Plot: Frank Murphy, of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Police's helicopter division (ASTRO), and newcomer Richard Lymangood on his first patrol, help take down the perpetrators of what appears to be a robbery and attempted rape of a city councilwoman. They are little aware of the much larger and more sinister plot behind the attack, much less that they will soon find themselves right in the middle of it. Murphy (Roy Scheider) and Lymangood (Daniel Stern) then learn that they have been selected to test a new, state-of-the-art, high-performance helicopter with cutting-edge surveillance capabilities--Blue Thunder. Disconcertingly, unlike other police aircraft, Blue Thunder is also equipped with powerful weaponry. When Murphy is introduced to the lead pilot for the program he finds that it is an old nemesis from his tours in Vietnam, Col. Cochrane (Malcolm McDowell), who is none too pleased to learn who has been selected for the test. Soon Murphy and Lymangood, via the helicopter's information system, discover disquieting hints that there may be much bigger and less honorable plans for the 'copter than they've been told, leading them to defy orders and seek more information on their own. It is now up to them, with the help of Murphy's spirited wife, Kate, to blow the lid off the plot and expose the villainy within.
Alternative Plot: Frank Murphy is a courageous and honorable Los Angeles police officer who is chosen to test run Blue Thunder, a high-tech experimental attack helicopter. While flying Blue Thunder, Murphy and his partner discover that the government intends to use the helicopter for corrupt crowd control and surveillance.
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