Rumor – A video of an F/A-18 Hornet fighter performing extreme maneuvers against Osa-AKM missiles is real.
Analysis
Recently, a sequence of impactful images began to dominate discussions on video platforms and social networks, presenting what was claimed to be high-intensity real combat. The footage shows an F/A-18 Hornet fighter amidst desperate defensive maneuvers to avoid the impact of guided missiles. In the context of current geopolitical tensions, the recording has been shared as an authentic record of a direct confrontation involving North American technology and Russian-origin defense systems.
The narrative accompanying the images suggests that the event occurred during a military offensive, where the aircraft’s pilot demonstrates superior technical skill by neutralizing the threat from an Osa-AKM system. The video, which displays high G-force movements and ballistic trajectories crossing the horizon, has generated curiosity and questions about aerial safety and the location of that confrontation. Below, you can check the content of the message that is circulating:
URGENT ‼️ F/A-18 Hornet fighter evades the most powerful Osa-AKM missiles in action! Osa-AKM: Refers to a Soviet/Russian mobile anti-aircraft defense system (known by NATO as SA-8 Gecko). Images that went viral on social media show an F/A-18 Hornet fighter performing extreme maneuvers to escape what would be an anti-aircraft missile in full aerial confrontation. In the video, the aircraft executes sharp turns and high G-force movements as projectiles cross the sky. According to the publications, the mentioned armament is the Osa-AKM system, known by NATO as SA-8 Gecko.
Fact-Check
Due to the high impact and alarmist tone of the publications, we decided to verify the veracity of the images by answering the following questions: 1) Does the video show an F-18 Hornet fighter escaping Iranian missiles? 2) How was the video showing the F-18 Hornet fighter escaping Iranian missiles made? 3) Are there similar fake news stories?
Does the video show an F-18 Hornet fighter escaping Iranian missiles?
No, the information is incorrect. Although the message suggests that the images capture a real moment of a supposed United States attack on Iranian territory, there is no official record of an incident with these characteristics occurring recently. The scene, while visually convincing to eyes untrained in observing aeronautical physics, lacks fundamental elements of real combat, such as the presence of other support aircraft and the atmospheric distortion common in long-distance filming.
How was the video showing the F-18 Hornet fighter escaping Iranian missiles made?
The content was entirely produced using computer-generated imagery (CGI) tools. The origin of the images traces back to a channel specialized in digital military simulations, which uses advanced software to create hypothetical combat scenarios. The original video can be found in YouTube Shorts format, published by a content creator who focuses on realistic but purely digital simulations. You can check the original source at this link.
Are there similar fake news stories?
Yes, there is a growing trend in the use of flight simulators and rendering software to create fake news about military conflicts. Fact-checking organizations have already debunked cases where Israeli fighters supposedly attacked Iran in gaming videos, as well as rumors about unidentified aircraft overflying sovereign territories or fighters performing low passes over government buildings. Another classic example involved the false invasion of an F-22 Raptor into foreign airspace.
Conclusion
In short, the video circulating as a war record is, in fact, a digital simulation created by a CGI channel and has no relation to any real event between the USA and Iran.
Fake news ❌
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