The Sea Dragons try to stop a biological weapon, a virus called the Grey Ghost, from being sold by arms dealers. Janine starts seeing an old boyfriend, Zach, because Bobby keeps breaking their dates for work reasons.

When a sheriff comes by investigating a former member of the Sea Dragons who washed out and his possible link to attempted shootings, the team takes leave to investigate. And Kelly seeks more parenting help from Dr. West.

The Sea Dragons are sent to rescue hostages in a Carribean nation but their efforts are endangered when a billionaire, whose daughter is one of the hostages, sends in a team of mercenaries to launch a frontal assault.

After a bird shatters the canopy of his jet, Griffin is injured both physically and emotionally, and may be permanently grounded.

In San Diego for a convention, the Sea Dragons must prevent the deranged Maj. Egan from stealing a laser weapon and taking vengeance against those he believes responsible for the deaths of his men.

Ice takes her first flight with Kelly/Raider as her I.P. (Instructor Pilot) in the backseat. Burner is grounded by Hammer for losing his temper when a snob hits his motorcycle but ultimately proves himself and takes his first flight with Hammer as his I.P. Spoon's father, T.H., visits. He surprises Spoon with a girlfriend who is about 2 years younger than Spoon. Spoon is very rude to her. However the sparks fly when T.H. takes business meetings and the two spend the day together.

While Hammer and Kelly go on a top secret mission, Burner and Spoon find they have their hands full when they try to look after Kelly's ostensibly prim and proper niece. (It is revealed that Hammer was briefly a P.O.W. during the Gulf War.)

Swamp has a loss of confidence both in his flying and when he tries to romance Holly ""of Hollywood."" Burner competes against a new instructor from Top Gun who can't accept losing even though instructors are supposed to be able hold back. Pearly, who was one of Hammer's trainers, is trying to requalify in order to take a fleet assignment, but he seems to have lost his skills.

Jack Hightower is talking to Kelly when his car is blown up in Cairo. Kelly reevaluates and decides he wants to be in a combat unit. Another class of nuggets is graduating. Hammer, Major Lewis is applying for a staff position with the 18th M.E.U., with Kelly's encouragement. Kelly talks with Col. Doug Drayton and he asks to be ""the ace"" of the 18th M.E.U. Spoon and Ice, on the same carrier, the ""Connie"", get orders to return to Pensacola. On the way back they meet, Burner, who was based in Turkey. Kelly observes a helicopter pilot flying an attack helicopter, the Cobra. He asks Edward Turelli (cc), call sign Capone to join his unit. At a meeting, Kelly talks to many pilots. The team, the Aviation Combat Element (Ace?) of the 18th M.E.U. is called the Fighting Bandits. Spoon says Flying Bandits although the patch says Fighting Bandits. Hogs, Frogs, Hueys, (types of helicopters?/pilots) Cobras, and jet pilots (jet jockeys) comprise the unit. At the bucket Kate hugs Spoon, Ice

The unit will be learning Burke's Breach a combined attack strategem or set of tactics. General Burke, a former mentor of Kelly's, visits the unit, but his strange behavior endangers men during an exercise and Capone's career is threatened. Kelly discovers Burke's behavior may be caused by exposure to chemicals during the Gulf War. Also, Mad Dog makes a video letter, Teri gets a job at the Bucket, Ice is still wistful and Spoon is tricked by a pretty girl and his keys and the unit's mascot (a stuffed animal) are stolen.