Text & Photography by Max Zammit
Introduction
On 10–11 May 2025, Osan Air Power Days 2025 marked the return of a full public airshow to Osan after a six-year hiatus, welcoming U.S. forces, South Korean partners and nearly 48,600 attendees across the weekend. The two-day event used the theme “Respect the Past, Forge the Future”, pairing sharp aerial demonstrations with static displays to highlight alliance interoperability and regional deterrence.
Because of the gap (which was mostly caused by COVID and operational pauses), and key emotional moments, this edition felt special and therefore attracted a much larger audience.
With the USAF’s withdrawal of A-10s from South Korea to re-balance and modernize regional forces, the A-10C CAS demo were tasked to showcase the aircraft capability while giving the best send-off possible to all locals and veterans.
The 51st Fighter Wing is the last overseas unit operating the A-10, and with its planned departure at the end of fiscal year 2025, this was a historic public display. The air show provided a last chance for audiences to witness the aircraft’s flight capabilities and honor the legacy of the 25th Fighter Squadron and the 25th Fighter Generation Squadron, who have maintained and operated the A-10s with dedication.
Additionally, attendees witnessed the last Pacific Air Force’s (PACAF) F-16 Demonstration Team display in South Korea. Two weeks later they performed their very last performance at Misawa Air Base, Japan. The team flew Osan AB’s own F-16s, showcasing the aircraft power, agility, and precision.
The airshow finale was headlined by a crowd favorite, the ROCAF Black Eagles, that delivered an excellent aerobatic routine.
The Media Day
Colonel Mc Kibben of the 51st Fighter Wing delivered his opening remarks by saying:
“Osan Air Base has a pivotal role here in South Korea but also in the Pacific Theatre. In the last several decades team Osan has stood watcher
over the Korean peninsula, working relentlessly with our Korean mainland to maintain peace and stability. We are excited to showcase a little bit
of that this weekend, all the hard work that goes into doing that and really what it means for us to be ready to fight tonight. It is also critical for me to state that our mission here would not be possible without the support of the Korean community and many of our off base partners. This airshow is in many ways a chance to say THANK YOU for the hospitality and all the support we receive from the
city of Pyeongtaek and the country of South Korea. We look forward to reinforce our strong partnership and close communication with the Republic of Korea.”
Air Force Operations Command Colonel Choi, Han Rak added:
“This airshow is being held for the first time in 6 years and it’s a great chance to display our robust and combined alliance. We have a lot of things happening this weekend, especially the pride of ROK Air Force, our Black Eagles Team is here and a lot of other assets are coming to be part of the static display. Osan Air Base is taking all necessary precautions to ensure the safety of the visitors. Our security forces are collaborating closely with the police to prevent any form of terrorism on the base and to provide support during emergency situations. I’d like to welcome all reporters and our citizens for visiting the base on this special event.”
Mc Kibben also shared his take one key aspect that visitors will learn when visiting Osan Air Base: “The installation has been here since June of 1952 and since the armistice we had US Forces stationed and assigned here. The capabilities have changed significantly over the years and the current capabilities that we have now are what we’ll have on display this weekend. The benefit of such a strong alliance though is we won’t be only showcasing US Air Force Osan-assigned capabilities but also other services within the US Department of Defense.“
On the recent announcement of the F-16 super squadron concept at Osan:
“We will move into what we’re calling Phase 2 of our super squadron experiment. The divestment of the A-10 platform and the closing of the squadron, allows us to explore some efficiencies of how we manage and sustain air power here in Korea. So in the immediate term, the F-16s from Kunsan will relocate here for the experiment phase until we have a more permanent decision. Phase 1 has been going on for about a year and we’re actively seeking data to look at where we can gain efficiency. The plan is to support the experiment at least into next summer (2026) and potentially longer. That will allow us to make assessments and decisions based on the data that we are able to get within that timeline.“
When asked about the A-10 retirement, Lt Col Justin Davis of the 25th Fighter Squadron replied: “I’ve personally been here in Korea for a total of 6 years, it’s my second assignment and I can say that our squadron, as well as the other squadrons in the 51st Fighter Wing have a deep passion for what we do. We have a deep connection to the nation of Korea and its people and we’re very proud to have served alongside our ROKAF counterpart for so long. What you’ll see is a close-air support demonstration of the A-10s which gives everyone an understanding of what they’ve been supporting, because as Col McKibben described, it is a joint effort.”
On the significance of the A-10 for Osan and the US Air Force and what will happen to the Squadron members:
“It has seen many battles and has supported many nations. My squadron focused on close air support, combat, search and rescue and forward air control airborne missions among others that are specific to Korea. We take a deep pride in the mission of defending Korea. As far as the pilots of my squadron, about half of them are transitioning in the Air Force’s announcement of the modernization of our unit. They’re transitioning to the F-35, while the other half will continue to fly the A-10 in the United States.“
Despite the weather got worse by the minute, the media had the opportunity to see three of the four aerial performers (A-10, F-16 & F-35B) practicing their routine display. The static lineup was completed shortly after the arrival of a US Army CH-47F from Camp Humphreys. Along with a C-12, an UH-60M and an AH-64E, the Chinook completed the quadruplet of assets from this neighboring base, only 27km away from Osan.
The static display list
ROKAF KF-5F Jegong-Ho (10-594) – 101st Fighter Squadron, Suwon Air Base
ROKAF FA-50 Golden Eagle (16-056)- 8th Fighter Wing, Wonju Air Base
ROKAF KT-1 Woongbi (06-015) – 8th Fighter Wing, Wonju Air Base
ROKAF KF-15K Slam Eagle (02-019) – 11th Fighter Wing, Daegu Air Base
ROKAF KF-16C Fighting Falcon (92-006) – 20th Fighter Wing, Seosan Air Base
ROKAF KF-35 Lightning II (20-018)- 17th Fighter Wing, Cheongju Air Base
ROKAF C-130H-30 Hercules (55-030) – 15th Special Mission Wing, Seongnam Air Base
ROKAF CN235 (30-082) – 256th Tactical Air Transport Squadron, Seongnam Air Base
US ARMY CH-47F Chinook (16-08215) – 3-2 General Support Aviation Battalion, Camp Humphreys
US ARMY AH-64E Apache (15-03049) – 4-2 Attack Battalion, Camp Humphreys
US ARMY UH-60M Blackhawk (18-21000), 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade, Camp Humphreys
USAF C-12F (84-0155), U.S. Army, Easy Company, 52nd Aviation Regiment “Wildcats”, Camp Humphreys
US NAVY CMV-22B (169456), VRM-30 based aboard USS George Washington.
US NAVY P-8A Poseidon (169004) – Patrol Squadron (VP) 9 “Golden Eagles”, deployed at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa and based at (NAS) Whidbey Island, Washington
USMC F-35B Lightning II (170053) – VMFA-214 “Black Sheep”, deployed at Osan Air base and based at MCAS Yuma
USAF C-130J Super Hercules (08-0177) – 36th Airlift Squadron, Yokota Air Base
USAF A-10C Thunderbolt II (81-0979) – 25th Fighter Squadron “Pilsung”, Osan Air Base
USAF F-16C Fighting Falcon (89-2043) – 36th Fighter Squadron “Flying Fiends”, Osan Air Base
USAF U-2S Dragon Lady (80-1077) – 5th Reconnaissance Squadron, Osan Air Base
Warthog tail number 81-0979 made its last public appearance in the A-10 weapons loading demonstration before retirement. Sporting a Korean War heritage scheme, the Far East Air Forces (FEAF) identification yellow and black bands, it commemorates the type’s decades of service with the squadron.
The flying display list
USAF A-10C Thunderbolt II (81-) – 25th Fighter Squadron “Pilsung”, Osan Air Base
USAF A-10C Thunderbolt II (81-) – 25th Fighter Squadron “Pilsung”, Osan Air Base
USAF F-16C Fighting Falcon (89-) – 36th Fighter Squadron “Flying Fiends”, Osan Air Base
USAF F-16C Fighting Falcon (89-) – 36th Fighter Squadron “Flying Fiends”, Osan Air Base
USMC F-35B Lightning II (170053) – VMFA-214 “Black Sheep”, deployed at Osan Air base and based at MCAS Yuma
ROKAF FA-50 “Black Eagles”, 53rd Air Demonstration Group, Wonju Air Base
The Airshow Days – Saturday
Despite the careful planning, Saturday’s unexpected poor weather rendered flying unsafe and all displays were cancelled. The ground exhibits became the main draw, allowing enthusiasts an extended opportunity to engage with maintainers, purchase memorabilia and watch closely the A-10 weapons load ground demo arming the Warthog with a GBU 30 JDAM.
The Airshow Days – Sunday
On Sunday, the audience took a well deserved break from the rain and luckily there were some clear skies too. The show started with the PACAF F-16 Demo that showcased all the classic maneuvers of a Viper display: full afterburner takeoff, high speed passes, quick turns and a high alpha pass. The PACAF will bring an end to thirty years of public engagement across the Indo-Pacific in two weeks time at their home base in Misawa, Japan.
The next act was the USMC F-35B. While the crowd’s favorite are the STOVL (Short Take Off Vertical Landing) and high alpha maneuvers, the demo focuses on turning capabilities as well. Three passes were followed by what is known as a “minimum radius turn”, clearly showcasing the Bravo model ability in a dogfight environment.
The third act was all about attack demonstration, with the beloved two-ship A-10C CAS demo. Low-altitude, low-speed, dive run and precision fire support maneuvering is what distinguishes the Warthog and the display is straight from the battlefield playbook.
The ROKAF national pride and prestige team, the Black Eagles, wrapped this edition of the Osan Air Power Days with their 30-minute routine. The Eight T-50Bs are optimized for display with white smoke generators and a striking black and yellow scheme.
Even though some of their displays use well-known formations and aerobatic figures, one cannot deny the skills and top quality choreography of this performance. The team performs around 30 aerobatic maneuvers featuring crossing passes, corkscrew barrel rolls, the iconic mirror pass and the bomb burst finale. Unsurprisingly this is an award-winning team and it’s the best of what the ROCAF has to showcase.
We would like to thank all the personnel of the 51st Fighter Wing for the opportunity to make this report. In particular a heartfelt “thank you” to Public Affairs Specialist, Andy (Wooil) Ahn for his assistance during the media day.
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