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Captain Alexander Armatas
Nickname(s)	"Scribe"
Born	Auburn, New York, U.S.
Service / branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1998–present
Rank	Captain
Unit	Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 105
Known for	Blue Angels demonstration pilot
Awards	Four Navy Achievement Medals
Alma mater	United States Naval Academy
Spouse(s)	Sandy Armatas
Children	4

Alexander P. Armatas is a naval aviator in the United States Navy. He is the flight leader and commanding officer of the Blue Angels, an elite fighter jet flight demonstration squadron.

Armatas graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2002 and was the commander of Strike Fighter Squadron 105, also known as the "Gunslingers". In 2022 he was named commander of the Blue Angels. His call sign is "Scribe".

Early life

Alexander Armatas was born at Auburn Community Hospital in Auburn, New York, to Telemahos Armatas and Kathy Burke. He grew up in Skaneateles and completed his freshman and sophomore years at Jordan-Elbridge High School before moving to Skaneateles to complete high school.

Career

Armatas was accepted into the United States Naval Academy in 1998, graduating in 2002 with a degree in aerospace engineering. In 2009, he graduated from the United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program (Top Gun). He joined Strike Fighter Squadron 122 ("Flying Eagles") at Naval Air Station Lemoore and became an instructor pilot.

Before joining the Blue Angels, Armatas completed more than 900 aircraft carrier landings and logged more than 4000 hours of flight time. In 2022 he was stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana as the commander of Strike Fighter Squadron 105 ("Gunslingers"). He has had six deployments in combat situations: Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2006, 2008 and 2012–13; Operation Inherent Resolve in 2015; and Operation Freedom's Sentinel in 2020–21. Armatas has been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, four Strike/Flight Air Medals, five Commendation Medals, the Achievement Medal, and personal, unit and service awards.

Blue Angels

From 2019 to 2022, the Blue Angels were led by Captain Brian Kesselring. In 2022 Armatas was named the commander of the Blue Angels to succeed Kesselring. Armatas's call sign is "Scribe", as the unofficial historian of his unit. He flies the number-one jet and leads a squadron of 150. The Blue Angels and Armatas fly in the F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet.

Armatas was featured in the 2024 documentary film The Blue Angels, which was filmed during the 2022 show season. Armatas is shown training to be the 2023 commander of the team.

Personal life

Armatas is married to Sandy Armatas and they live in Virginia Beach, Virginia, with their four children.

References

1. ^ "Team Officers". Blue Angels. US Navy. Archived from the original on 16 July 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
2. ^ Wilcox, David (15 April 2022). "Gee Whiz Moment". The Citizen. Archived from the original on 24 July 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
3. "Telemahos Armatas Obituary". Syracuse Post Standard. 13 December 2013.
4. ^ Linhorst, Stan (5 July 2022). "Cmdr. Alexander Armatas on leadership: Be flexible, put faith in people, build trust". The Post Standard. Archived from the original on 24 July 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
5. "#1 CDR Alexander P. Armatas" (PDF). Blue Angels. US Navy. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
6. Callahan, Dan (5 April 2022). "Blue Angels announce new commanding officer for 2023–24 show seasons". Wear News. Archived from the original on 30 April 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
7. Duncan, Brenda (22 April 2022). "Skaneateles native Alexander Armatas chosen to lead Navy's Blue Angels". Syracuse Post Standard. Archived from the original on 24 July 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
8. Girod, Brandon (7 July 2023). "Blue Angels call signs span from 'Scribe' to 'Cheese'. Here's how they earned them". Pensacola News Journal. Archived from the original on 24 July 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
9. Walton, Bill (17 April 2021). "Meet the Blue Angels "New" Super Hornet Jets". Avgeekery.com. Archived from the original on 17 August 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
10. Johnson, Benjamin (17 May 2024). "Generations of pilots watch Blue Angels documentary premiere in Pensacola". Pensacola News Journal. Retrieved 2 June 2024.

External links

• Media related to Alexander Armatas at Wikimedia Commons
• 2023 US Navy Blue Angels Arrival for the Fort Lauderdale Air Show!

v t e Blue Angels
Commanding officers	Alexander Armatas Donnie Cochran Arthur Ray Hawkins Brian Kesselring Anthony A. Less Roy Marlin Voris
United States Navy	Charles E. Brady Jr. Edward L. Feightner Arthur Ray Hawkins Amanda Lee Anthony A. Less Robert L. Rasmussen Raleigh "Dusty" Rhodes Patrick M. Walsh
United States Marine Corps	Katie Higgins Cook
Honorary members	Bob Hoover
Aircraft	Demonstration aircraft Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat Grumman F8F-1 Bearcat Grumman F9F-2 Panther Grumman F9F-8 Cougar Grumman F11F-1 (F-11) Tiger McDonnell Douglas F-4J Phantom II Douglas A-4F Skyhawk McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet Boeing F/A-18A/C Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet Support aircraft JRB Expeditor (Beech 18) Douglas R4D-6 Skytrain Curtiss R5C Commando Douglas R5D Skymaster Lockheed C-121 Super Constellation Lockheed C-130 Hercules Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules Miscellaneous aircraft North American SNJ Texan Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star Vought F7U Cutlass
Entertainment	The Blue Angels (film)
Other	Blue Angels: Formation Flight Simulation 2007 Blue Angels South Carolina crash List of air shows Naval Air Facility El Centro Naval Air Station Pensacola National Naval Aviation Museum

• Living people
• United States Naval Aviators
• People from Skaneateles, New York
• Military personnel from New York (state)
• Aviators from New York (state)