Air Force football may not have as many national championships as some other powerhouse NCAA Division I schools, but no one has the air power of Air Force — literally. Those fighter jet and bomber flyovers help to give the U.S. Air Force Academy some of the most special traditions in college football. So it’s only fitting that Air Force football has rolled out special uniforms inspired by and in honor of the F-16 Fighting Falcon jet.
It has become common for college and pro sports teams to wear special edition jerseys and uniforms for various games or competitions. Air Force football has been sporting its annual Air Power Legacy Series uniforms since 2016. This season the team will wear an F-16 Fighting Falcon edition for the Navy game on Oct. 4. The rivalry game will take place at Navy Marine-Corps Memorial Stadium, but will also be televised on CBS.
Every piece of the special uniform is inspired by the F-16 Fighting Falcon plane. The helmet replicates a fighter pilot’s helmet with the front bumper featuring a silhouette of the F-16. The visor cover replicates an F-16 pilot’s. There is an F-16 Fighting Falcon patch and the word “Psycho,” which is the call sign of Col. William Andrews, a 1980 graduate of the Academy and an F-16 hero shot down in Operation Desert Storm. The back bumper features the word “Viper,” a common nickname for the aircraft.
“Viper” appears down the left leg while the right leg features “Fighting Falcon,” the official name of the F-16.
The front of the jersey reads Air Force, along with the player’s name and the patch of the corresponding squadron represented. The sleeve features the American flag and squadron patch of the base represented. And the back of the jersey has the tail flash of the fighter squadron.
The palms of the gloves form at F-16 when a player brings his hands together.
Three bases, two squadrons and two wings are represented: the 120th Fighter Squadron and 140th Wing from Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado; the 555th Fighter Squadron from Aviano Air Base, Italy; and the 20th Fighter Wing from Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina.
The Air Power Legacy Series uniforms have honored aircraft and squadrons past and present, including the Tuskegee Airmen and the Doolittle Raiders of World War II.
The F-16 is a highly maneuverable, combat-proven aircraft that was first brought into Air Force service in 1979. “We wanted a fighter that could out-turn anything in the sky. The F-16 is that fighter,” said Harry Hillaker, chief designer of the F-16, according to the Air Force Academy.
You can learn more about the Air Power Legacy Series uniforms and the F-16 Fighting Falcon here. The hype video is worth a watch. And fans can even purchase game-worn helmets and jerseys to support Air Force athletes.
Air Force begins its 2025 football season against Bucknell on Aug. 30 at home in Falcon Stadium. Key home games include Boise State on Sept. 20, Wyoming on Oct. 18 and Army on Nov. 1. You can find the full schedule at goairforcefalcons.com.
And as for game day traditions, don’t miss these 7 Things We Love About Air Force Football.
