I had a thought that just maybe it would have a wargames plot, where the Navy is switching to pilotless fighters and old Maverick, who heads up the Top Gun program won't change. So Admiral Iceman throws together a group of young "gamers" and challenges old Maverick to a contest to see who is better, a hotshot kid in a lazyboy flying a drone, or a hotshot pilot in an F18?
Of coarse, the plot takes a "Westworld" spin where the machines go off their programming and create a dangerous situation that only Maverick, in his F18, can save all of humanity from.
A few side plots:
Maverick is still a captain because after his girlfriend Charlie left him for another woman, he has an affair with Vipers nineteen year old granddaughter and gets caught. Viper had retired to become the Secretary of the Navy and of coarse, won't let Maverick out of the Navy because he is keeping an oath to Maverick's father and knows, if out in civilian life, the guy couldn't get a job flying rubber doggy doo out of Hong Kong.
Goose's son is a high level programmer who is over seeing the drone project and is the top "ace" pilot/programmer. Yet he has never flown a real airplane due to his extreme fear of heights and prone to airsickness.
Charlie is the president / owner of the software developement company that is sub- contracted to build the new drone fighters.
Iceman is now an Admiral and in charge of all Naval air operations.
Maverick keeps seeing Goose's ghost whenever he is out flying a tough mission, which is in reality, riding is motorcyle home at 2am after hitting all the bars.
Sundowner is now a US congressman who, in the end, presents a bill to de-fund the manless fighter program.
Maverick retires from the Navy and takes a job flying Charlie's corporate jet.