United States

• Red Flag

Major Jay Rivers (BARRY BOSTWICK) and has navigator Frank Barnstable (FRED McCARREN) arrive in Las Vegas to participate in Red Flag training. They have brought along their wives, Marie Rivers (JOAN VAN ARK) and Elaine Barnstable (DEBRA FEUER), for a vacation. Frank and Elaine also are on their honeymoon. During the first day of exercises, Rivers and Barnstable are "shot down" by a pilot from the "aggressor" squadron who, they learn later, was Major Phil Clark (WILLIAM DEVANE), a flying buddy of Jay's from Vietnam. Clark arrogantly chides Rivers on the fact that, as usual, he outflew him. The next day, Rivers is assigned a new navigator, Tommy Heinz (ALAN CAMPBELL), at the direction of the commanding officer, Colonel Anderson (ARLEN DEAN SNYDER). Barnstable's feelings are hurt because he feels that Rivers has requested the change, blaming him for their poor showing. In the air when the "enemy" attacks once more, Rivers escapes and kills the attacker, creating a new escape manoeuvre in the process. The successful "kill" fills him with pride as he receives praise from the other pilots and senior officers. Rivers is doubly pleased when he learns his kill is none other than Clark, but the boastful pilot interrupts Jay and Marie's dinner with the news that the kill was disqualified. When Clark's plane has a malfunction the next day and he's not able to participate, Heinz suggests to the other pilots that Clark is "chicken" and is afraid Rivers will shoot him down again. Clark reacts angrily, but Rivers backs up his young navigator, feeling confident in his ability to outfly Clark. A personal vendetta now exists between Rivers and Clark. Jay's personalty undergoes a radical change. He becomes similar to Clark, much to the unhappiness of his wife Marie and the Barnstables. Another air confrontation takes place between Rivers and Clark. Rivers again tries his escape manoeuvre, which consists of a sudden steep dive at high speed, but this time he is forced to begin the dive at a dangerously low altitude. Clark tries to follow Rivers but crashes and dies when his plane is unable to pull out of the dive. Rivers feels responsible for Clark's death and plans on resigning from the service, but before he can he receives orders to join the Aggressor Squad, the elite of the Air Force. Although pleased with the recognition, he still considers resigning until seeing a new group of pilots arriving for the exercises. When he realizes his skills can be used for a positive purpose - to save the lives of other pilots - he decides to stay with the Air Force and continue the tradition of Red Flag.