Israeli-made fighter jets owned by US defense contractor spotted over Lee County
LEE COUNTY, Fla. —
Israeli-made F-21 fighter jets were recently spotted flying over Southwest Florida as part of U.S. Navy flight operations based in Key West, according to a defense contractor spokesperson.
Shawn Humphreys, a dog trainer in San Carlos Park, described the moment he noticed the jets while working with dogs near the airport.
“We work with all civilian dogs, and we’re working recall, and being so close to the airport, I heard jet, but it was definitely different than what we’re normally hearing. And, when I looked up, it was two fighter jets side by side. So of course, like everybody, we grab our phones and we take video of it,” Humphreys said.
The jets, built in the 1980s, are now owned by Airborne Tactical Advantage Company, a defense contractor. Pilot Toby Blanton explained the purpose of these aircraft in military training.
“They use that airplane to either be chased by one of our high-end military jets or to chase, because they’re a fighter pilot,” Blanton said. “You’re either going to chase or be chased.”
Blanton also highlighted the rarity of these jets and the expertise of the pilots who operate them.
“These airplanes are for our military, and those pilots are that, you know, you have Top Gun pilots, and then you have these guys; Top Gun is up there. But I truly believe that these guys that are flying those airplanes are probably a few steps above Top Gun,” Blanton said.
Humphreys, who captured video of the jets, shared how the sighting became a unique moment during his dog training session.
“I need to figure out who the pilot is so I can have him come over and fly over, because it was a great distraction working recall with our dogs, because they were like, ‘What in the world is that?’ But hey, you got to return to me, and they did really well with it,” Humphreys said.
A spokesperson for the defense contractor said residents should expect to see these jets flying overhead for the next couple of weeks.
DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.