Does a viral video authentically show a C-17 Globemaster plane taking off from an aircraft carrier? No, that's not true: The viral clip was copied from a YouTube channel with an explicit disclaimer saying all footage is made "using simulator games." The Globemaster typically needs a runway well over 3,000 feet -- much more than a typical aircraft carrier has available.
The video went viral in an X post (archived here) posted on February 19, 2025, with a description that read:
The Boeing C-17 Globemaster Amazing Takeoff From Shortest Runway. 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
However, the video carried the watermark of a TikTok channel where the video (archived here) was already uploaded on February 1, 2025, with the same caption in the video that read "Most Dangerous Plane." But that video was cropped.
An even older version posted on YouTube on November 3, 2024 (archived here) titled "The Greatest Pilot Boeing C-17 Globemaster III U.S. Air Force Takes Off from Aircraft Carrier" had a much higher resolution:
It came with a description that read:
Disclaimer: all videos on this channel are original content that I made using simulator games. The video is not an incident that happened in real life. The purpose of the video is made for entertainment purposes only. Have a good time watching.
#amazing #crazy #microsoftflightsimulator #beautiful #viral #aviation #usa #fly #gaming #world #aircraft #airforce #military #takeoff #fighter #fighterjet
Additionally, the channel that posted the video (archived here) had a disclaimer that read:
All videos are for entertainment only. Doesn't actually happen in real life
According to an information sheet on the U.S. Air Force website (archived here):
The C-17 can take off and land on runways as short as 3,500 feet (1,064 meters) and only 90 feet wide (27.4 meters).
According to a resource page on the website of the U.S. Navy (archived here), the typical carriers in the Nimitz and Ford classes have a total length well below that:
Length: 1,092 feet (332.85 meters)
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Other Lead Stories fact checks involving aircraft can be read here.
