The USAF Thunderbirds aircraft and personnel arrived at Spaceport America Thursday (Jan. 8) to begin their winter training session (photo credit: Allan Turk II)
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (Friday, January 9, 2026) – For the fifth time in as many years, the United States Air Force (USAF) Air Demonstration Squadron Thunderbirds have touched down at Spaceport America. There, the team members will engage in an extensive training period leading up to their 2026 performances.
Throughout much of January, the Thunderbirds, comprised of roughly 70 team members (12 of whom are officers) serving in dozens of Air Force job specialties, will log dozens of training hours at the Sierra County site to hone their individual and collective skills.
"Winter training is an absolutely critical time for this team," said Lt. Col. Alexander Prevendar, Commander/Leader of the Thunderbirds. "It's an incredible opportunity to come together and rehearse every piece of our operations. The public demonstration you will see in March would not be possible without this time together--learning from one another--to forge Team 2026."
During demonstration routines, the Thunderbirds' pilots operate six F-16 Fighting Falcons, the Air Force's using legendary and combat proven multi-fighter. The 2026 edition of the team will be integrating three new pilots into its maneuvers with the goal of perfecting its demonstration display.
"This is a great day for New Mexico and Spaceport America. The training the Thunderbirds achieve here sets the foundation for their upcoming season, and we get the privilege of both hosting and providing a great location to fly," said Spaceport America Director of Aerospace Operations Allan Turk II. "I'm really excited to get started and provide world-class customer service to a world-class organization."
A 30-year veteran of the USAF, Turk II retired from active service with the rank of chief master sergeant – something only 1.25% of the USAF's enlisted ranks may hold at any given time in accordance with federal law.
The relationship between Spaceport America and the Thunderbirds extends back to 2021, when, for the first time, the squadron trained outside of its home base of Nellis Air Force Base in preparation for the 2022 show season. Thanks to the restricted airspace available at Spaceport America through its partner, the U.S. Army White Sands Missile Range, the Thunderbirds were able to practice efficiently and without the time constraints they face at other locations.
Following their departure from Spaceport America later in the month, the Thunderbirds will transition to the next phase of their training at Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California. From there, the team is scheduled to travel to Daytona, Fla., to begin its 2026 performance season by performing a flyover at the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 15. It marks the 16th consecutive year in which the Thunderbirds will perform a flyover at the event.
Spaceport America ( https://www.spaceportamerica.com ) is the first purpose-built commercial spaceport in the world. The FAA-licensed launch complex, situated on 18,000 acres adjacent to the U.S. Army White Sands Missile Range in southern New Mexico, has a rocket-friendly environment of 6,000 square miles of restricted airspace, low population density, a 12,000-foot by 200-foot runway, vertical launch complexes, and about 340 days of sunshine and low humidity.
Some of the most respected companies in the commercial space industry are tenants at Spaceport America: Virgin Galactic, HAPSMobile/ AeroVironment, UP Aerospace, SpinLaunch, Swift Engineering, Prismatic Ltd., a subsidiary of BAE Systems, and Hermeus Corp.
The USAF Thunderbirds are slated to perform 71 demonstrations in 31 cities throughout the United States in 2026. It marks the 73rd year that the Thunderbirds will represent the U.S. Air Force in such shows.
Since 1953, the legendary team has served as America's premier air demonstration squadron, entrusted with the vital mission to recruit, retain and inspire past, present, and future airmen. While the faces of the team and the aircraft have changed over the decades, what has not changed is their dedication to representing the greatest Air Force on the planet.
The Thunderbirds represent the pride, precision and professionalism of 695,000 total force American Airmen, 68,000 of whom are deployed around the globe protecting our nation.
Despite its polished appearance and unique attire, the team onlookers see today remains combat-ready, many having served in harm's way defending the interests of the United States. The Thunderbirds are about more than air shows; they demonstrate what the highest level of teamwork can accomplish and inspire millions to reach for their dreams and be the best version of themselves.
To learn more about the team's training, watch Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds on Netflix. The 91-minute documentary, filmed in part during the team's 2023 training session at Spaceport America in New Mexico, takes viewers inside the cockpit to learn what it takes to create the elite team.
