- Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds is an upcoming Netflix documentary that offers front-row seats to the exceptional men and women of the USAF Air Demonstration Squadron.
- This is a celebration of extraordinary talent, precision, and trust, which translate to the jaw-dropping airshow displays performed around the world.
- Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds release date: May 23rd, 2025 via Netflix.
The upcoming documentary, Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds, is set to give viewers an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at one of the United States Air Force’s most iconic units: The Air Demonstration Squadron.
Backed by executive producers Barack and Michelle Obama, and directed by Matt Wilcox, it’ll provide rare access to the team, as it follows the pilots through their rigorous training and preparation for the annual certification of their acrobatic maneuvers in 2023.
Originally formed in 1953, the Air Demonstration Squadron is one of the oldest aerobatic flying teams in the world, and currently uses F-16 Fighting Falcon jets.
“The pilots on this team put absolute trust in me as the formation leader,” explains Lt. Col. Justin “Astro” Elliot in the trailer, who served as the team commander from 2022 to 2023.
“If you don’t have blind trust, this show will not work.”
High above the Nevada desert, viewers will witness six jets performing the loops, dives, and tight formations that made the squadron famous, demonstrating the sheer skill and bravery required to be a pilot.
Outside of the cockpit, Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds also offers a never-before-seen look into the Thunderbirds’ briefing rooms, capturing the intensity of their work ethic, the personal sacrifices they make, as well as the perilous challenges faced by pilots as they pursue perfection.
The documentary arrives a year after Amazon’s Glen Powell-produced documentary, The Blue Angels, which followed the equivalent unit in the United States Navy. The clip below offers a brief glimpse into the remarkable kinds of mental visualisation performed by pilots as they prepare for airshow maneuvers.
Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds streams globally via Netflix from May 23rd, 2025 – check out the trailer above.
