Military Assets: DD Form 2535 Explained

Requesting a military jet team for your air show? “Requesting the Blue Angels,” “requesting the Thunderbirds,” and “requesting a Tac Demo team” are three different processes with three different deadlines, and one of them doesn’t even use DD Form 2535. This video walks through the current SEP 2025 edition of the form, section by section, then breaks down exactly what each request path requires.

KEY TAKEAWAYS Blue Angels (Navy) and Thunderbirds (Air Force) share the same eligibility rules and the same deadline: July 1, two years before the event. Blue Angels requests use the actual DD2535 PDF, emailed to the Navy Office of Community Outreach. Thunderbirds, and every other Air Force request, go through the Air Force Aerial Events Website instead.

Tac Demo (single-aircraft demonstration) requests are due July 1, one year before the event, for Air Force and Navy. Army needs only 60 days’ minimum notice. Marine Corps requests are due August 26, one year out. Section VIII (FAA/FSDO coordination) is skipped for flyovers, static displays, and parachute or jump teams, including the Golden Knights.

The Marine Corps retired the AV-8B Harrier II in June 2026. The form’s instruction text still lists it as an option; in practice, the Marine Corps single-ship slot is now MV-22 Osprey or F-35B Lightning II only.

RESOURCES

DD Form 2535 (SEP 2025 edition): https://www.esd.whs.mil/Directives/forms/dd2500_2999/DD2535/

Air Force Aerial Events Website: https://www.airshows.pa.hq.af.mil/PublicSite/Index.cfm?fwa=DD2535PI 2025 Thunderbirds Support Manual: https://www.airforce.com/content/dam/airforce/en/pdf/2025ThunderbirdsSupportManual.pdf

This video is educational and reflects the DD Form 2535 SEP 2025 edition as of production. Deadlines and support manual requirements are updated annually. Confirm current-year figures directly with the relevant service before submitting a request.