So that's not the weird part to me, because skeletal vibrations can still be heard. So if you are feeling a fairly consistent vibration and something suddenly changes in that vibration, it makes sense. It's also possible the above statement that they didn't know how to describe what they heard/felt other than "pings" makes some amount of sense too.

But why would you assume you were being fired upon within your own country and immediately eject from your very expensive craft?

Also, why would any militias be choosing that to be their fight? One F-35? That makes no sense. They would be better suited to taking on the White House or something if they really wanted to show their strength. Tactically, even that doesn't even make sense.

I dunno, the whole thing just smells like a hopium merchant trying to show that "see! If we fight them head on, we can win!" Facts not required.