French Air Force flyover marks U.S. 250th anniversary celebrations

French Air Force jets flew over the Statue of Liberty on June 9, with ABC News’ Stephanie Ramos singing the national anthem as the ceremony tied the landmark to the coming 250th anniversary of American independence. The flyover, over Liberty Island and New York Harbor, put France’s role in the milestone year on display at one of the country’s most recognizable symbols.

The aircraft came from Patrouille de France, the French Air and Space Force’s elite precision aerobatic team, as part of France’s “Liberté 250” mission running from June 7 to July 5, 2026. The French consulate said the detachment included nine pilots and forty maintenance personnel, underscoring the scale of the transatlantic commitment behind the commemorations.

The mission’s itinerary extends far beyond New York. French aircraft are set to pass over Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Yorktown, the National Mall in Washington, Arlington National Cemetery, Mount Vernon, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., a route built around places that anchor the American revolutionary story. In that context, the flyover of the Statue of Liberty carried more than ceremony: it linked France’s historic gift to the United States with a modern alliance being publicly renewed in the year leading up to 2026.

Brice Beaudouin, the Patrouille de France commander, said he never imagined he would be able to make the Statue of Liberty flyover in his life. ABC’s broader anniversary programming has continued that theme with rare reporting from inside the statue’s torch and crown, while “Liberty Lights” is being produced in close partnership with the Consulate General of France in New York. Deborah Roberts is also slated to join the Patrouille de France during a flyover above Liberty Island, extending the ceremony’s symbolism from New York Harbor into a wider national story about who the United States says it is as it enters its 250th year.