In the depths of the Atlantic Ocean near the coast of Florida, decommissioned planes of the Navy have turned into an unusual underwater attraction. On July 18, 1996, Florida recorded the deployment of 26 A-6 Intruder aircraft at Site No. 9 in Volusia County, at a depth of 135 feet, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's artificial reef inventory. Divers who explored an Intruder aircraft reef later discovered groups of tomtates and high hats with an occasional grouper. The planes, initially created for military purposes, became objects of underwater observation.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission document identifies the artificial reef site as Site No. 9 in Volusia County. It lists the aircraft deployment at a depth of 135 feet, with eight feet of relief above the seabed.
This is within the artificial reef program that uses appropriate materials to build underwater structures to facilitate marine habitation and recreational activities. The jets served as a form of reef, apart from concrete cubes and ships that are also found in the waters off Florida’s coast.
How the aircraft became an artificial reef
An artificial reef is created by placing structures on the seabed for marine organisms to use as shelter or habitat. Its effectiveness depends on factors such as depth, the surrounding seabed, and the materials used. Fish around the structure may indicate that the reef is providing habitat.
Volusia County has run an artificial reef program since 1980. The county government’s description of the program explains that the reefs have been created by placing concrete materials and steel vessels offshore to provide fish habitat and recreational opportunities. The A-6 deployment was one of the projects that added to this network.
{{/usCountry}}Volusia County has run an artificial reef program since 1980. The county government’s description of the program explains that the reefs have been created by placing concrete materials and steel vessels offshore to provide fish habitat and recreational opportunities. The A-6 deployment was one of the projects that added to this network.
{{/usCountry}}The state inventory also shows the scale of Florida’s reef deployments. As of March 2026, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s artificial reef inventory listed an estimated 4,523 artificial reef deployment locations across 34 of the state’s 35 coastal counties. Recorded depths ranged from one foot to 511 feet, with an average of 68 feet.
After three decades on the seabed, the aircraft may have undergone deterioration, partial burial in sand, or changes associated with marine growth. Hence, the current state of the reef may not be the same as when it was placed on the seabed. For the Intruder aircraft reef, depth and coordinates help identify the site, and divers can see how the wreck is positioned.
Divers' findings at the Intruder aircraft reef
The Think It Sink It Reef It (TISIRI) article dated September 2011 details the divers’ visit to the Intruder aircraft reef east of St. Augustine. It explains that these jets were deliberately placed underwater to create marine habitat.
The report also describes the several aircraft lying in different positions. Some were spaced apart, while others rested in clustered piles. During that particular dive, the team encountered the fish described in the report, including tomtates, high hats, and occasional grouper. The observations provide a picture of the fish seen during the visit. Although grouper species vary in the western Atlantic, the report did not identify the species or number seen at the TISIRI site.
The underwater area provides both the shapes of fighter planes and the opportunity to observe fish for divers. The scattered nature of the wreck described in the TISIRI report shows that the aircraft lay in different positions rather than forming a single intact structure. Nearly 30 years after the completion of the operation, the Intruder reef illustrates how decommissioned military equipment can be reused to create underwater structures.