Created in 1953, the United States Air Force Demostration Squadron (Thunderbirds) is the third oldest aerobatic team flying under the same name (French Air Force "Patrouille de France (1931) and the U.S. Navy Blue Angles (1946)). Originally flying the Republic F-84G Thunderjet, today the Thunderbirds employ the F-16 Fighting Falcon since 1983, and as of 2023. And despite thier skills as a demonstration team, the team is also an operational combat unit if needed.
Most of the aerobatic displays alternates between their signature diamond-shape maneuvers performed by planes 1-4, and solo performances by the fifth and sixth plane. Flying as close as 18 inches, the team perform numerous loops and rolls transitioning from one formation to the other at speeds between 450-500mph. Additionally, many maneuvers require flying inverted, and since plane number five gets the honor, the number five is painted upside down on the F-16. At the end of the show, six planes will group up to form the "Delta."