U.S. Navy, Air Force Banking On Top Gun: Maverick Recruitment Boost

The USAF produced a slick recruitment ad featuring high-speed F-35 and F-22 maneuvers to run before Top Gun: Maverick in theaters.

Kimberly Johnson

Monday, May 23, 2022 at 03:38 PM ET

Verified

Top Gun: Maverick is expected to pull in big numbers at the box office. The Navy and Air Force hope it does the same for them. [File Photo; Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

The original 1986 film, *Top Gun*, significantly boosted U.S. Navy and military aviation recruitment, though specific Air Force data remains unverified.
The sequel, *Top Gun: Maverick*, is highly anticipated to similarly inspire a new generation of recruits, offering a crucial boost for the military during its most challenging recruiting period in over 20 years.
Facing severe recruitment shortfalls and pilot shortages, the U.S. military, including the Air Force with its "Own The Sky" commercial, is actively leveraging the film's release to attract new personnel across all branches.

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In the world of aviation, it’s not a stretch to say we probably all remember where we were when we first saw Top Gun the first time, and that flutter of raw adrenaline sparked by watching the acrobatic dogfight between the F-14 Tomcat and the fictional MiG-28 fighter jet.

The movie was the biggest to land on theater screens in 1986, becoming a one-hour, 40-minute recruitment ad for the U.S. Navy and military aviation.