An aerobatic team from the Russian Air Force known as the ‘Swifts’ have celebrated their 30th anniversary with an adrenaline-fueled demonstration.

The anniversary flight marking three decades of performing took place in the skies over the Russian capital Moscow on 6th May.

A crew of military pilots fluent in aerobatics techniques performed an aviation show called ‘Swifts’ that were formed on the same date in 1991.

The first members of the team included flight leader Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Kutuzov, Captain Alexander Katashinsky, Captain Andrey Makarenko, Major Alexander Zakharov, Major Alexey Sherstnev, Major Vladimir Galunenko and Major Valery Evdokimov.

Their first performance abroad happened at the Uppsala airbase in Sweden the same year.

The year after, they showed their skills and capability in front of the French audience at a celebration dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the Normandie-Niemen squadron.

In the following years, the ‘Swifts’ proudly presented the ability of Russian aviation in Malaysia, Belgium, Thailand, Hungary, Holland, Bulgaria, USA, Vietnam, China, Mongolia, Germany, Kazakhstan, Czech Republic, United Arab Emirates.

The ‘Swifts’ aerobatic team was awarded the title of “The Best Aerobatic Team in the World” in 1993.

The ‘Swifts’ made a world record in the history of aviation when they performed a joint-flight complex demonstration with the ‘Russian Knights’ in 2004.

The demonstrations consisted of nine aircraft- five Su-27 and four MiG-29 in the “rhombus” formation with the implementation of a full complex of aerobatics.

The nine aircraft formation is called a “Cuban diamond”.

In this formation, the Swifts will take part in the air parade over Red Square on the 9th of May.

Although the ‘Swifts’ flight program is constantly being improved, they stay loyal to their original aircraft- the MiG-29.