- A U.S. Air Force refueling tanker flying in the Middle East used the call sign "PIKLRICK."
- The call sign was a nod to the animated comedy Rick and Morty.
- Air Force call signs typically refer to the mission, or the Air Force in general. Not a talking pickle.
A U.S. Air Force tanker crew used an unusual call sign during a recent mission in the Middle East: “PIKLRICK.”
✈ You love badass planes. So do we. Let’s nerd out over them together.
The KC-10A tanker took off on an otherwise unremarkable flight from Al-Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, but soon attracted global attention for naming the flight after the pickle version of Rick Sanchez, the foul-mouthed mad scientist from the cult animated comedy Rick and Morty. The incident instantly joins the list of great sky hijinks from bored pilots trying to spice up mundane missions.
For the uninitiated, “Pickle Rick” is a classic 2017 episode of the Adult Swim sitcom, which follows a blue-haired scientist and his grandson as they try to save the world from aliens, monsters, and their own misguided inventions. In “Pickle Rick,” the titular scientist turns himself into a talking pickle.
When the Associated Press asked the Air Force about the call sign, a public affairs officer explained it was for “no particular reason other than a bit of morale for the crew.”
“We acknowledge that the call sign is not in accordance with our operational guidance,” said Maj. Kay Magdalena Nissen, “and we’ve provided that feedback to the airmen involved.”
The next day, the same KC-10A tanker was up in the air again, this time using “MOJO82,” a considerably less spicy call sign.
Call signs typically refer to the aircraft type or mission. Air Force transport aircraft often use the call sign “REACH,” indicating the global reach of the Air Mobility Command. B-2 bombers, meanwhile, have been known to use the call sign DEATH because, well, that’s pretty much a bomber’s job.
One military radio monitoring enthusiast maintains a list of hundreds hundreds of call signs, including “CASINO ROYALE,” a nod to the James Bond film. The list does record a “MORTY,” an RC-135V Rivet Joint intelligence collection aircraft flying out of Offutt Air Force base, Nebraska, and a “RICK” flying out of Edwards Air Force base, but there’s nothing to directly connect the call signs to Rick and Morty. It’s safe to assume “PIKLRICK” is definitely named after the show.
When pilots aren’t coming up with inventive call signs to troll flight watchers, they’re drawing clever things in the sky—usually phallic-shaped objects. In 2017, EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft drew a penis in the sky. Then, in 2019, both F-35 pilots and a Marine Corps T-34C also got into the sky dong game.
🎥 Now Watch This:
Kyle Mizokami is a writer on defense and security issues and has been at Popular Mechanics since 2015. If it involves explosions or projectiles, he's generally in favor of it. Kyle’s articles have appeared at The Daily Beast, U.S. Naval Institute News, The Diplomat, Foreign Policy, Combat Aircraft Monthly, VICE News, and others. He lives in San Francisco.
