As many Alaskans know, we begin a year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of statehood in June of 2008.  You will be pleased to learn that the 2008 Arctic Thunder air show is now recognized by the State of Alaska as the kick-off for this year long celebration.

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To be an Arctic Thunder 2008 Partner, or inquire about other partnership opportunities, please contact the AASA Partner Liaison via E-Mail or snail mail at:

Alaska Air Show Association
PO Box 6175
Elmendorf AFB Alaska 99506

Returning as the premier performer for the 2008 Air Show will be the USAF Thunderbirds Demonstration Team!

Other headline performers include: Debbie Gary, Greg Poe, Jon Melby, Marcus Paine, F-15, F-22, C-17 Demos + Heritage Flight & More.

Needless to say, we had a FANTASTIC time! It was what we would call a “dress up” ceremony (suit or sport coat and tie), but that didn’t make it a boring ceremony by any stretch.

The really neat part was that the F22s actually arrived for the ceremony….as in the ceremony was tied to their actual arrival to the state!

There are many reasons for the US Air Force’s deployment of the F22 Raptor - the aging of the F15 Eagle (over 36 years), the creation of China’s new Jian-10 Fighter, Russia’s Sukhoi Su-35 as well as their sale to Syria of MiG31Es. With their Russian Vympel R-73 missiles they are deadly adversaries against our air dominance.

As Senator Ted Stevens said at the ceremony…”It’s not who the F22 will come up against, but who will be willing to go against the F22?”

It’s important to realize that as the fighting with our current enemy grabs all the headlines, the threat of conflict is constantly evolving on several fronts. We cannot afford to lose sight of the fact that we may engage an enemy whose technology and skills more closely mirror our own…and take on both types of conflicts simultaneously.

For the Association, it was our great pleasure to assist with the ceremony as well as participate.

C17 Globemaster Arrival Ceremony

Alaska receives its first C-17 Globemaster
Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
June 11th, 2007

8 Photos

Elmendorf is the Pacific Air Forces second location for it’s C-17s.

The nation’s newest airlifter will allow Elmendorf to improve its ability to accomplish the mission of global reach by delivering people and supplies anywhere - anytime.

The C-17 mission will be operated and maintained by the active duty Air Force and Alaska Air National Guard. The C-17 replaces the C-130 in the 517th Airlift Squadron and is a new platform for the Guard.

Alaska provides a unique advantage for global delivery because it is strategically located near the center of the northern hemisphere. The airlift mission at Elmendorf will transform with the change to C-17s. Global direct delivery will be the mission focus, while continuing to work closely with the Army supporting Fort Richardson Soldiers and the Stryker Brigade.

The Globemaster, a Boeing aircraft first built in 1993, is considered the most flexible cargo carrier in the Air Force. In replacing the smaller C-130 it can speedily deliver scores of troops and their gear to various war zones, directly through a landing or by parachute.

The plane is nearly 175 feet nose to tail and has a wingspan almost as long – 170 feet. Its four engines are those that power Boeing’s 757 passenger jet. Its maximum gross takeoff weight - the heaviest it can be and still get off the ground - is more than a half-million pounds. The Globemaster can do something that Bush pilots are likely to admire: As large as it is, this beast of a plane can land on a runway made of gravel or crushed rock, one as short as 3,500 feet.

Sadly this means the next Arctic Thunder air show is scheduled for summer 2008. The official air show dates will be officially announced in January 2008 and we wil, of course, post those dates here.

We look forward to seeing you all there!