Air Force Black Eagles to Make Debut at Saudi Defense Exhibition, Showcasing Excellence

The Republic of Korea Air Force’s special flight team, the Black Eagles, will participate in a defense industry exhibition in Saudi Arabia for the first time, staging an airshow at the event.

According to the Air Force on January 21, the Black Eagles will take part in the World Defense Show 2026, which will be held from February 8 to 12 at the Riyadh Convention Center in Saudi Arabia. This marks the first time the Air Force is participating in a defense industry exhibition in the Middle East. For this event, the Air Force will dispatch nine T-50B aircraft (including one backup), four C-130 aircraft for personnel and cargo transport, and approximately 120 service members.

Yonhap News Agency

Now in its third edition, the World Defense Show is a biennial defense industry exhibition hosted by the Saudi government. Since its debut in 2022, it has established itself as the largest defense exhibition in the Middle East.

The Black Eagles will depart from their base in Wonju on January 28, flying a total distance of over 11,300 kilometers via Naha in Japan, Clark in the Philippines, Da Nang in Vietnam, Chiang Mai in Thailand, Kolkata, Nagpur, and Jamnagar in India, and Muscat in Oman, before arriving at Malham Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on February 2. At their first stop, Naha Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, the Black Eagles will hold an exchange event with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s special flight team, Blue Impulse, to deepen mutual understanding and enhance defense cooperation.

Starting from February 9, the day after the opening ceremony, the Black Eagles will perform a total of 24 advanced maneuvers each day in front of overseas defense industry officials and general visitors, promoting the excellence of domestically produced aircraft. On February 7, the day before the airshow opens, they will also stage a friendship flight with the Saudi Air Force’s special flight team, the Saudi Hawks.

Colonel Noh Namsun, Commander of the 53rd Special Flight Squadron and mission controller, stated, “Since this is our first airshow in Middle Eastern skies, we will showcase the best performance based on our accumulated flight expertise and teamwork. We aim to widely promote the capabilities of the Republic of Korea Air Force and the outstanding performance of Korean-made aircraft, taking the lead in publicizing K-defense.”