25.0
Hey.
What is it?
What?
We've been ordered to stand down.
They scrapped the program.
They say
we fell short.
The contract threshold is mach 10.
Mach 10?
It is supposed to be in two months.
Today's test point is mach 9.
Well,
that's not good enough.
Says who?
Admiral Cain.
The drone ranger,
he wants our budget for his unmanned program.
He is on his way to kill the test,
and shut us down personally.
Well, he isn't here yet.
Well, mach 10?
Let's give him mach 10.
Now remember,
the contract threshold is mach 10,
not 10.1,
not 10.2.
Mach 10.
That should keep the program alive.
I don't like that look, Mav.
It's the only one I got.
Control, this is Darkstar. How do you read.
Darkstar, control, loud and clear.
How me?
Loud and clear, takeoff pre-checks complete.
Ready for APU, sir.
Ready left engine start.
Ready right engine start.
Thumbs for taxi.
We are ready for taxi.
Tower, this is Darkstar. We are taxiing, with information alpha.
Darkstar, you're clear to taxi.
Runway 2-1.
Wind's 210-10.
OK, field textual looking good.
Control concurs.
Cabin pressure looks good.
Control concurs.
Tower, this is Darkstar, we're ready for takeoff.
Requesting an unrestricted climb to 600 above.
Darkstar, the runway and skies are yours.
We've Admiral Chester Cain.
Maverick,
Cain just pulled up to the gate.
It's not to late to stop, buddy.
You know what happens to you if you go through with this.
I know what happens to everyone else if I don't.
Darkstar's ready for takeoff.
Everyone,
go for takeoff.
Starting with engine.
Engine,
go.
Thermals, go.
Fuel, go.
Electric, go.
Control surfaces, go.
Darkstar, control, you're clear for takeoff.
Alright, sweetheart.
One last ride.
Darkstar, you are cleared above 600.
Increase to mach 3.5.
Cleared above 600.
Increased to mach 3.5.
Admiral,
uh,
just in time, sir.
I'm early.
So are you.
You care to explain?
Transitioning to scram jet.
Uh, Mav, Admiral Cain is asking,
Ordering.
ordering that we bring her down.
This is where we had trouble with comms, sir.
It's the earth's curvature.
Yeah, it's called earth bulge.
Did anyone offer you a coffee?
OK.
Is that mach 7, pushing 8,
flight data?
Receiving,
data is good.
Temperature's climbing.
Response's still stable.
We're feeling good.
Mach 8.8.
8.9.
Mach 9.
He is the fastest man alive.
Talk to me, Goose.
Mach 9.1.
9.2.
Mach 9.3.
9.4.
Approaching high-hypersonic.
Windshield hot caution.
Surface temp rising.
Come on, sweetheart, just a little more.
Just a little.
Come on.
Mach 10!
Yeah!
Woa!
Put that in your pentagon budget.
Sir.
Oh, don't do it. Don't do it.
Just a little
push.
Holy shit.
You got some balls to chuck in.
I'll give you that.
Oh, shit.
Maverick.
Maverick?
Thank you.
Where am I.
Uh.
Maverick,
Thirty plus years of service.
Combat medals,
citations,
only man to shoot down 3 enemy planes in the last forty years.
Distinguished,
distinguished,
Distinguished.
Yet you can't get a promotion.
You won't retire,
and despite your best effort, you refuse to die.
You should at least be a two star admiral by now,
if not a senator.
Yet here you are,
captain.
Why is that?
It's one of life's mystery, sir.
This is a joke.
I asked you a question.
I'm where I belong, sir.
Well,
the Navy doesn't see it that way,
not anymore.
These planes you've been testing,
Captain,
one day, sooner that later, they won't need pilots at all.
Pilots that need to sleep,
eat,
take a piss,
Pilots that disobey orders.
All you did was buy some time for those men out there.
The future is coming.
and you're not in it.
Escort this man off the base,
take this man to his quarters,
wait with him while he packs his gear.
I want him on a road to North Island within the hour.
North Island, sir?
Call came in with impeccable timing,
right as I was driving here to ground your ass once and for all.
for a reason that's only known to the almighty and your guardian angel.
You've been called back to Top Gun.
Sir?
You are dismissed,
Captain.
The end is inevitable, Maverick.
Your kind is headed for extinction.
Maybe so, sir,
but not today.
Captain Pete
"Maverick" Mitchell.
Your reputation precedes you.
Thank you, sir.
Wasn't a compliment.
I'm Admiral Beau Simpson.
I'm the air boss.
I believe you know Admiral Bates.
Well, I, sir,
I must admit I wasn't expecting an invitation back to the base.
They're called orders, Maverick.
You two have something in common.
Cyclone here was first in his class back in 88.
Actually, sir, I finished second,
just wanted to manage expectations.
The target,
is an unsanctioned uranium enrichment plant,
built in violation of a multilateral NATO treaty.
The uranium produced there represents a direct threat,
to our allies in the region.
The pentagon has tasked us with assembling a strike team and taking it out,
before it becomes fully operational.
The plant sits
in an underground bunker at the end of valley.
Said valley is GPS jammed and defended by an extensive surface to our missile array,
serving a limited number of fifth generation fighters.
which in turn are backed up by a plentiful reserve of surplus aircraft.
even a few old F-14s.
Seems we're not the only holding on to old relics.
What's your read, Captain?
Well, sir, normally,
this'd be a cake walk for the F35 stealth, but
the GPS jamming negates that.
the surface area threat necessitates a low level
laser guided strike,
tailor-made for the F18,
I figure.
Two precision bombs,
minimum,
makes it four aircraft,
flying in paris.
That is one hell of a steep climbing out there,
exposing it all the surfaced air missiles,
and if you survive that,
it's a dog fight all the way home.
All requirements for which you have real world experience.
Not the same mission, sir.
No.
No, someone is not coming back from this.
Can it be done or not.
How soon before the plan becomes operational?
Three weeks.
Maybe less.
Well, it's been a while since I had flown an F18, and
I'm not sure who I trust to fly a η3
But, I'll find a way to make it work.
I think you misunderstand, Captain.
Sir?
We don't want you to fly.
We want you to teach it.
Teach?
We recalled 12 Top Gun graduates,
from their squadrons.
We want you to narrow that pool down to six.
They'll fly the mission.
Is there a problem, Captain?
You know there is.
Sir.
Bradley Bradshaw,
aka Rooster.
I understand you used to fly with his old man.
What was his call sign?
Goose, sir.
Tragic what happened.
Captain Mitchell was cleared of any wrongdoing.
Goose's death was an accident.
Is that how you see it, Captain?
Is that how Goose's son sees it?
With all due respect, sir,
I'm not a teacher.
You were a Top Gun instructor before.
That was almost thirty years ago and I lasted two months.
It's not where I belong.
Well, let me be perfectly blunt.
You were not my first choice.
In fact, you weren't even on the list.
You were here at the request of Admiral Kazansky.
Now, Iceman happens to be
a man a deeply admire.
He seems to think that you have something left to offer the navy.
Well, that is what I can't imagine.
You don't have to take this job.
But let me be clear.
This will be your last post,
Captain.
You fly for Top Gun,
or you don't fly for the navy ever again.
Twenty bucks you can't hit three in a row.
Oh, you,
gotta be kidding me.
Pete.
Penny?
What're you doing here?
I should ask you the same thing.
That is a long story.
I doubt that.
Yeah.
Who'd you piss off this time.
Another admiral.
Exactly.
Are you mad at me?
Oh, Pete,
I can never stay mad at you.
That's the problem.
Hmm.
Hey, let's say,
North Island is the place I thought for sure I'd never run into you.
Hmm.
How long have you been here?
I bought this place about three years ago.
Three years?
Hmm, yeah.
Not long after you got shipped off to the desert for pissing off that other admiral.
That was three years ago?
You must be in a lot of trouble.
No way you'd come back here willingly.
Well,
we'll sort it out.
Now I thnk, uh,
I think that this is it.
Come on, Pete,
You've been saying that as long as I have known you.
You said that after they busted you for taking me on a joyride in that F18.
And the next thing I know,
You're off to Bosnia
and Iraq,
both times.
You get your self in trouble.
Iceman makes a call,
and you're back in the air.
Penny, this is different.
Pete,
trust me.
As improbable as this seems right now
somehow you'll be back in a fighter plane with your tail on fire.
Penny,
What?
You're about to ask me what time I get off.
Don't give me that look.
I'm not giving you any look,
I swear.
It always ends the same with us, Pete.
Let's not start this time.
OK.
You look good.
Much appreciate it, pal.
What am I missing?
Disrespect a lady, the Navy,
or put your cell phone on my bar.
And you buy a round.
For everyone?
I'm afraid rules are rules.
You're lucky it's early.
Oh, come on.
What do we have here?
If it ain't Phoenix.
Here I thought we were special, Coyote.
Turns out,
Fellas, this here is Bagman.
Hangman.
Whatever.
You're lookin' at the only naval aviator on active duty with a confirmed air-to-air kill.
Stop
Mind you, the other was in a museum piece from the Korean War.
Cold War?
Different wars,
same century.
Not this one.
Who are your friends?
Payback.
Fanboy.
Hey, Coyote.
Hey.
Who is he?
Who's who?
When did you get in?
Well, I've been here the whole time.
Literally.
Uh, weapon system's off, sir, actually.
With no sense of humor.
What do you call you?
Bob.
No, your call sign.
Uh,
Bob.
Bob Floyd.
You're my new backseater,
from Lamore?
Looks like it, yeah.
Nightball, Bob.
Rack'em.
OK.
Penny, my dear.
Year.
All four more on the old timer.
Is that you?
This is how I find out you're state side?
Yeah, I just thought it'd surprise you.
I guess I surprised you back.
It's good to see you.
Good to see you too.
Here you go.
Thank you.
Much appreciate it, pops.
How about ringning me up before the evening rush?
Bradshaw,
as I live and breathe.
Hangman,
you look
good.
Well, I am good, Rooster.
I'm very good.
In fact,
I am too good to be true.
So,
you might know what this special attachment is all about?
Mission is mission.
Then I'll confront me.
What I wanna know,
who is gonna be team leader.
And which one of you all has what it takes
to follow me.
Hangman, the only place you're gonna lead anyone is an early grave.
Oh, anyone who follows you is just gonna,
run out of fuel.
Well, that's just you and rooster.
You're snug on that perch,
waiting for just
the right moment
that never comes.
I love the song.
Well, he hasn't changed.
Nope,
sure hasn't.
Check it out,
more badges.
That's Yale, Havard, Omaha
Shit, that's Fritz.
What the hell kind of mission is this?
That's not the kind of question we shoudl be asking.
Anyone here is the best there is.
Who the hell are they gonna get to teach us?
It's been declined.
You're kidding.
Come on.
Hey, guys.
How about ...
That won't cover it.
Uh,
I'll come by tomorrow and bring you cash.
I'm afraid,
rules are rules, Pete.
Great to see you, Pete.
Thanks for the beer. Come back any time.
God, he loved flying with you, Maverick.
Attention on deck.
Morning.
Welcome to you special training detachment.
Be seated.
I'm Admiral Bates,
not a commander.
You're all Top Gun graduates,
the elite,
the best of the best.
That was yesterday.
The enemy's new fifth generation fighter,
has level the playing field.
Details are few,
but you can be sure we no longer possess the technological advantage.
Success,
now more than ever,
comes down to the man or woman
in the box.
Half of you will make the cut.
One of you will be named mission leader.
The other half will remain in reserve.
Your instructor's a Top Gun graduate
with real world experience in every mission aspect you will be expected to master.
His exploits
are legendary,
and he is considered to be one of the finest pilots this program has ever produced.
What he has to teach you
may very well be the difference between life and death
I give Captain Pete Mitchell,
call sign,
Maverick.
Good morning.
The F18 NATOPS
contains everything
they want you to know about your aircraft.
I'm assuming you know the book,
inside and out
Damn right
Yeah, damn straight.
You got it.
So does your enemy.
But what the enemy doesn't know
is your limits.
I intend to find them,
test them,
push beyond.
Today we'll start
with what you only think you know.
You show me what you're made of.
Rooster,
Bradley,
Lieutenant Bradshaw,
Yes, sir.
Let's not do it like this.
You gonna wash me out?
That'll be up to you,
not me.
Am i dismissed?
Good morning, aviators.
This is your captain speaking.
Welcome to basic fighter maneuvers.
As briefed,
today's excercise is
dog fighting.
Guns only,
no missiles.
We do not go blow the hard deck of 5,000 feet.
Working as a team, you have to shoot me down,
or else.
Or else what, sir?
Or else I shoot back.
If I shoot either one of you down,
you both lose.
This guy needs an ego check.
We'll see to that.
What say we put some skin in the game?
What do you have in mind?
Whoever gets shot down first has to do 200 pushups.
Gosh,
that's a lot of pushups.
Oh, man, I'm not gonna exercise for nothing, sir.
You got yourself a deal, gentlemen.
Fight's on.
Let's turn and burn.
Fanboy, do yo see him?
Nothing on the radar up ahead.
He must be somewhere behind us.
Oh, shit.
Easy, Maverick, let's try not to get fired on the first day.
Callie, Callie, Callie, Maverick's comin' in.
Break up.
Breakin' up.
Payback, where's your wingman?
Rooster, where are you?
I got you, man. I'm coming.
Hang in there. hang in there.
Hurry up, man. Hurry up.
Payback, quickly.
Wakie, wakie.
Rooster just saved your life, fellas.
But it's gonna cost him.
Not this time.
Don't let him get to you, Maverick.
Rooster, you're too low. Pull up.
Oh, shit.
That's a kill.
Damn.
109.
Down.
110.
Should be us down there.
But it's not,
and now you know a little something about Rooster.
Woa. Wow.
Hey, hold that tarmac down until we get back, brother, alright?
Hey, get in here.
Get up here, boys.
This'll keep that man away.
That's a kill.
Smoked.
Hey, Phoenix, how about we tell everybody Bob stands for soemthing
other than Robert.
Don't take the bait, Bob.
Wanna know why we call him Hangman?
Oh, I got it.
Baby on board.
Shit.
Greetings, aviators.
Fight time.
Alright, Phoenix, let's take this guy out.
Watch your back, Phoenix.
Break right.
Breaking right.
Where is he going?
That's why we call him Hangman.
He will always hangs you out to dry.
Leave your wingman.
There is a strategy I haven't seen in a while.
He called you a man, Phoenix.
Are you gonna take that?
So long as he doesn't call you a man.
Talk to me, Bob. Where is Maverick?
Jesus, his nose's already comnig around.
Get off me, Hangman.
For all you folks at home,
This is how you bury a fossil.
Alright, Hangman,
Time to teach you a lesson.
You're out, Phoenix.
Son of a bitch.
Oh, shit.
Let's go, Mav. Let's see what you got.
Come get me.
Evil be gone. Hangman's coming.
Yeah. You're good. I'll give you that.
Shit.
Phoenix, I can't see him. How close am I?
Phoenix?
I'm dead, dickhead.
See you in the afterlife, man.
Huh.
Where is he? Where is he?
That's a kill.
79.
Down.
80.
Down.
Let's go. Who is next?
I got you, Omaha. Damn it.
Light's out, Coyote.
Copy kill.
51.
Down. 52.
Hey, Rooster,
Mind if I ask you a personal question?
Would it matter if I did?
So what's the story between you and Maverick?
It seems he's got you a little rattled.
It's none of your business. Now, where the hell is he?
I've been here the whole time.
Holy shit.
Do you see me now?
Come one, let's get it over with.
Fight's on.
What is with these two.
Alright, you put us here.
How are you gonna get yourself out.
You can bail out anytime.
How low you wanna go, Rooster?
I can go as low as you, sir.
And that's sayin' something.
What's past is past,
for both of us.
You'd like to believe that, wouldn't you.
Hard deck is 5,000 feet.
You're running out of room.
Your strategy is about to run us into the ground.
What's your move?
Altittude.
Pull up.
Well, you got it. Don't think. Just do.
Come on, Rooster, you got him.
Drop down and take the shot.
It's too low.
Too late. You had your chance.
That's a kill.
Knock it off.
Damn it.
Same old Rooster.
Go see Hondo, and back to your pushups.
Alright, that's enough.
Rooster,
that's enough, man.
Breaking the hard deck?
Insurbordination?
Are you trying to get kicked out?
Don't worry about it.
Look,
I'm going on this mission.
But if you get kicked out,
you leave us flying with Hangman.
Talk to me.
What the hell was that?
He pulled my papers.
What?
Who?
Maverick.
He pulled my application in the naval academy.
Set me back four years.
Why would he do that?
The hard deck is 5,000 feet above ground level.
Our parameters' set not just for the safety of our pilots,
but for the safety of their aircraft.
5,000 feet is not just a rule.
It is a law,
as immutable as gravity.
The hard deck will be much lower for the mission, sir.
And it will not change
without my approval,
especially not in the middle of an excersise.
And that cobra maneuver of yours
that could've got all three of you killed.
I never wanna see that shit again.
What exactly do you suppose you were teaching, Captain?
As good as they are, sir,
they still have something to learn.
You're talking about the best fighter pilots on the planet,
Captain.
And they have been told that their entire career.
they have been dropping bombs from high altittude
with little to no dog fighting.
The parameters for this mission call for something they have never encountered.
You have less than three weeks
to teach them how to fight as a team,
and how to strike the target.
And how to come home.
and how to
come home, sir.
Every mission has its risks.
These pilots accepts that.
I don't, sir.
Every morning, from this day forward,
you will brief us on your instructional plans
in writing.
And nothing will change
without my express approval.
including the hard deck, sir?
especially the hard deck, Captain.
Sir,
What is this?
It's the request to lower the hard deck, sir,
to practice low level bombing on further mission parameters.
You could learn a thing or two about timing, Captain.
Yo, Coyote,
take a look at this.
The man, the legend, there he is.
No.
Next to him.
Does he look familiar to you?
What have we here?
Bradshaw,
as I live and breathe.
Hey,
Theo,
You got big.
Hey, Mav.
Amelia?
I know.
I got big.
Yes.
Bar opens at 5.
No, I just came by to pay off a debt.
Mom.
Hey, how is your dad?
With his wiffe,
in Hawaii.
Mom.
Mav says he owes you money.
Oh,
don't worry about it.
I insist.
Thank you, Captain.
Consider you tab closed.
Captain?
Still?
A highly decorated captain.
Finish up.
We have to get the boat to the yard.
I can't go.
What do you mean you can't go?
Test tomorrow. I have to study.
They only told us today.
I can't sail her alone.
Just use the engine.
Why are we taking you to the yard?
To fix the engine.
I can help.
A little rougher than I was expecting.
You don't say.
Keep powers to the sails.
OK.
What does that mean?
You're suppsed to be in the Navy.
I don't sail boats, Penny.
I land on them.
It's sort of like raising the flags on an airplane.
So how do I do that?
You pull up that green line up there.
Green line.
Yeah, pull it hard.
Yeah,
crank that winch right there.
Tighten the jib.
Crank it. You OK?
Good.
Now.
You ready?
For what?
The afterburner.
Now you're in the Navy.
Thanks for helping out the sail.
Not exactly sure I helped.
Hmm.
Don't give me that look.
What look?
That one.
Good night, Pete.
Night, Penny.
Time
is your greatest enemy.
Phase one of the mission will be a low level ingress attack in two plane teams.
You'll fly along this narrow canyon to your target.
Radar guided surface-to-air missiles defend the area.
These SAMs,
they're lethal.
But they were designed
to protect the skies above,
not the canyon below.
That's because the enemy knows no one is insane enough to try and fly below them.
That exactly what I'm gonna train you to do.
On the day,
your altitude will be 100 feet
maximum.
You exceed this altitude,
radar will spot you.
You're dead.
Your air speed will 660 knots,
minimum.
Time to target,
2.5 minutes.
That's because fifth generation fighters
wait at an airbase nearby.
And head to head with these planes in your F18s,
you're dead.
That's why you need to get in,
hit your target,
and be gone before these planes even have a chance of catching you.
This makes time
your greatest adversary.
You'll fly a route in your nav system that simulates the canyon.
The faster you navigate this canyon,
the harder it will be to stay under the radar of these enemy SAMs.
They tighter it turns,
the more intense the force of gravity in your body multiplies,
compressing your lungs,
forcing the blood from your brain,
impairing your judgment
and your reaction time.
Max ceiling 300 feet.
Time to target 3 minutes.
Good luck.
Time to target is 1 minute 30.
We're 2 seconds behind. Increase to 480 knots.
We gotta move, Coyote.
Copy, increasing speed.
Shit.
Why are they dead?
We broke the 300 feet ceiling.
Their SAM took us out.
No,
why are they dead?
I slowed down and I didn't give her a warning.
It's my fault.
Was there a reason you didn't communicate with your team?
I was focusing on ...
One that their family will accept at the funeral.
None, sir.
Why didn't you anticipate the turn?
You were briefed on the terrain.
Don't tell me.
Tell to his family.
Hangman, he is up.
Negative, Payback.
Increase your speed.
You're going too fast, man.
Well, no harm in being ahead of schedule.
Damn it, slow down.
I can't stay on the course
No, you're gonna hit the wall. Watch out. Watch out.
What happened?
I flew as fast as I could,
kinda like my ass depended on it.
And,
You put your team in danger and your wingman's dead.
They couldn't keep up.
Rooster, we're 20 seconds behind and dropping.
We're fine. Speed is good.
Increase to 500 knots.
Negative, Yale. Hold your speed.
Rooster, we're late.
We're alive.
We'll make up time in a straightaway.
We are not gonna make it.
Just trust me. Maintain your speed.
We can make it.
Why are you dead?
You're team leader upt there.
Why are you, why is your team dead?
Sir,
he is the only one who made it to the target.
A minute late.
He gave enemy aircraft time to shoot him down.
He is dead.
You don't know that.
You're not flying fast enough.
You don't have a second to waste.
We made it to the target.
And superior enemy aircraft
intercepted you on your way out.
Then it's a dog fight.
Against fifth generation fighters.
Yeah,
We'd still have a chance.
In an F18.
It's not the plane, sir.
It's the pilot.
Exactly.
There is more than one way to fly this mission.
You really don't get it.
On this mission a man flies like Maverick here,
or a man doesn't come back.
No offence intended.
Yet, somehow,
you always manage.
Look, I don't mean to criticize.
You're conservative.
That's all.
Lieutenant.
We're goin' in a combat,
on a low level no living pilot's ever seen.
Not even him.
That's no time to be thinking about the past.
What's that supposed to mean?
Rooster.
I can't be the only one that knows Maverick flew with his old man.
That's enough.
Whether Maverick was flying when his old man ...
Lieutenant, that's ...
That's enough.
You son of a bitch.
Hey, come on.
Huh, I'm cool. I'm cool.
Hey.
That's enough.
He is not cut out for this mission.
That's enough.
You know it.
You know I'm right.
You're all dismissed.
Maverick.
It's come back.
No one knows.
There is nothing else they can do.
Even speaking
is painful now.
Sarah, I'm so sorry.
Admiral.
How's my wingman?
Please,
don't worry about me.
What can I do for you?
Alright.
Rooster's still angry with me about what I did.
I thought eventually he would understand why.
I hope he'd forgive me.
Mission's less than 3 weeks away.
The kids are not ready.
He doesn't want what I have to give.
Ice, please,
don't ask me to send someone else to die. Please don't.
Don't ask me to send him.
Send me.
I don't know how.
I'm not a teacher, Ice.
I'm a fighter pilot,
a naval aviator.
It's not
what I am.
It's who I am.
How do I teach that?
Even if i could teach it. It's not what Rooster wants.
It's not what the Navy wants.
That why they canned me the last time.
The only reason I'm here
is you.
If I send him on this mission,
he might never come home.
And if i don't send him,
he'll never forgive me.
Either way,
I could lose him forever.
I know.
The Navy
needs
Maverick.
The kid
needs
Maverick.
That's
why I fought for you.
That's why you're still here.
Thank you, Ice,
for everything.
One last thing,
who is the better pilot,
you or me?
This is a nice moment.
Let's not ruin it.
I don't know what you've been told.
Sir.
What is this?
It's dog fight football,
offence and defence at the same time.
Who is winning?
I think they stopped to keep the score a while ago.
This detachment still has some training to complete, Captain.
Every available minute matters.
Yes, sir.
Why are we out here playing games?
You said to create a team,
sir.
There's your team.
Should I go
before Amelia gets back?
She'll be at a her friend's house tonight.
Huh, good.
You and Amelia, you seem
a lot closer
than how I last saw you.
Yeah.
How do you manage?
Well,
you know, she always wanted more freedom than I thought she was ready for.
Where'd she get that from, I wonder?
I guess I realized
I also has to trust her.
Not an easy choice.
Is that what happened with Rooster?
I pulled his papers from the naval academy,
took years off his career.
Why?
His mother never wanted him to fly, not after what happened to Goose.
She made me promise before she died, so
Does Rooster know that?
He will always resent me for what I did.
Why should he resent her too?
Not an easy choice.
I was trying to be the father he lost.
I just,
I wish I would've done it better.
The truth is
I didn't think he was ready.
Is he ready now?
Mom, I'm home.
I thought you were staying at Caring's tonight.
I should go.
You should go.
Have you had dinner yet?
No, that's OK.
I'll make you something.
I'll be down in a sec.
Wait,
not that way.
Look,
I have an example to set.
I can't be bringing guys home on a first date.
This is not our first date.
You know what I mean.
OK.
Fine, this is the last time
This is the last time I go out your window.
We'll see.
No,
no, I mean it.
I'll never leave you again.
Oh, shut up.
Go on, get out of here.
Just don't break her heart again.
Good morning.
The uranium enrichment plant that is your target will be operational earlier than expected.
Raw uranium will be delivered to the plant in ten days time.
As a result,
your mission has been moved up
one week,
in order to avoid contaminating the target valley with radiation.
Sir,
no one here has successfully flown a low level course.
Neverthelss, you have been ordered to move on.
Captain.
We have one week left to focus on phase two.
It's the most difficult stage of the mission.
Its pop-up strike with a steep dive require nothing less than two
consecutive miracles.
Two pairs of F18s will fly in a welded wing formation.
Teamwork.
precise coordination of these mission aircraft is essential to both mission success
and your survival.
As you know,
the plant rests between two mountains.
On final approach you will invert directly into a steep dive.
This allows to maintain the lowest possible altitude,
and the only possible attack angle.
Your target
is an impact point less than three meters wide.
The two SEAD aircraft will paint the target with laser bullseye.
The first pair will breach the reactor by dropping a laser guided bomb
on an exposed ventilation hatch.
This will create an opening for the second pair.
That's miracle number one.
The second team
will deliver the kill shot,
and destroy the target.
That's miracle number two.
If either team misses the target,
that's a miss.
The mission is a failure.
Damn it.
Egress is a steep high G climb up to avoid hitting this mountain.
A steep climb at that speed,
you're pulling at least 8 Gs.
9, minimum.
The stress limit of the F18 airframe is 7.5.
That's accepted limit.
To survive this mission, you'll pull beyond that,
even if it means bending your airframe.
You'll be pulling so hard you'll weight close to 2,000 pounds.
Your skull crushing your spine.
Your lungs imploding like an elephant sitting on your chest.
Fighting with everything you have just to keep you from blacking out.
And this is where you'll at your most vulnerable.
This
is coffin corner.
Assuming you avoid crashing into this mountain,
you'll climb straight up into enemy radar while losing all of your airspeed.
Within seconds you'll be fired upon by enemy SAMs.
You've all faced sustained Gs before,
but this,
this is gonna take you and your aircraft to the breaking point.
Sir,
is this even achievable?
The answer to that question
will come down to the pilot in the box.
Talk to me, Bob.
We're 12 seconds late on target.
We gotta move.
Copy, try to stay with me.
Huh?
Wait, who is that?
Routine, you've been spotted.
Shit, it's Maverick.
What the hell is he doing here?
I'm a bandit on course to intercept.
Routine, what are you gonna do?
He is 20 miles left,
10 o'clock
700 knots closing.
Your call, what'd you wanna do?
Continue.
We're close.
Stay on target.
He's swinging aroud to the north.
Stand by for pop off.
Be ready on that laser, Bob.
Copy, I'm on it.
Routine, bandit is still closing.
Popping now.
Talk to me, Bob.
Where's Maverick?
He's 5 miles out. He's coming fast.
Target's in sight.
Where's my laser, Bob?
Deadeye. Deadeye.
It's no good.
Sorry, I can't get a lock.
We're out of time. I'm droppin' blind.
Damn it. Missed.
Maverick's got a missle locked on us.
Oh, shit. We're dead.
Routine, that's a fail.
Coyote, copy.
Coyote, come it.
Coyote, level wings.
God, he's in G-LOC.
Coyote.
He is gonna burn in.
I'm going after him.
Snap out of it, Coyote.
Come on.
Come on, Coyote. Come on
Come on.
Coyote. Pull up.
Coyote, you OK? You OK?
I'm OK.
I'm good.
Good.
That's enough for you today.
That was close.
Too close.
Bird strike. Bird trike.
Bird strike.
Phoenix, both engines on fire.
Climbing.
Throttling back.
Shutting off fuel to left engine.
Extinguishing fire.
Right engine is out.
It's still spinning. Try to restart it.
Phoenix, you're on fire.
Pulling up.
Oh, my god.
We're on fire.
Damn it.
Engine fire, right.
Extinguishing right engine.
Phoenix, Bob, punch out. Punch out.
Warning lights everywhere. Hydrolic failure.
I can't control it.
We're going down, Phoenix.
We're goin' in.
You can't save it. Eject, eject.
Eject.
Altitude.
We'll keep Phoenix and Bob in the hospital overnight for observation.
They're gonna be OK.
Sounds good.
I've lost a wingman.
You're lucky.
Fly long enough it'll happen.
There will be others.
Easy for you to say.
No wife.
No kids.
Nobody to warn you when you burn in.
Go home.
You should get some sleep.
Why'd you pull my papers at the academy?
Why'd stand in my way?
You weren't ready.
Ready for what,
Huh?
Ready to fly like you?
No.
Reaady to forget the book.
Trust your instinct.
Don't think. Just do.
You think up there, you're dead. Believe me.
My dad believed in you.
I'm not gonna make the same mistake.
I can only imagine what you must be feeling right now.
Take some time
Whatever you need.
I appreciate it, sir, but there's not time. The mission ...
I'll be taking ove the training from here.
Sir.
We botht know you didn't want this job, Captain.
Sir, they're not ready.
Well, it was your job to get them ready.
Sir, they have to believe
that this mission can be flown.
And all you've managed to do is teach them that they can.
Sir.
You're grounded, Captain,
permnently.
Sir.
That is all.
I heard.
I'm sorry.
What're you gonna do?
Ice's gone.
What choice do I have?
You're have to find a way back on your own.
Well, Penny.
I'm out.
This is over.
Pete,
if you lost your wingman up there,
you keep fighting.
You wouldn't just give up.
Those are your pilots.
If anything happens to them,
you'll never forgive yourself.
I don't know what to do.
Oh, you'll find a way.
I know you will.
Captain Mitchell is no longer your instructor.
And as of today, there're new mission parameters.
Time to target is now 4 minutes.
You'll entering the valley level at reduced speed,
not to exceed 420 knots.
Sir, won't we be giving their planes time to intercept?
Well, lieutenant, you have a fighting chance against enemy aircraft.
What are the odds of surviving a head collision with a moutain?
You'll be attacking the targt from a higher altitude.
Level with the north wall,
can be a liittle harder to keep your laser on target, but you'll avoid
the high-G climb-out.
We'll be sitting ducks for enemy missiles.
Who the hell is that?
Maverick to range control.
Entering, point alpha.
Confirm, green range.
Uh, Maverick, range control. Uh,
green range is confirmed.
I don't see an event scheduled for you, sir.
Well, I'm going anyway.
Nice.
Seting time to target 2 minutes 15 seconds.
Two fifteen, that's impossible.
File attack point.
Maverick's inbound.
Popping in 3, 2, 1.
Bombs away.
Bullseye, holy shit.
Damn.
You have put me in a difficult position, Captain.
On the one hand, you have demonstrated that this mission can be flown,
Perhaps the only that can be survived.
On the other hand,
you did it by stealing a multimillion-dollar military aircraft
and flying it in such a manner that it may never be airworthy again.
Iceman is no longer here to protect you.
I have
everything I need to have you court martialed and dishonorably discharged.
So what do I do,
risk the lives of the pilots and perhaps the success of the this mission,
or,
risk my career
by appointing you new team leader.
I think the admiral is asking a rhetorical question.
I think the admiral's asking a rhetorical question, Captain.
Talk to me, Goose.
Captain Mitchell,
you're where you belong.
Make us proud.
It's been an honor flying with you.
Each one of you
represents the best of the best.
This is a very specific mission.
My choice is a reflection of that and nothing more.
Choose your two fox strike teams.
Payback and Fanboy,
Phoenix and Bob.
And you wingman.
Rooster.
The rest of you will
stand by on the carrier
for any
reserve role that's required.
Dismissed.
Your target
is a clear and present threat,
a secret uranium enrichment site under rogue state's control.
It's an undergroud bunker
tucked between these two mountains.
Your route of interest
is heavily defended by surface-to-air missiles
backed by fifth generation fighters.
Once your F18 strike team crosses the border,
Tomahawk missiles from the USS Leyte Gulf will launch a synchronized stirke on the enemy's airfield here.
This will knock out their runway,
but you'll have to contend with any planes already in the air.
The moment those Tomahawks hit, the enemy will know you're coming.
Your time to your target
will be two minutes and thirty seconds.
Any longer than that, you will be exposed to any aircraft that Tomahawks may have missed.
This is what you all have been training for.
Come home safely.
You give'em hell.
Sir.
I,
I just wanna say ...
We'll talk
when we get back.
Hey, Bradley, Bradley.
Hey,
you got this.
Maverick,
Hey,
you with me?
I don't like that look, man.
It's the only one I got.
Thank you.
If I don't see you again, Hondo,
thank you.
It's been an honor, Captain.
Dagger one, up and ready on catapult one.
Dagger spare,
standing by.
Dagger four,
up and ready.
Dagger three,
up and ready.
Dagger four,
up and ready.
Support assets airborne.
Strike package ready.
Standing by for launch decision.
Send'em
Dagger two away.
Dagger three away.
Dagger four away.
Command chief.
Dagger one, stand by check in.
Command chief 117,
picture clean, recommend Dagger continue.
Copy, Daggers descending below radar.
Daggers now below radar.
switching to U2 picture.
Here we go.
Enemy territory up ahead.
V draw in 60 seconds.
Command chief, Dagger one, picture.
Command chief, picture clean.
Decision is yours.
Copy.
Dagger attack.
Tomahawks airborne.
No turning back now.
Daggers,
assume attack formation.
Daggers set, proceeding to target.
Two minutes and thirty seconds in 3, 2, 1, mark.
Two mark.
Three mark.
Four mark.
Goin' in.
First SAM sight overhead.
Looks we're clear on radar, Mav.
Let's not take it for granted.
More SAM,
three o'clock high.
We got 2 minutes to target.
Copy,
we're three seconds behind, Rooster, we gotta move.
30 seconds to Tomahawk impact on enemy airstrip.
Dagger, command chief, we're picking up two bandits, single group, two contacts.
Where the hell do they come from?
Long range patrol?
Command chief, what's their heading?
Bullseye, 09-050
TAC southwest.
They're heading away from us.
They don't know we're here.
The second those Tomahawks hit the air base,
those bandits are gonna move to defend the target.
We have to get there before they do.
Increase speed.
We got you, Mav. Don't wait for me.
Sir, Daggers 2 and 4 are behind schedule.
Time to target, one minute twenty.
Tomahawk impact in 3, 2 ...
Impact.
Enemy runway is destroyed.
They know we're coming now.
Bandits are switching course to defend the target.
Rooster, where are you?
Come on, Rooster, bandits imbound. We gotta make up time now.
Heads up, Phoenix.
Sir, bandits are 2 minutes from target.
Daggers are 1 minute from target.
Come on, Rooster. Move it or lose it.
Guys, we're falling behind. We realy gotta move.
If we don't increase our speed right now,
those bandits are gonna be waiting for us when we reach the target.
Talk to me, Dad.
Come on, kid. You can do it. Don't think.
Just do.
Jesus, Rooster, not that fast.
That's it, kid, That's it.
Alright, let's go.
Ah, Rooster, take it easy.
Sir, dagger two is reengaging.
Alright, now hit your target and come home.
30 seconds to target.
Bob, check your laser.
Check complete. Laser code verified 1688. Laser's a go.
Watch your heads.
Holy shit.
Shit.
Payback, you with me?
Right behind you.
Phoenix, stand by for pop-up strike.
Dagger 3 in position.
Popping in 3, 2, 1.
Tell me you got eyes on the target, Bob.
I can see it.
Stand by, Mav.
Come on, Bob. Come on.
Stand by.
I've got it. Catch her.
Bombs away.
We've got impact.
Direct hit.
That's miracle number one.
Dagger 2,
status.
Almost there, Mav.
Almost there.
Fanboy, where's my laser?
Rooster, there's something wrong with my laser.
Shit.
Deadeye.
Come on, guys. We're running out of time.
I'm trying.
Go Fanboy. Get it online.
There is no time. I'm dropping blind.
Rooster, I got this. I got this.
No time.
Bombs away.
Bullseye.
Miracle number 2.
Now they're in coffin corner.
We're not out of this yet.
Here it comes.
Radar warning.
Smoke in the air. Phoenix, break right.
Emergency jettison. Jettison defending.
Here comes another one.
Dagger one defending.
Rooster, status.
Oh, my god.
Smoke in the air.
Break right, Payback. Break right.
Breaking right.
My god, here they come.
SAM on your six, Rooster.
Deploying countermeasures.
Negative contact.
Dagger one defending.
Talk to me, Bob.
Break right, Phoenix. Break right.
Nine o'clock.
Rooster, two more on your six.
Dagger two defending.
Payback, SAM on your nose.
Dagger four defending.
Rooster, tally, tally.
Talk to me, Bob.
Holy shit. Dagger two defending.
Phoenix, break right.
I can't. I can't.
Deploying countermeasures.
Dagger two defending.
Shit, I'm out of flares.
Rooster, evade. Evade.
I can't shake them. They're on me. They're on me.
Mav, no.
Dagger one is hit.
I repeat. Dagger one is hit.
Maverick is down.
Dagger one, status.
Status.
Anyone see him?
Does anyone see him?
Dagger one, come in.
I didn't see a parachute.
We have to circle back.
Command chief, bandits inbound.
Single group hot. Recommend dagger flow south.
One minute to intercept.
Get them back to the carrier, now.
All daggers flow to ECP. You have bandits headed for you.
What about Maverick?
Tell him there's nothing you can do for Maverick, not in a goddamn F18.
Dagger spare, request to launch and fly air cover.
Negative, spare.
Launch search and rescue.
Negative,
not with bandits in the air.
Well, sir, Maverick is still out there.
We're not losing anyone else today.
Get them home now.
Dagger, you are not to engage.
Repeat. Do not engage.
Dagger two, return to carrier.
Acknowledge.
Rooster, those bandits are closing.
We can't go back.
Rooster,
he's gone.
Maverick's gone.
Oh, no.
Dagger two is hit.
Dagger two, come in.
Dagger two, do you copy?
Dagger two, come in.
You alright?
Yeah, I'm good.
You alright?
What the hell?
What're you doing here?
What am I doing here?
I took that missile
so you couldn't be down here with me. You should be back on the carrier by now.
I saved you life.
That's the whole point.
What the hell were you even thinking?
You told me not to think.
Well,
it's good to see you.
It's good to see you too.
So what's the plan?
You're not serious.
You've gotta be shittin me.
An F14?
I shot down three MiGs in one of those.
We don't even know if that bagged ass can fly.
Let's find out.
Mav.
OK.
There's guys up there, Mav.
Yeah.
There's more over there.
OK.
Let's start running.
Yeah, run.
Once,
once I give the signal for air up.
You're gonna fip the switch until the needle gets to 120.
When the engine starts,
you gotta pull all the pins
and disconnect everything.
You understand?
Yeah.
Yes.
Once I'm up,
stow the ladder.
OK.
Wow.
It's been a minute, huh, Mav.
Oh, my god.
This thing is so old.
Alright.
Canopy? Clear.
Both runways are cratered.
How are we gonna get this museum piece in the air?
Why are the wings coming out, Mav?
Mav, this is a taxi way,
not a runway.
This is a very short taxi way, Mav.
You just hang on.
Holy shit.
Come on.
Needle's alive.
Mav.
That's it. Come on.
Alright.
Mav.
Here we go.
Holy shit.
Sir,
we're receiving a signal from Rooster's e-set,
but there seems to be a malfunction.
Have you lost him?
No, sir,
he is supersonic.
He's airborne.
In what?
Sir,
Overwatch reports an F14 tomcat is airborne and oncourse to our position.
It can't be.
It ... can't be.
Maverick.
OK, Rooster,
get us in touch with the boat.
I'm workin' on it.
Radio's out.
No radar.
Everything's dead back here.
What do I do? Talk me through.
OK, first the radio.
Throw the, uh,
the UHF-2 circut breaker.
Try that.
There's 300 breakers back here. Anything more specific.
I don't know.
That was your dad's department.
I'll figure it out.
Mav, tally 2, 5 o'clock low.
What do we do?
OK, listen.
If they knew who we were,
we'd be dead already.
Well,
here they come.
What's your plan?
Switch your mask on.
Remember,
we're on the same team.
Just wave and smile.
What's that signal? What's he sayin?
I have no idea. I have no idea what he's saying.
What about that one? Any idea?
Never seen that one either.
Oh, shit.
His wingman is moving into weapons envolope.
Alright, listen up.
When I tell you, you grab those rings above your head.
That's the ejection handle.
Mav,
can we outrun these guys?
Not to missiles and guns.
Then it's a dog fight.
An F14,
against fifth gen fighters?
It's not the plane.
It's the pilot.
You'd go after them if I wasn't here.
But you are here.
Come on, Mav.
Don't think.
Just do.
Tell me what you see. Smoke in the air.
Smoke in the air.
Hang on.
Yeah, splashed one. Splashed one.
Here comes another one.
Rooster, flares. No, no, no.
Coming out.
You got it, Mav. You got it.
Taking a shot.
What the ...
Holy shit.
What the fuck was that?
Hang on.
We gotta get low.
The terrain will confuse its targeting system.
Here it comes.
Talk to me, Rooster. Where is he?
He's still on us.
We took a hit. We took a hit. Damn it.
Cimb up. Do some of your pilot shit.
Brace yourself.
Holy shit.
I got tone.
Taking a shot.
Damn it.
Out of missiles.
Switching to guns.
Come on, Mav. Come on.
You got it, Mav.
It's not over yet.
One last chance.
You can do this.
Come on.
Yes, busted.
Mav, I got the radio on.
Outstanding, get us in touch with the boat.
Copy that.
Oh my god
Where the hell is this guy?
He is on our nose.
Damn it.
We're out of ammo.
Smoke in the air.
Rooster, flares.
That was close.
We're out of flares, Mav.
Shit, he's already on us.
Ah, this is not good.
We took another hit.
No.
We can't take much more of this.
We can't outrun this guy.
We gotta eject.
What?
We need altitude.
Pull the ejection handle the second I tell you.
Mav, wait.
Rooster, there's no other way.
Eject.
Rooster, pull the handle. Eject.
It's not working.
Mav.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry, Goose.
Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.
This is your savior speaking.
Please fasten your seatbelts. Return your tray tables to their locked and upright positions.
Hah ...
Hey, and prepare for landing.
Hey, Hangman,
you look good.
I am good, Rooster.
I'm very good.
I'll see you back on deck.
Maverick's down wind.
No front landing gear. No tail hook.
Pull the cable and raise the barricade.
File deck.
Go.
Please don't tell me we lost an engine.
Alright, I won't tell you that.
OK.
You good?
Yeah,
I'm good.
Shot yourself another kill?
That makes two.
Mav has five.
Makes him an ace.
Captain Mitchell.
Sir.
Thank you for saving my life.
It's what my dad would've done.
Hey, Mav.
Jimmy.
Is uh,
Is Jenny around?
Uh, she took Amelia on a
sailing trip.
Did she say when she would be back?
You know, she didn't.
Can I get you anything?