In 1986, following the smash-hit summer release of Top Gun, naval recruiters around America reported an increase in inquiries from prospective sailors. In a report by the Los Angeles Times, recruiters pointed to Top Gun as a deciding factor for many. The US Navy didn’t officially endorse the film – regulations prohibit the American armed forces from doing so – but Top Gun easily worked as well as an actual recruiting video would have. One recruiter estimated that 90% of the new applicants she’d spoken to had seen the film – a figure that’s likely not fully coincidental.