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.
The F/A-18 is most definitely cheaper to keep in the air than the F-14 Tomcat it replaced. The F-14 (star of the original Top Gun) was the most expensive aircraft to operate in the Navy inventory, requiring 40 to 60 maintenance man-hours per flight hour.
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 F-35 is designed to replace aging fighter inventories including U.S. Air Force F-16s and A-10s, U.S. Navy F/A-18s, U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harriers and F/A-18s, and U.K. Harrier GR.
On 23 February 2023, Boeing announced plans to end Super Hornet production in 2025 due to declining interest in the jet and competition from the F-35. On 19 March 2024, the US Navy ordered 17 additional Super Hornets to extend the production until 2027.
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.
Yes, Tom Cruise did not actually fly the F-14 in the 1986 movie "Top Gun." While he underwent extensive flight training and spent time with Navy pilots to prepare for his role as Maverick, the complex aerial maneuvers and stunts were performed by skilled stunt pilots.
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.
Yes, the cobra maneuver is very possible in Infinite Flight. However, it's very hard to execute and requires talent and skill; most likely, you won't be able to accomplish the maneuver on your first try.
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.
The F-18 is designed to function as two different types of aircraft. It is both: A fighter jet, a plane designed to battle enemy aircraft. Fighters need to be very fast, relatively lightweight and highly maneuverable, so they can keep up with any enemy aircraft and evade counter-attack.
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.
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.
The designation of the new fighter as "F-35" is out-of-sequence with standard DoD aircraft numbering, by which it should have been "F-24". It came as a surprise even to the company, which had been referring to the aircraft in-house by this expected designation.
According to BBC Science Focus, the NASA X-43 was the fastest aircraft ever made, with an extraordinary speed of Mach 9.6, or 7,366 mph. Coming in second place is the NASA/USAF X-15, with a max speed of 4,520 mph. However, the fastest fighter jets still in service is the MiG-25 Foxbat, reaching 2,190 mph.
Mach 10 is a feat that has been previously accomplished by a manless aircraft called X-43A, developed by NASA as an experimental aircraft to test hypersonic speeds. Mach 10 is approximately a speed of 3.43 kilometers per second or 12,348 kilometers per hour, which translates to 7,680 miles per hour.
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.
Originally Answered: If an F-22 or F-35 pilot goes to Top Gun school for further air-to-air combat training, which plane does the instructor use as an aggressor jet for training? Top Gun is Navy. F-22 is Air Force. So the F-22 won't ever go to Top Gun.
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-19 designation was never used (as was the F-13). What would later became the F-20 Tigershark was initially given “F-19” but Northrop wanted to use the number 20 instead. F-19 was the proposed name for the later F-20 Tigershark, the 'super' F-5. Northrop prefered F-20 over F-19, possibly for publicity reasons.
The F/A-XX is the strike fighter component within the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Family of Systems (FoS). It is planned to replace the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet in the 2030s.
