The pilots are Air Force cadets in pilot training flying F/A-18 Hornets. The Hornet is not used by the Air Force. They're used by the Marines and Navy.
The American base, Asan, is said to be in Mexico. The Russians are openly violating Mexican airspace with hostile action, which could effectively start a war, yet there is no proper response from the Mexican or American military.
The base commander states that the entire base garrison is on holiday leave, save himself, his sergeant, and the cadets. If that's the case the Hornets cannot be ready for combat as they do not have the training on how to maintain, fuel, and arm the Hornets.
When all four pilots are on the tarmac after landing at the beginning of the movie, their fight suits have Air Force Communication Command patches. The AFCC does not train pilots, they are strictly communications only. Even the AWACS pilots wear Air Combat Command patches.
When the Russian fighter is shot down, Sparrow ejects from her Hornet despite the aircraft having no damage and being no longer in danger. She just wasted a $30 million aircraft for no reason.
Cowboy rams his Hornet into the Russian Felon fighter forgetting the fact that his Hornet has an M61 20mm Vulcan cannon that would have done the job. The Felon may be stealth, but in visual range it can be engaged by cannon.
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