The Naval Academy fired first Monday in the annual battle of Army-Navy uniform designs, revealing a Blue Angels-inspired ensemble for the Dec. 9 game in Philadelphia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The uniform features a hand-painted helmet boasting the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron\u2019s signature blue-and-yellow F\/A-18s, a color scheme and stripe that matches the unit\u2019s flight suits, and a number font similar to that used on the tails of the unit\u2019s Hornets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The design \u201creflects the enthusiastic pride and appreciation we have for the Navy’s premier flying team and the motivation they convey to Navy football and the fleet at large,” Navy athletics director Chet Gladchuk said in a Monday statement<\/a> revealing the design. “The masterminds at Under Armour are always thinking of ways to inspire our troops while still reflecting a deep appreciation for a Naval history that is so ingrained in our game day traditions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The reveal also came with a short video that showcases some of the uniforms\u2019 Blue Angels-specific patches and other details:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Last year\u2019s Navy uniforms were inspired<\/a> by those worn during the team\u2019s 1963 season, during which quarterback Roger Staubach led the Mids past Army and into the Cotton Bowl. Army West Point countered<\/a> with a dark-gray tribute to the 82nd Airborne Division; the Black Knights won, 21-17, to snap a 14-game losing streak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Navy entered into a uniform deal with Baltimore-based Under Armour in 2014 after more than a decade with Nike. Army West Point remains a Nike-affiliated school; past Army-Navy uniform reveals were done in tandem<\/a> under the Nike umbrella.<\/p>\n\n\n\n