Over 30 years after he first took to the skies, Pete "Maverick" Mitchell is an accomplished naval aviator who continues to defy the advancement of age and rank by dodging a promotion that would ground him. He prefers to soar in the cockpit rather than push pencils at a desk. Seen as a relic of a bygone era, his unorthodox methods often put him at odds with the top brass, but his unparalleled flying skills keep him in the fighter pilot seat. When Maverick is called back to the elite aviation training ground he once called home, he faces an uncertain future and is haunted by ghosts of his past.

At the training program, Maverick is tasked with preparing a group of the Navy's top graduates for an unprecedented and near-suicidal mission. Among the hotshot pilots is Lieutenant Bradley Bradshaw, call sign "Rooster," the son of Maverick’s late friend and Radar Intercept Officer Lieutenant Nick Bradshaw, aka "Goose." Working through complex feelings of responsibility over his friend's death and the mixture of resentment and respect coming from the new generation of pilots, Maverick must confront his deepest fears and push himself and his team beyond their limits. The mission demands the highest level of skill and precision, forcing Maverick to reckon with his past and navigate a path forward for himself and his protégés.