No, Federal Air Marshals do not carry rubber bullets; they carry standard, lethal ammunition. In 2026, the standard issue for U.S. Federal Air Marshals is typically a 9mm handgun (such as the Glock 19) loaded with Jacketed Hollow Point (JHP) rounds. There is a common myth that they use frangible or rubber bullets to avoid piercing the "skin" of the airplane, but modern aviation security has moved away from this. Hollow point bullets are designed to expand upon impact, which "stops" the threat effectively while significantly reducing the risk of the bullet passing through a person or an interior wall (over-penetration). Even if a bullet were to puncture the fuselage, it would not cause the plane to "explode" or depressurize instantly like in the movies; the plane's outflow valves would simply adjust to compensate for the small leak. Air marshals are trained to use lethal force as a last resort to prevent a hijacking or a catastrophic event on board, and they require highly reliable, standard ammunition to ensure they can stop a threat instantly.