Why was the two-seater F-18s primarily used in this film? Because even though the United States Navy certainly has fifth-gen aircrafts in its arsenal, including the F-35 Lightning, those are all single-seat aircrafts.
As for why they didn't film with F-35s: others have already mentioned that the F-35's single seat makes it impossible to put actors in the cockpit. Other issues are that the F-35 has a lower thrust-to-weight ratio than the F-18, so maneuvers wouldn't look quite as cool.
Problems getting spare parts, issues with repairs and a reliance on contractors all contribute to the F-35 having a substandard readiness and frequent groundings of the fleet. “There's a variety of reasons why they can't get these aircraft up in the air as often as they would like,” Maurer said.
The Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighter is going out of production in 2025, after 26 years. The Super Hornet was designed as a bigger, beefier Hornet. Super Hornets in service today will be replaced by the F-35 and the Navy's upcoming sixth-generation fighter.
According to an Aviation Week podcast regarding the movie, there were two reasons, the first being that the F-35 is a single-seat fighter and they couldn't film with actors on a back seat while an actual aircraft was flying (for authenticity) and, secondly, was because the F-35 didn't have any qualified laser/GPS ...
The Biggest Reason Why no F-35 in Top Gun: Maverick
Why don't they use 5th gen fighters in Top Gun?
Summary. Top Gun: Maverick romanticized the Navy's technology, but the focus should remain on the pilots, not the planes. Giving Maverick a fifth-generation fighter would make him too powerful, ruining the tension and challenges in the plot.
Top Gun and its sequel are set in the Navy. However, the F-22 is used by the Air Force, an entirely separate institution. As such, it would have made no sense for Maverick to pilot an F-22 of the aircraft in Top Gun: Maverick.
But the Air Force model's gun is mounted inside the plane, and the test office “considers the accuracy, as installed, unacceptable” due to “misalignments” in the gun's mount that didn't meet specifications. The mounts are also cracking, forcing the Air Force to restrict the gun's use.
Both the F-22 and F-14 are decidedly faster than other fighter aircraft such as the F-35 which is listed at Mach 1.6 and the F/A-18 Super Hornet at 1.8.
Just as the F-35C replaced aging F/A-18 Hornets and complements Super Hornets, the F/A-XX will replace aging Super Hornets in the 2030s and complement the F-35C.
The F-22 Raptor outperforms the F-35 Lightning II in speed and climb rate, making it a formidable interceptor. The F-35's versatility in armament surpasses the F-22, enabling it to serve various missions, including nuclear deterrence and air-to-ground strikes.
“The (F-35) Joint Strike Fighter program has been both a scandal and a tragedy. It has been an incredible waste of the taxpayers' dollar…the path we are on is neither affordable nor sustainable.” The F35 program is “already a failure” on cost and schedule and said “the jury is still out” on its capabilities.
Cruise originally wanted to fly a real Boeing F-18 fighter jet in the film, but the US Navy denied his request due to insurance concerns and the high cost of the plane. Cruise's dedication to doing his own stunts enhances the storytelling and creates a level of authenticity that can't be achieved in any other way.
All the F/A-18 Super Hornets used in the film are authentic, and with them, the flying scenes are also legitimate. However, the SU-57 Felons and F-14 Tomcats are CGI.
Tom Cruise owns a fleet of 4 planes, with some ownership still under speculation. The most famous one is the P-51 Mustang that featured in Top Gun: Maverick. His remaining jets include Gulfstream IV G4, HondaJet HA-420, and Bombardier Challenger 300. All are luxurious and highly valued.
So, while the F-22 may hold an advantage in a traditional dogfight scenario, the strengths of the F-35 lie in its versatility, interoperability, and advanced avionics. Nevertheless, in a head-to-head matchup, it seems likely that the F-22's superior kinematic performance would grant it the upper hand.
How do the two aircraft compare? The F-14 is much faster and more powerful than the F/A-18, with a top speed of 2.34 Mach, while the Super Hornet reaches Mach 1.8. The F/A-18, however, is more agile than the F-14 as it only needs one pilot instead of two.
The Air Force originally planned to retire 250 aircraft in FY25 as part of its budget request in order to save more than $2 billion. Those retirements would include 32 of its Block 20 F-22 jets the service says would cost too much to prepare for combat.
Yet, regardless of the aerodynamic advantage, the F-35 performed poorly. “The stealth fighter proved too sluggish to reliably defeat the F-16, even with the F-16 lugging extra fuel tanks,” War is Boring reported.
Perspective SFTIs are FA-18E/F Super Hornet and F-35C Lightning II aircrew from the fleet who learn the latest tactics over the span of 13 weeks. During training, these students practice what they've learned against the Adversary students and TOPGUN instructors. Adversary students are primarily F-5 Tiger II pilots.
In air-to-air combat, the F-22 has a spotless record — just not against fighter aircraft. In two separate incidents in February 2023, Raptors shot down a Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina as well as an “unidentified object” over Alaska.
There has been no visual evidence of any downed US warplane. The archaic Soviet-vintage air defense capabilities are seen as unable to take out the world's first 5th-generation fighter jet. However, once, a Soviet-vintage Pechora missile flummoxed the US Air Force and brought down the USAF's first stealth fighter jet.
The Su-57, newer but struggling with development and a production crash, contrasts the F-22's operational history. Both aircraft have impressive specifications, but the F-22 is viewed as more maneuverable and stealthy, holding an edge in air superiority.
