Command Center for 34th Thunder Over Louisville makes final preps for show

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- As the countdown to Thunder Over Louisville continued Friday, military jets practicing for Saturday's air show flew overhead as the crew in the Galt House made sure all systems were ready to deliver another spectacular visual event.

For more than three decades, Kentuckiana residents have counted on Thunder Over Louisville being a blast, and they've not been disappointed. Fittingly enough, the them to the 34th production of Thunder Over Louisville is: "Through the Decades."

As jet engines roared overhead Friday, Thunder producer Wayne Hettinger said that's what it's all about. "That pretty much says it all right there: this is what makes the adrenaline flow. It's one time a year, and boy, am I excited."

The annual event is one of the nation’s top air shows featuring both military and civilian aircraft.

Early Friday afternoon, WDRB spoke with Josh Ketterer, the director of operations for Thunder. As aircraft practiced maneuvers above the command center, he explained what we were seeing.

"This is the Navy's EA-18 Growler demo," Ketterer said. "It's a two-ship of Boeing F18s that are specially modified for electronic attacks. So the aircraft itself carries jammers, it carries munitions that are capable of destroying an enemy integrated air defense system (fancy word - IADs are what we call it). So it destroys missiles before the missiles can destroy our strike assets."

IMAGES | Thunder Over Louisville 2023 setup and airshow practice

Aircraft practice over the Ohio River and crews set up booths one day before Thunder Over Louisville 2023. Image taken April 21, 2023. (Photo by: Travis K. Kircher / WDRB)

Scheduled demos from military aircraft include: The U.S. Air Force F-35 Demo and Heritage Flight, Navy F-35 Demo and Growler Demo with Legacy Flight, U.S. Army Golden Knights, Matt Younkin's "Magic by Moonlight” performance, as well as numerous warbirds taking to the skies, including the P-51 Mustang, F-86 Sabre, F4U Corsair and F8F Bearcat and more.

Hettinger said the air show provides a chance "for us to stick out our chests and show our gratitude for the military. They do so much for everybody so it's time to say thank you and let them have a chance to show off what they're capable of doing."

The kickoff to the two weeks of events leading up to the Kentucky Derby provides an estimated impact of $56 million to the local economy.

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