The US Navy has cancelled all upcoming appearance of the Blue Angels for the remainder of 2013, which means they won’t be appearing in San Francisco’s Fleet Week celebration, scheduled this year for October 10-14. The reason: sequestration cuts.
“This is one of many steps the Navy is taking to ensure resources are in place to support forces operating forward now and those training to relieve them,” the Navy said in a statement.
The federal sequestration cuts that went into effect on March 1 after Congress could not reach a compromise will mean $1.2 trillion in automatic cuts across various departments over the next decade.
The Navy said in a statement, “Recognizing budget realities, current defense policy states that outreach events can only be supported with local assets at no cost to the government.”
Elsewhere
Blue Angels Season Cancelled Due To Cuts [AP via HuffPo]
Blue Angels Will NOT Fly During Fleet Week 2013 [SFist]
Sequestration Cuts Cancel Navy Blue Angels Shows [CBS5]
Blue Angels will not perform at 2013 Fleet Week [ABC7]
Blue Angels grounded – no Bay Area show [Chron]
Mayor Ed Lee raised concerns that sequestration cuts could cancel the airshow in February of this year.
At the time, a mayoral spokesperson said that Fleet Week’s Parade of Ships could also be be cut due to budget concerns.
According to a February report by the Chron, “organizers are wondering whether Fleet Week could survive without those centerpieces.”
The Blue Angels will continue training at their home station in Pensacola, Fla., according to the Navy.
San Francisco Fleet Week officials were not immediately available to comment on the news.
