Fighter Pilot Podcast

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...

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'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/donations

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Retired U.S. Navy Captain Greg "Rug Dance" Wooldridge knows a thing or two about the Blue Angels because he led them a time or two...actually THREE times, to be exact. That was in the '90s.

Back then Rug Dance was involved in the documentary 'Around the World at the Speed of Sound' and today he is one of the creative geniuses behind the 2024 Blue Angels iMax feature.

Book Rug Dance as your next keynote speaker here.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

Former Royal Navy Sea Harrier pilot Paul "Tremors" Tremelling makes his debut as a Fighter Pilot Podcast guest host interviewing his friend John "JP" Parker.

As a career Royal Air Force pilot, JP flew numerous aircraft including the Jet Provost, BAE Systems Hawk, Blackburn Buccaneer, Panavia Tornado, and even the British Aerospace Sea Harrier during a stint with the Royal Navy.

Find Tremors' book, Harrier: How to be a Fighter Pilot here and check out JP's drone project, The Jackal, here.

Enjoy the banter between these two longtime friends on this British-themed episode!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations