Japanese Air Self-Defense Force Blue Impulse Display Team

Blue Impulse is the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) aerobatic display team flying six T-4 training jets painted in white and blue livery. The team is officially designated 11 Squadron, based at Matsushima Air Base of the 4th Air Wing. Blue Impulse performs at various JASDF air shows, major national festivals and ceremonies, as well as international events in Japan like the Olympic Games. The team rarely performs overseas due to the logistics involved.

The Blue Impulse display team first formed in 1960, flying the F-86F Sabre. The first official display was conducted on March 4, 1960, at the team's home base at Hamamatsukita (today Hamamatsu air base). In August of 1960 the team was officially established as an air study group as part of No. 2 Squadron of the 1st Air Wing. The F-86F team flew 545 official displays over the next 21 years until 1981. The last display with the F-86F took place at Iruma Air Base on February 8th, 1981.
Blue Impulse was re-established in early 1982 as a combat maneuver study group within No. 21 Squadron of the 4th Air Wing at Matsushima Air Base. Re-equipped with the T-2 supersonic advanced training jet, Blue Impulse flew 175 officials displays in 14 years.
Still based at Matsushima Air Base, Blue Impulse was restructured as No. 11 Squadron and transitioned to the T-4 subsonic training jet. The first official display with the T-4 took place on 5 April 1996 at the Defense University. A year later on 25-26 April 1997 Blue Impulse flew its first overseas displays at the 1997 Golden Air Tattoo at Nellis AFB, Nevada, for the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Air Force.
When the March 2011 tsunami and earthquake hit Japan, Matsushima Air Base was severely damaged. On 11 March, Blue Impulse was at Kyuushuu Island for a performance with six aircraft, two others were undergoing maintenance elsewhere, only one of the team's aircraft was at Matsushima and affected by the tsunami. In May 2011 Blue Impulse deployed to Ashiya Air Base, as a temporary home base. On 31 March 2013, Blue Impulse returned to Matsushima Air Base.

In 2014 Blue Impulse will perform its formation display at around 20 events in Japan, the majority being the annual JASDF Air Base Festivals, which will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the JASDF this year.