The South Korean Air Force’s aerobatic team, the Black Eagles, performs an air show at the 2026 World Defense Show in Riyadh on Feb. 9 (local time), drawing the Taegeuk symbol in the sky with white smoke.
RIYADH, Feb. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s Air Force aerobatic team, the Black Eagles, commanded the skies over Riyadh on Monday, delivering a high-intensity performance at the 2026 World Defense Show that drew thunderous applause from spectators.
It marked the team’s first appearance at a Middle Eastern defense exhibition, underscoring Seoul’s expanding presence in the region’s arms market.
The South Korean Air Force’s aerobatic team, the Black Eagles, performs an air show at the 2026 World Defense Show in Riyadh on Feb. 9 (local time).
Flying to a soundtrack that blended the traditional melody “Arirang” with the upbeat theme song “Golden” from the animated hit K-Pop Demon Hunters, the pilots executed a series of complex maneuvers — 360-degree rolls, mirror-image formations and the signature “Mugunghwa” formation — before tracing the Taegeuk symbol of the South Korean flag across the desert sky.
In one of the most dramatic sequences, four jets approached each other at high speed from opposite directions in a tense near-collision pass, veering away at the last moment in a display of precision and nerve. At another point, an aircraft appeared to stall midair, trailing white smoke before roaring back upward, prompting gasps from the crowd.
Korean expatriates in Saudi Arabia wave South Korean flags in support after watching the Black Eagles’ air show at the 2026 World Defense Show in Riyadh on Feb. 9 (local time).
Riyadh’s dry, high-altitude air presents challenges for high-performance flight, Air Force officials said, as reduced air density can blunt engine output. Yet the Black Eagles climbed to 8,000 feet and demonstrated maximum-speed maneuvers throughout the 30-minute show.
The performance drew enthusiastic cheers from Saudi spectators and expatriate Koreans alike, some waving South Korean flags as the jets painted the sky. One defense industry official likened the team’s reception to that of a K-pop group.
A Black Eagles T-50B aircraft taxis for takeoff on Jan. 28 en route to the World Defense Show (WDS) in Saudi Arabia.
The Black Eagles’ participation in the show also drew attention for a logistical milestone: during their deployment, the team received aerial refueling support at Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s Naha base in Okinawa — the first time Japanese forces have refueled South Korean Air Force aircraft.
The journey to Saudi Arabia was itself an endurance feat. Departing from Wonju Air Base on Jan. 28, the squadron traveled more than 11,300 kilometers, making stops in Okinawa, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, India and Oman. The deployment involved nine T-50B jets — including one spare — four C-130 transport aircraft and roughly 120 personnel.
For Seoul, the spectacle in Riyadh was more than aerobatics. It was a carefully choreographed display of military capability and soft power, performed under desert skies far from home.
The Black Eagles perform an aerobatic maneuver with an emblem marking the 80th anniversary of Korea’s Liberation in 2025 affixed to the aircraft.
Image credit: Yonhap, Joint Press Corps for the Ministry of National Defense, the Korea Defense Industry Association, the South Korean Air Force / photonews@koreabizwire.com
