# Is this aquatic jet takeoff real? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 28, 2009, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-aquatic-jet-takeoff-real/497921 "2009-05-28T13:45:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gitfiddle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/898d66/32.png) [@gitfiddle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gitfiddle)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-aquatic-jet-takeoff-real/497921/1 "2009-05-28T13:45:33Z")
Just saw it [here](http://www.videosift.com/video/Underwater-take-off-of-F15-fighter-jet)… ---
**Author:** ![Terraplane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@Terraplane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terraplane)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-aquatic-jet-takeoff-real/497921/2 "2009-05-28T13:52:34Z")
No. It’s a submarine missile launch, I guess somebody just edited the F-15 in over it. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-aquatic-jet-takeoff-real/497921/3 "2009-05-28T14:02:53Z")
You know, the page you linked to has numerous comments from people stating that it is obviously a fake video… Also, if planes could be launched that way, why would you need those big, expensive aircraft carriers? Of course, the most obvious tipoff is that the plane is a USAF F-15. If it was real, it would surely be a Navy F/A-18. 😉 In any event, **omgzebras** is correct, of course. It’s a missile launch with an F-15 photoshopped over it. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-aquatic-jet-takeoff-real/497921/4 "2009-05-28T14:40:31Z")
I just saw a promotional video a few days ago about a planned UAV that would be submarine launched. I’ll try to find it. [Here it is.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIbOoBtqA-I) Nevermind. I think that project never really got off the ground (so to speak). ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-aquatic-jet-takeoff-real/497921/5 "2009-05-28T15:55:23Z")
There have been [submarine aircraft carriers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submarine_aircraft_carrier). The most famous is the Japanese [I-400 class](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I-400_class_submarine), three of which were deployed but Japan surrendered while they were en route to their first planned attack. AFAICT, all the examples used aircraft that launched from the surface after the submarine surfaced. [DARPA](http://www.darpa.mil/STO/solicitations/BAA09-06/index.html) is currently [accepting designs](http://gizmodo.com/5059668/darpa-working-on-a-submersible-aircraft-that-can-go-from-air-to-sea) for [submersible aircraft](http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/10/08/317172/picture-darpa-seeks-submersible-aircraft-concepts.html). ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-aquatic-jet-takeoff-real/497921/6 "2009-05-28T16:13:53Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > There have been [submarine aircraft carriers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submarine_aircraft_carrier). The most famous is the Japanese [I-400 class](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I-400_class_submarine), three of which were deployed but Japan surrendered while they were en route to their first planned attack. Huh, wasn’t there a Clive Cussler story that featured one of those. I just figured he’d made it up. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-aquatic-jet-takeoff-real/497921/7 "2009-05-28T16:28:14Z")
> [@robby](#): > > You know, the page you linked to has numerous comments from people stating that it is obviously a fake video… It _is_ obvious, of course, but just about any YouTube (or similar) video will have a dozen comments claiming it’s obviously fake. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-aquatic-jet-takeoff-real/497921/8 "2009-05-28T16:29:04Z")
It’s faked. If you look closely, you can see it’s a Navy jet. Currently, the only operating underwater air base Is the Air Force and Air National Guard base under Lake Caddo, Texas. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-aquatic-jet-takeoff-real/497921/9 "2009-05-28T16:42:20Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > There have been [submarine aircraft carriers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submarine_aircraft_carrier). The most famous is the Japanese [I-400 class](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I-400_class_submarine), three of which were deployed but Japan surrendered while they were en route to their first planned attack. > AFAICT, all the examples used aircraft that launched from the surface after the submarine surfaced. > > [DARPA](http://www.darpa.mil/STO/solicitations/BAA09-06/index.html) is currently [accepting designs](http://gizmodo.com/5059668/darpa-working-on-a-submersible-aircraft-that-can-go-from-air-to-sea) for [submersible aircraft](http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/10/08/317172/picture-darpa-seeks-submersible-aircraft-concepts.html). Yeah, that’s precisely what we need these days. We need to be focused more on how to get strike teams into and out of position very quickly. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-aquatic-jet-takeoff-real/497921/10 "2009-05-28T16:52:03Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > Yeah, that’s precisely what we need these days. We need to be focused more on how to get strike teams into and out of position very quickly. Well, the same converted Ohio class boats that would be able to launch the Cormorant type UAVs for recon would also be able to deploy SEAL delivery vehicles for strike purposes. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-aquatic-jet-takeoff-real/497921/11 "2009-05-28T17:03:08Z")
> [@robby](#): > > You know, the page you linked to has numerous comments from people stating that it is obviously a fake video… > > Also, if planes could be launched that way, why would you need those big, expensive aircraft carriers? > > **Of course, the most obvious tipoff is that the plane is a USAF F-15. If it was real, it would surely be a Navy F/A-18. 😉** > > In any event, **omgzebras** is correct, of course. It’s a missile launch with an F-15 photoshopped over it. Sometimes common sense beats knowledge ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-aquatic-jet-takeoff-real/497921/12 "2009-05-28T17:50:10Z")
> [@Sapo](#): > > Sometimes common sense beats knowledge You do realize that my comment was a joke, right? (Hence the “winking” smilie…) ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-aquatic-jet-takeoff-real/497921/13 "2009-05-28T18:47:48Z")
> [@robby](#): > > You know, the page you linked to has numerous comments from people stating that it is obviously a fake video… > > Also, if planes could be launched that way, why would you need those big, expensive aircraft carriers? > > Of course, the most obvious tipoff is that the plane is a USAF F-15. If it was real, it would surely be a Navy F/A-18. 😉 > > In any event, **omgzebras** is correct, of course. It’s a missile launch with an F-15 photoshopped over it. > [@pravnik](#): > > It’s faked. If you look closely, you can see it’s a Navy jet. Currently, the only operating underwater air base Is the Air Force and Air National Guard base under Lake Caddo, Texas. One of these two statements is wrong. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-aquatic-jet-takeoff-real/497921/14 "2009-05-28T18:53:18Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > One of these two statements is wrong. 😛 Come on, is your main problem with my factual accuracy in that post really the misidentificaton of an Air Force jet? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Dahu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahu/32/3416_2.png) [@Dahu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahu)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-aquatic-jet-takeoff-real/497921/15 "2009-05-28T19:13:03Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > Yeah, that’s precisely what we need these days. We need to be focused more on how to get strike teams into and out of position very quickly. It wouldn’t surprise me if such a thing does exist at the moment. One of them super-secret project things. ---
**Author:** ![snailboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/97f17d/32.png) [@snailboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snailboy)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-aquatic-jet-takeoff-real/497921/16 "2009-05-28T21:07:41Z")
> [@pravnik](#): > > Currently, the only operating underwater air base Is the Air Force and Air National Guard base under Lake Caddo, Texas. That’s Caddo Lake. And who told you about that base?! ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-aquatic-jet-takeoff-real/497921/17 "2009-05-29T03:04:08Z")
Here’s another fine submarine-launched flying thing: [SSM-N-8 Regulus - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SSM-N-8_Regulus) and [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RjyjyvG5W0](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RjyjyvG5W0) ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-aquatic-jet-takeoff-real/497921/18 "2009-05-29T12:33:09Z")
> [@robby](#): > > You do realize that my comment was a joke, right? (Hence the “winking” smilie…) Yes, of course. And of the funny type, IMO.