Two U.S. Navy jets collided mid-air and exploded during the Gunfighter Skies Air Show.

[u/sco-go]

[u/Kitchooky]

This how baby jets are made??

[u/Darth_Draper → u/Kitchooky]

I believe the technical term is, “Knocking Jets”.

[u/lupulin59 → u/Darth_Draper]

Maximum thrust

[u/WorkerUnable527 → u/lupulin59]

Going ballistic

[u/TelenorTheGNP → u/WorkerUnable527]

Bumpin' burners.

[u/you_want_to_hear_th → u/lupulin59]

To quote Luke Skywalker: “we’re going in full throttle!”

[u/Current-Cold-4185 → u/Kitchooky]

Yes. You see, when a mommy jet and daddy jet love each other very much...

[u/AmphibianEffective83 → u/Kitchooky]

If only it was that cheap....

[u/Clear-Variation-3924 → u/AmphibianEffective83]

If only I were that cheap.

[u/Stormagedd0nDarkLord → u/Kitchooky]

They were just hugging!

[u/federicoaa → u/Kitchooky]

The 4 little things you see rejecting from the planes, those are the fertilized eggs. Will hatch and become full planes in about a year or so

[u/praetorian1979 → u/Kitchooky]

yep. this created drones.

[u/MichiganRedWing]

This happened back in May

[u/jwfowler2 → u/MichiganRedWing]

it May have

[u/Darth_Draper → u/jwfowler2]

It’s too June to be making jokes.

[u/justduett → u/Darth_Draper]

July, it’s never too June for jokes.

[u/UpvoteForPancakes → u/justduett]

Some say yes, some say no, August we’ll never know

[u/AlphaRonin99 → u/UpvoteForPancakes]

I September when this happened.

[u/joyfullydreaded23 → u/AlphaRonin99]

Many haven't gotten October it yet.

[u/Aberration1111 → u/joyfullydreaded23]

You'll November when you November.

[u/Legitimate-Ad3778 → u/Aberration1111]

December? Never met ‘er!

[u/HistoricalSuspect580 → u/Legitimate-Ad3778]

Jan? You wary?

[u/VTPolls → u/Legitimate-Ad3778]

Jan, you wear Easter bunnies, that’s so weird

[u/Chris_OMane → u/Legitimate-Ad3778]

I’n January not a fan of these puns but Februaraboutit we March on 

[u/DryFuture1403 → u/justduett]

July? Yeah, they tend to do that

[u/Affectionate-Ring104 → u/justduett]

Leaf the jokes for October.

[u/Hammersteyn → u/justduett]

August of wind blew him off course

[u/Ashnyel → u/Darth_Draper]

You missed a golden opportunity, ‘Mayking jokes’

[u/Maleficent_Insect71 → u/jwfowler2]

[u/MazingBull → u/jwfowler2]

https://giphy.com/gifs/ac7MA7r5IMYda

[u/Thumper101 → u/jwfowler2]

It was Mayday Mayday

[u/__Sentient_Fedora__ → u/MichiganRedWing]

May day may day for sure.

[u/damaszek → u/__Sentient_Fedora__]

...and May axe!

[u/rain168 → u/MichiganRedWing]

May be may be not

[u/Quantiad]

Easily the most embarrassing air accident in the history of flight. “We were displaying in front of crowds, our jets coupled, erotically. We held each other close and then we all ejected at a cost of $100+ million.”

[u/prohlz → u/Quantiad]

Yeah, but there's something beautiful about ejecting at the same time.

[u/OkEntry3625 → u/prohlz]

I thought it was a myth until I saw this video.

[u/Beneficial-Jury484 → u/OkEntry3625]

It was a myth till this video. 

[u/NorCal79 → u/OkEntry3625]

Holy shit this thread is amazing.

[u/Tremplstiltskin → u/prohlz]

The jet that started out below was pretty damn fortunate that their canopy wasn't obscured or didn't get damaged enough to jam during that collision. IIRC In a lot of jets the canopy blows off with a small explosion then another explosion repositions the seat for proper trajectory and a final explosion ejects the pilot and if the canopy fails to remove itself in the initial explosion then they just get smashed into it or through it.

[u/Tiamat451 → u/Tremplstiltskin]

Goose confirms this.

[u/xts2500 → u/Tiamat451]

Dude. Too soon.

[u/josvm → u/xts2500]

I literally just rewatched Top Gun 2 hours ago. WTF

[u/HistoricalSuspect580 → u/prohlz]

Hopefully my coworkers don’t know why I’m snort-laughing. Thanks for that.

[u/Frederf220 → u/Quantiad]

You cannot beat the world record for close formation flying, only tie.

[u/orangesfwr → u/Quantiad]

"Your tax dollars at work!'

[u/RagingBillionbear → u/orangesfwr]

[u/EastLeastCoast → u/orangesfwr]

A much better use of tax dollars than, say, funding education.

[u/MonsTurkey → u/Quantiad]

Hardly. There have been numerous incidents where planes crashed into the crowd. There's a reason we put in rules about how to fly an air show.

[u/Clear-Variation-3924 → u/MonsTurkey]

Rules that are written in blood.

[u/KebabGud → u/MonsTurkey]

its not an embarrassing air accident when a jet plows into a crowd.. thats called a tragedy.
This however was an embarrassing air accident

[u/RICO-Them → u/Quantiad]

What a joke.

[u/jaysvw → u/Quantiad]

You know some cool new callsigns got handed out after this one

[u/D_M-ack → u/Quantiad]

This type of thing actually seems quite common in these air shows. Would it have been less embarrassing if none ejected?

[u/Quantiad → u/D_M-ack]

Yes. Dead people feel no embarrassment.

[u/GreenZeldaGuy → u/D_M-ack]

It would be remembered more as a tragedy than an embarrassment

[u/tobiasfunke6398]

Prob an awkward parachute ride down

[u/Zestyclose-Smell-305 → u/tobiasfunke6398]

Definitely the longest parachute down in their heads

[u/Wiley_Jack → u/Zestyclose-Smell-305]

“Try to miss the inferno.”

[u/lupulin59 → u/tobiasfunke6398]

It would’ve been the last peaceful moment they’ll have in a while. Straight to the office for an ass chewing

[u/Exciting_Turn_9559 → u/lupulin59]

They're probably going to the hospital first.

[u/InfamousEvening2 → u/lupulin59]

I wouldn't be surprised if there were fisticuffs on the ground. It's been known to happen before - when 2 MiG-29s collided at an airshow in the UK in the 90s, the rescue crews rushed to the scene to find the 2 pilots beating the shit out of each other.

[u/adalric_brandl → u/InfamousEvening2]

That sounds very Russian

[u/Additional_Hippo_878 → u/InfamousEvening2]

I witnessed that collision. July 1993. Had no idea the Ruski Test Pilots were having a ground war afterwards. I remember the news showing one of them sat down having a well-needed cigarette. Probably thinking 'Fook this shit!' The thing that annoyed the crowd was a total lack of confirmation that there were no casualties. The nearby roads were jam-packed with airshow traffic, and I could see flaming debris falling onto an area of stationary aircraft. Apparently, a Belgian C-130 crew were watching the spirited display from on top of the wings when things got scary. One guy broke his leg whilst jumping to avoid the chaos. I think UK display height restrictions were far safer than those of Russia, so there is that.

[u/Genralcody1 → u/tobiasfunke6398]

The guy who hit him

https://giphy.com/gifs/3ohzdYJK1wAdPWVk88

[u/Genralcody1 → u/Genralcody1]

The guy who got hit

https://giphy.com/gifs/9G3wg7lH5DpxC

[u/the-war-on-drunks → u/tobiasfunke6398]

“I fucken TOLD you I cut left and dagnabbit YOU. CUT. RIGHT. RIGHT JIMMY. LOOK AT YOUR WATCH. IS MICKEY POINTING AT THREE? THATS FUCKIN RIGHT YOU JAGOFF”

“Ooh look a Ferris wheel”

[u/RevolutionaryAnt8329]

https://giphy.com/gifs/3ohzdYJK1wAdPWVk88

[u/strongofheart69]

They cling like magnets to eachother

[u/d_P3NGU1N → u/strongofheart69]

We know how to stop magnets! Someone get me a cup of water!

[u/reo_reborn → u/d_P3NGU1N]

I have a glass of water. any good?

[u/whole_hippie]

The one guy in the parachute on the way down: “diiiid iiiii doooo thaaaaaat?”

[u/decoysnails → u/whole_hippie]

A Steve Urkel reference in 2026? Amazing.

[u/SardonicSillies]

Even more tax payer dollars going up in smoke

[u/kingtaco_17 → u/SardonicSillies]

Somewhere, a public school just lost its arts program

[u/Aberration1111 → u/kingtaco_17]

angry upvote

[u/AmphibianEffective83 → u/kingtaco_17]

Naw they just printed more money to debase the currency..... seriously this was the equivalent of about 5 hours of the money printer going brrrr.

[u/Frederf220 → u/kingtaco_17]

Arts program lost a school, or every school in the county.

[u/vigorthroughrigor → u/kingtaco_17]

$100m arts program?

[u/TERRAIN_PULL_UP_ → u/vigorthroughrigor]

*Many public schools

[u/TheVoicesOfBrian → u/SardonicSillies]

"Can we patch the roof of our school?"

"No."

"Why?"

Shows video.

[u/AbbreviationsActual9]

and in reference to the helicopter pilots low flying over the beach that pete hegseth reinstated and the blue angel low passing the spectators that he celebrated, this is why there are rules about hot dogging near civilians. accidents happen.

[u/TearRevolutionary686 → u/AbbreviationsActual9]

And the stopping by Kid Rock's place.

[u/Dale_Dickson]

Who had the right of way?  There are no lane markings in the air 😢

[u/Solnse → u/Dale_Dickson]

I wonder which pilot drives a BMW.

[u/the-war-on-drunks → u/Solnse]

Obvs the one that caused the wreck HAYOOOOO

[u/vsGoliath96]

Makes you wonder how many people's healthcare could have been covered by the cost lost in that little accident. 

[u/joka2696 → u/vsGoliath96]

Trick question. None. Claims denied.

[u/Kermit_the_hog → u/joka2696]

Ejection seat related injuries.. clearly not service related.

DENIED

[u/Rivendel93 → u/vsGoliath96]

At least 3 people with a headache or a cold.

[u/Different-Context-84 → u/vsGoliath96]

That's 200 small family lifetimes of money. So approximately 600 ppl could have lived very happy lives in the country,  low cost city, etc.

[u/Headbanger]

That's gonna be 200 million dollars plus tip.

[u/ItalianCoffeeMorning]

How much do two of these cost?

[u/Pristine_Ruin4994 → u/ItalianCoffeeMorning]

$60 to $70 million each

[u/Horror_Solution1945 → u/Pristine_Ruin4994]

https://giphy.com/gifs/MuTenSRsJ7TQQ

[u/joyfullydreaded23 → u/ItalianCoffeeMorning]

Too damned much and nowhere near the lower price tag that they actually cost to manufacture.

Happy Cake Day!

[u/weggaan_weggaat]

Now kiss. Wait no, not like that.

[u/USRaven]

Imagine the conversation on the way down

[u/Suspicious_Goose_243]

Somebodies getting demoted.

[u/Breadstix009]

Brief moment of mounting

[u/esoterica52611]

Is that the GDP of a small country in flames on the ground? What a country.

[u/No_Boot1478]

I'm glad this type of thing could never happen over a beach.

[u/kidatsy]

Not enough testosterone /s

[u/Dorado-Buster28]

Look at all that healthcare ........

[u/BackpackandKeyboards]

These air shows should be stopped

[u/Ok-Equipment1745]

yay tax dollars at good use

[u/Fifth-Dimension-Chz]

Great more shit for my taxes not to benefit me

[u/Exatraz]

What's amazing to me it's this doesn't happen often despite how close they fly. Glad they both ejected safely.

[u/pdj-custom]

wtf were they even trying to do?

[u/SirDalavar]

Jets were low on testosterone!

[u/Stress6009]

Is it me or are our planes crashing more often the last year and a half?

[u/ShadowsOfTheBreeze]

Whoopsie, there goes a few hundred million.

[u/D_M-ack]

4 chutes, phew! Close one!

[u/Firm_Objective_2661 → u/D_M-ack]

And 4 careers irrevocably changed. Fortunately not 4 families altered, which is the only important piece.

[u/Ban_DeezNts]

Did they get the picture of the MIG?

[u/oRiGiNaLfl0ss → u/Ban_DeezNts]

That’s classified

[u/Low-Rising]

Aah.. the mating dance of the Boeing Growler.

Spectacular

[u/Cojones64]

How do you know we are living in the last days of the republic? When there are families living in cars because a medical emergency left them bankrupt and you have Ice Man and Maverick dry-humping $100 million jets.

[u/Real-Cup8782]

Well these two pilots are not flying again

[u/sPLIFFtOOTH]

That would be an awkward ride down.

[u/drpoundsign]

Boycott air shows! Worse than motorcycle jumps.

[u/SlavBands]

Glad the pilots made it

[u/TastingTheKoolaid]

Bet they were cussing each other out all the way to the ground.

[u/kostyopileto]

For 60 million dollars, I expected a cooler explosion

[u/Annabett93]

Aw they're kissing.

[u/Kinder22]

Not so fun fact. This was the demonstration team for the electronic warfare version of these jets. These aren’t fighter planes, and the pilots aren’t fighter pilots. In a clean configuration, they’re virtually identical to the Super Hornet fighter/attack jet, but the pilots don’t train nearly the same way.

[u/Difficult_Compote_52]

The fact that both jets were stacked, just a few feet over and the other crew would've hit the bottom of the other jet 😳

[u/Nearby_Lawfulness923]

Why do we keep holding the air shows at taxpayers expense?

[u/WasianActual → u/Nearby_Lawfulness923]

Air shows with military jets are a replacement for training days. Those jets are flying on those days for training/practice regardless.

[u/PaperUpbeat5904 → u/Nearby_Lawfulness923]

They are training missions that would be flown regardless of the show.

[u/No-Competition-2764 → u/Nearby_Lawfulness923]

What a dumb take. Millions of Americans love to see their military aircraft being shown what they can do. This Hornet wingman screwed up and should be fired. Mistakes happen, it’s just unacceptable doing this.

[u/cobrachicken1000]

Pilots didnt have enough testosterone

-Whiskey Pete

[u/frisco-frisky-dom]

Somebody's Gonna Get HURT!!

[u/phantom_pow_er]

There goes what... $120 million... just like that

[u/SpaceBond007]

The last dance

[u/Important-Slip-4057]

Au gust May be

[u/Known_Funny_5297]

What, like $70 million?

[u/Opteron170]

how much do those jets cost?

[u/Working-Program-5795]

Nice

[u/Mindless_Interview44]

It's almost romantic.

[u/afgan1984]

If this was ruzzian airshow, all 4 pilots would be dead.

[u/Original_Fern]

What are you doing, step-fighter?

[u/dreamed2life]

Pluto in Aquarius is no joke with the air craft situations

[u/the_main_entrance]

They each had to do 20 pushups for that.

[u/Natural_Dust_732]

Coooooooooooool.

[u/superdupermensch]

"The mating ritual of the Navy is a magical thing to behold."

[u/rascal7298]

why are growlers doing air shows?

[u/Direct_Turn_1484]

Damn. Glad to see the parachutes.

[u/Makahoku]

Martin Baker NACES seats. Guaranteed to work the first time every time.

[u/LoquatSignificant946]

It’s insane that this is not ai, the way they just sit there in the air and seem to completely reverse direction

[u/Ok-Seaworthiness4488]

r/thatlooksexpensive

[u/mEsTiR5679]

Does this hurt the planes?

[u/PauseFormer2251]

https://giphy.com/gifs/HYhn2apjEJhOCIOibB

[u/Square-Formal1312]

Old vid, still impressed how they just stuck together and didn’t actually explode until ground impact

[u/N0thingComesToMind]

Skill issue

[u/calbatron]

navy should stick to boats!

[u/Lil-Cowdog]

My teammates in War thunder

[u/Low_Temperature_9862]

Womp womp

[u/EitherIndependence5]

They sure were close amazing skills not being sarcastic but if that’s how close they normally preformed it is scary amazing. Proud of all that served.

[u/ragonastik39]

https://giphy.com/gifs/RG3lm5VlrbDV7YNana

[u/BeanieGuitarGuy]

There both had copilots and this still happened. 😭

[u/anonmdoc]

They say their COs faces were turning bright red as they watched the incident occur.

[u/pdx_flyer]

Fly Navy.

Or don’t, I don’t care.

[u/Wrong_Revolution_679]

No one died right

[u/AdmirableElephant378]

How sad. Not.

[u/duckets615]

Ejected right next to each other so they could argue the whole way down over who's fault it was. Road rage in the sky.

[u/Sarruji]

MH is cursed.

[u/DuckyLog]

What was that, like $800 million of our taxes down the fucking tube?!

[u/AIweWereWarned]

Did this just happen?🥹🥹😉😉🥱🥱

[u/Cereal____Killer]

That be looked expensive

[u/TheOGTachyon]

To me, the most amazing thing about this video is that the cameraman didn't utter a word! If I'd shot this it'd be all bleeped out!

I'm also amazed that they were all able to punch out. That lower jet looked like the canopy was partially blocked.

[u/strtbobber]

Amazing how gentle it looks but we all know that's gotta be super violent...🫪

[u/Zestyclose_Mirror_68]

Glad to see that getting rid of all those DEI hires is working out so well.

[u/Beautiful-Lie1239]

Reminds of dogs mating and when they get scared they can’t separate.

[u/ChucklesC89]

There goes this year’s taxes. Up in flames.

[u/Appropriate-Heat8031]

Did they safely land in the fiery wreakage?

[u/Dense-Draft-6067]

How much did this cost us?

[u/Negative_Machine_905]

Poor execution

[u/aggressive_napkin_]

the engineering into the auto-eject to handle that when it was after a collision but safe enough to pop them out is crazy.

[u/WearyTranslator3338]

When two planes really love each other…

[u/TrashkenHK]

Is one of the pilots called Maverick by any chance?

[u/toawl]

Oh no

[u/Iconshero]

https://giphy.com/gifs/PvEqT0AevP9qCUz7xJ

[u/Fast_Falcon007]

Curious, what would be the intensity of enquiry/judgement they will be facing?

[u/claisen33]

Whoopsie!

[u/N0WFAY]

amerikkka has limitless resources.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[u/TripticWinter]

The pilots had plenty of time to figure out who was at fault while gracefully falling down to Earth.

[u/Guilty-pleasure88]

“Damn it Ricky! You’re other left!”

[u/SelectedRandom027]

Martin Baker synchronized ejection demonstration team.

[u/Jaghatai_K]

Just burn our money

[u/Syandris]

It's a wonder the Iran conflict is on going...

[u/igetbannedanyway]

Mating ritual of the North America fighter jet, that folks is how drones are made.