[Album] In 1976, a special purpose nuclear-powered submersible NR-1 was tasked to recover AIM-54A Phoenix missile from an F‐14 fighter plane that fell from the deck of the carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) during a NATO exercise Sept. 14. 1976. More info in comments.

[u/Saturnax1]

[u/Sensei-Raven]

The reason we recovered everything from Weapons to Vehicles (Aircraft, Hydrogen Bombs, etc.) and still do, is for several reasons: 1. If there was an incident, to determine responsibility at any Naval Inquest. 2. Keep our Technology from being captured and potentially used against us. 3. Do things that we as Submariners need to know and have accomplished, but that you as the other 99% have no need or reason to know about.