The Fighter Pilot Podcast

'On Future War' is a 12-part series exploring the evolving landscape of military strategy and defense technologies with a focus on the Indo-Pacific.This episode addresses the U.S. Navy's challenges to project power in a potential "away game" conflict. Following the Cold War, surface ship design changed radically. Revolutionary concepts were introduced including the Zumwalt destroyer and Littoral Combat Ship. When technology didn’t work the only way to pay for fixes in the Global War on Terror era was to retire existing hulls and cut back on ship building. This has led to closure of public and private shipyards, limiting our capacity to build ships and grow the fleet.Brought to you by Authentic Media with the support of Cubic Defense.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

Ever wonder how the Panavia Tornado and General Dynamics F-111 compared?This week, our British guest host Paul 'Tremors' Tremelling plucks yet another former mate from his extensive network. Former Royal Air Force navigator David ‘Moz’ Morris joins Tremors to discuss his career cracking on in both the Tornado and the Aardvark.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

In this conclusion of the 1924 World Flight, Matt "Flounder" Arny, alongside special guests Lance "Boil" Lewis, Mike Lockwood, and Rob Crotty, recount the final leg of the odyssey—crossing the Atlantic via Iceland and Greenland, and then crossing the U.S.Listeners will be on the edge of their seats during the nerve-wracking rescue of Wade and Ogden after their aircraft, Boston, was forced to land in the icy waters of the North Atlantic. Even as the crews approach the finish line, they continue facing daunting and unexpected challenges.Drawing from historical sources like First World Flight by Lowell Thomas, Around the World in 175 Days by Carroll Glines, and First Flight Around the World by Tim Grove, this episode brings to life the harrowing final moments of one of history’s most remarkable aviation achievements.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

In this exciting follow up, Matt "Flounder" Arny continues the epic story of the 1924 World Flight, diving into the challenges and adventures faced after the final preparations. Guests Lance "Boil" Lewis, Mike Lockwood, and Rob Crotty return to discuss the harrowing flight through Alaska, including the tragic loss of the Seattle. They explore the Pacific crossing, touching on U.S. relations of the time with Japan and the newly-formed Soviet Union, and the critical role of maritime support from the Navy, US Coast Guard, and others.Listeners will hear gripping tales of dodging sampans and junks in Asian harbors, changing an engine under a bridge, and a look at the UK’s participation and the unfortunate fate of the British team. The episode wraps up with liberty adventures in Shanghai and Bangkok.Drawing from historical sources like First World Flight by Lowell Thomas, Around the World in 175 Days by Carroll Glines, and First Flight Around the World by Tim Grove, this episode captures the drama a

Hold on to your derby, for the rest of September we mix up the usual FPP format and give you a three-part series describing the first aerial circumnavigation of the globe--the 1924 World Flight.Guest host Matt "Flounder" Arny welcomes Rob Crotty, Mike Lockwood, and Lance "Boil" Lewis to tell the story of this epic odyssey not just against Mother Nature but five other countries.On this first episode, we explore the intricate details behind the scenes—covering route selection, aircraft development, pilot and mechanic selection, and the competitive international teams racing to be first. Drawing from historical sources like First World Flight by Lowell Thomas, Around the World in 175 Days by Carroll Glines, and First Flight Around the World by Tim Grove, this episode sets the stage for an epic journey that showcases the determination, resilience, and diplomacy that made the flight possible.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

Lieutenant General Mike "Homey" Cederholm, I MEF Commanding General and former Deputy Commandant for Aviation, discusses U.S. Marine Corps aviation in 2024 and the role his I MEF Marines play in preparing for a possible conflict in the Indo-Pacific area of operation.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

Guest host Ken "Primetime" Katz revisits our friends at Stratolunch to learn about their first powered flight of the Talon-A, an autonomous, reusable testbed advancing hypersonic flight testing.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

What do the Sea Harrier, F-15B Eagle, X-32 JSF contestant, Eurofighter Typhoon, and Hawk all have in common?Well, not much, actually, except that they have all been flown by this week's guest, retired Royal Navy Commander Paul "Pebbles" Stone. As an Empire Test Pilots' School graduate, Pebbles flew all these aircraft and many more and spins quite a yarn about them with guest cohost Paul "Tremors" Tremelling.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

'On Future War' is a 12-part series exploring the evolving landscape of military strategy and defense technologies with a focus on the Indo-Pacific.On this episode, longtime FPP friend Brian "Sunshine" Sinclair explains the U.S. military's dependence on GPS and the system's vulnerability to jamming and interference. Sunshine provides a detailed explanation of how GPS works, its evolution over time, and the challenges associated with implementing effective jamming techniques. The conversation highlights the importance of anti-spoofing measures and ongoing efforts to improve GPS resilience.Brought to you by Authentic Media with the support of Cubic Defense.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

Jim "Reaper" Dunlap was a Marine F-4 Phantom pilot who flew nearly 200 missions during his year in Vietnam. ...But it wasn't all flying—Reaper earned his callsign while spending three months on the ground with his fellow Marines, patrolling with them as an imbedded FAC or forward air controller coordinating air power for his ground unit.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

Beyond the U.S. military, the Israeli Air Force is arguably the most significant, combat-tested military air arm globally in the post-Cold War era. Yet little is known about this reclusive force.On this episode, guest host Ken 'Primetime' Katz interviews retired IAF officer Eyal Shay Shenkman about the equipment, training, and operations of the IAF, focusing on his career and experiences from 1975 through 2000.A former F-4, F-15, and F-16 navigator, Shenkman is a rarity, having been among the few to transition to pilot, flying the A-4 and F-16, and the only pilot we know of to then convert back to navigator.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

You've heard of "Maverick" but have you heard of "The Sheriff"?You should.Zane Sennett, a former Royal Air Force and Royal Australian Air Force fighter pilot who is once again a RAF pilot, has amassed over 5,000 flight hours in the Hawk, Harrier, Hornet, and Typhoon, besides multiple trainers.Former RAF Red Arrow and combat experienced, "The Sheriff" is the legend you've never heard of.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

Larry "Mung" Munns is one of only two U.S. Navy aircrew (and the only pilot) to accrue 5,000 flight hours in the Grumman A-6 Intruder, including while forward deployed in Japan and during Operation Desert Storm.How did he do it? Find out on this week's episode...Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

'On Future War' is a 12-part series exploring the evolving landscape of military strategy and defense technologies with a focus on the Indo-Pacific.On this episode, Mike "Pako" Benitez and Andrew "Scar" Van Timmeren return to examine the concepts, abilities, and future of Remotely Piloted Aircraft in modern warfare. The discussion reviews the history of technology, from early trials in the 1910s to the current day and clarifies the difference between remotely piloted and autonomous aircraft.Pako and Scar further discuss the incorporation of autonomy in military operations as well as the advantages of autonomy in terms of reconstitution, consistency, improvement of tactical execution and integration of next-generation drones with manned aircraft, stressing the relevance of perception, decision-making, and execution in the human-machine teaming.Brought to you by Authentic Media with the support of Cubic Defense.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/don

C.J. "Heater" Heatley is THE man.F-4 Phantom pilot. TOPGUN instructor. Adversary pilot (flying actual MiGs). F-14 pilot. Aviation photojournalist. Author of 'The Cutting Edge'. Inspiration for the smash film, 'Top Gun.'There's nothing Heater has not done.Current SponsorsNational University {Title Sponsor} - Visit nu.edu/veteran to discover how NU supports service members, veterans, and their families through flexible online programs in high-demand fields.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

We finally did it.The Fighter Pilot Podcast is going pilotless...er, well, remotely piloted (but is such an operator really a "pilot?")On this episode, Dan "Killjoy" Martin, former U.S. Air Force RPA expert, explains his experiences flying the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper.Check out Killjoy's book, Predator : The Remote-Control Air War over Iraq and Afghanistan here.Current SponsorsNational University {Title Sponsor} - Visit nu.edu/veteran to discover how NU supports service members, veterans, and their families through flexible online programs in high-demand fields.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

Retired U.S. Navy helicopter pilot, Tamara "T-Lo" Graham explains the nuances of planning and flying CSAR missions in the U.S. Navy. Hosted by Matt "Flounder" Arny.Learn more about the Navy & Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) Flight Academy here.Current SponsorsNational University {Title Sponsor} - Visit nu.edu/veteran to discover how NU supports service members, veterans, and their families through flexible online programs in high-demand fields.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

Retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Mike "Nasty" Manazir shares important leadership (and followership!) lessons from a lifetime in service, including piloting an F-14 Tomcat and commanding a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.And it's not always smooth sailing--resilience and dogged determination on a "north star" in the face of adversity is a big part of success.Pick up a copy of Nasty's leadership book, 'Lead to Win' here.Current SponsorsNational University {Title Sponsor} - Visit nu.edu/veteran to discover how NU supports service members, veterans, and their families through flexible online programs in high-demand fields.AirCorps Aviation - Click here to explore exciting aerospace career opportunities in northern Minnesota.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

John "Shylock" Koch was an A-6 Intruder bombardier / navigator (BN) who flew more than 200 combat missions during the Vietnam War, most with the same pilot.As you will learn during this emotional interview, Shylock's life-changing experiences and heartbreaking loss remain as poignant during the sharing of these incredible stories 50+ years later as the day they happened.Visit the A-6 Intruder Association here.Current SponsorsNational University {Title Sponsor} - Visit nu.edu/veteran to discover how NU supports service members, veterans, and their families through flexible online programs in high-demand fields.AirCorps Aviation - Click here to explore exciting aerospace career opportunities in northern Minnesota.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

'On Future War' is a 12-part series exploring the evolving landscape of military strategy and defense technologies with a focus on the Pacific.On this episode, Mike "Pako" Benitez and Andrew "Scar" Van Timmeren discuss the differences between fourth and fifth-generation fighter jets, focusing on the F-22 and F-35, with insights on the learning curve and intuitive nature of the Lightning II compared to the complexity of the Raptor.Pako and Scar further discuss situational awareness and task management in modern fighters, with a look ahead to the future of air superiority with a discussion on sixth-generation fighters.Brought to you by Authentic Media with the support of Cubic Defense.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations