The Jets

The jets are Folland Fo-145 Gnats {http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folland_Gnat}, used in foreign service with British RAF as a fighter/trainer, and used by the RAF's Red Arrows aerobatics team until 1979.

Also used in this movie, were Folland Gnat T.Mk.1 two seat trainer {http://www.warbirdalley.com/gnat.htm}, were never used in American service, neither were they ever capable of operating from aircraft carriers although the Indian Air Force, which used the single seat fighter version, did do a feasibility study of operating the type from their aircraft carriers, mainly to due to lack of options for carrier based aviation at the time. This was the first evidence that the aircraft carrier used in the movie was not real, but actually a prop.

Those were NOT T-38's {http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-38_Talon}, although a T-38 was used in another movie, "Dragnet" (1987),with Dan Aykroyd and Tom Hanks. The jets flown at the end of the movie were F-5E Tiger II's {http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_F-5#F-5E_and_F-5F_Tiger_II}. These are the same aircraft you see at the end of the movie "Top Gun". The U.S. Navy used the F-5E at the Naval Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) when it was located at NAS Miramar, CA. The F-5E flew with the US Air Force from 1975 until 1990, serving in the 64th Aggressor Squadron and 65th Aggressor Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base, NV.