Why Were F-18 Fighter Jets Flying Over the Hudson Valley Friday?
There were several reports of F-18 fighter planes spotted over the Hudson Valley this weekend. The reason they were here may be a bit surprising.
Military planes flying over the Hudson Valley aren't all that uncommon. With Stewart Air Force Base located in Orange County, it's not unusual to see many different types of aircraft over the Hudson Valley. These jets, however, were more likely deployed from the Navy, not the Air Force.
Several people reached out to us over the weekend,to inquire if we knew why three fighter jets were flying overhead on Friday. While we weren't able to find an official answer to the question, we do have a pretty strong theory: Football.
This weekend was 118th Army/Navy game in Philadelphia. Before the annual match up, the rivals have been known to try psyching each other out by flying aircraft over the opposing team's campus. Navy F-18 fighter jets buzzing West Point on Friday sounds like something the military would do in the spirit of friendly competition.
We're pretty sure there will be no official recognition of any fighter jets fliying over our area on the Friday before the game, especially after the much publicized stunt where Navy pilots drew a giant penis over Washington State last month.
West Point did get the last laugh, though. Army beat Navy on Saturday 14-13.
Did you see fighter jets over the Hudson Valley on Friday? Let us know where you spotted them on our Facebook page or in the comments section below.