USAF CANCELS AVIATION NATION AIRSHOW 2018

It is the main annual airshow of the Air Force.

US Air Force cancels Aviation Nation airshow 2018.

According to the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center Commander, Maj. Gen. Peter Gersten, Nellis Air Force Base will not host the Aviation Nation Air and Space Expo this year, the next airshow is planned for 2019.

“We had an outstanding Air and Space Expo last year that many will not soon forget,” Gersten said. “This year will be an exceptionally busy year for the men and women of Nellis and Creech Air Force Bases as we take on new and more complex missions and systems while simultaneously increasing the Air Force’s lethality and leading our readiness recovery.”

The statement surprised many aviation enthusiasts considering that the event was included in the Thunderbirds 2018 schedule and Raptor 2018 schedule.

Aviation Nation is the annual air show of the United States Air Force. The show is hosted at Nellis AFB in November of each year. The Thunderbirds usually perform at this air show at their home base as their last show of the year. Since Nellis is the leading Air Force combat training center, the show is able to feature the 5th-Gen. Air Force aircraft like the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lighting II and the camo F-16s assigned to the Aggressor Squadron.

According to the USAF media release, the Nellis' airshow has now become biennial.

“Last year’s 2017 Air and Space Expo was off of the routine biennial schedule as a special event to celebrate the Air Force’s 70th birthday.”

This is not the first time that USAF cancels the event, even in 2013 and 2015 it had been canceled for financial reasons. See here our report on Aviation Nation 2017.

Written by Matteo Sanzani
Image: George Karavantos