After more than 30 years of service as one of the navy's top aviators, Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. Training a detachment of graduates for a special assignment, Maverick must confront the ghosts of his past and his deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who choose to fly it.

When a new Army sergeant takes control of a trained bomb disposal squad, his subordinates must deal with the sergeant's reckless attitude and risky actions while they struggle to survive the last days of their tour in Iraq.