, layers of defense ensured the spectacle unfolded safely.
For aviation enthusiasts, the sight of B-1 bombers flanked by F-15s, F/A-18s, and F-35Cs was unforgettable. For defense planners, the success of the operation was measured not in spectacle but in silence — no incidents, no disruptions, no emergencies.
Behind the halftime show and the final score stood a disciplined network of radar operators, controllers, maintainers, and pilots who ensured that millions could watch in peace.
In the end, the most important mission of Super Bowl Sunday was not seen on television. It was the quiet vigilance overhead — an unbroken layer of airborne security protecting one of America’s biggest moments.
