US Air Force flies ‘Pickle Rick’ mission over Gulf in 'Rick and Morty' homage

US Air Force spokeswoman said the call sign violated 'operational guidelines'

A US Air Force, two KC-10 Extender crew chiefs board the aircraft at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates. AP

An Air Force KC-10 Extender that flew out of Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE on Sunday used the call sign “PIKLRICK” on a mission that saw it fly east over the Gulf of Oman, according to flight-tracking data.

The KC-10A is an aircraft that refuels warplanes in flight.

The call sign appears to be a nod to an episode of the off-beat US sci-fi cartoon Rick and Morty, in which one of the titular characters turns himself into a pickle to escape a family therapy session.

In it, the typically foul-mouthed scientist Rick Sanchez shouts “I’m Pickle Rick!” as his grandson Morty stares at him with a sad look.

Asked about the call sign, US Air Force spokeswoman Maj Kay Magdalena Nissen said it came from “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 and we’ve provided that feedback to the airmen involved,” Maj Nissen said.

Warner Bros' Cartoon Network, which airs Rick and Morty, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.