Capt. Eric Doyle, Director of the Blue Angels Super Hornet Transition Team, departs Boeing Cecil field for Naval Air Station Pensacola, in the first Blue Angels F/A-18 Super Hornet, July 27.

“Acquiring our first Super Hornet is a momentous step in our inevitable transition scheduled for later this year and it required a herculean effort to get these fleet jets ready for our team,” said Cmdr. Brian Kesselring, commanding officer and flight leader of the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels.

The Blue Angels are slated to transition to the F/A-18 Super Hornet later this year after using the F/A-18 Hornet for 34 years.