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 Pacific.

On this month's episode Scott "Roger" Chafian, Mike "Pako" Benitez, and Matt "Flounder" Arny explore the strategic and controversial world of China's man-made island bases including the historical locations, construction strategies, and strategic intent of these so-called "unsinkable carriers.”

Brought to you by Authentic Media with the support of Cubic Defense.

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Former US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle WSO Mike "Pako" Benitez describes how future fighter pilots will train alongside—and go to war with—unmanned collaborative combat aircraft, sometimes also known as loyal wingmen.'

Subscribe to Pako's newsletter, 'The Merge,' here and check out his YouTube channel here.

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Guest host Ken 'Primetime' Katz returns with his first foray into warbirds, exploring the venerable Douglas C-47 Skytrain (plus its many derivatives) and the role it played in the pivotal D-Day invasions of World War II with guests Eric Zipkin and Moreno 'Mo' Aguiari.

Visit the DC-3 Society here.

Watch Into Flight Once More on Amazon Prime here.

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Retired US Marine Corps Colonel Jim "Boone" Jamison describes being an HMX-1 Presidential Command Pilot during the Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush presidencies.

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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 Pacific.

On this inaugural episode, Mike "Pako" Benitez and Scott "Roger" Chafian set the stage by delving into the challenges posed by technologies (including cruise- and hypersonic missiles) to power projection and the sustainability of forward deployed bases in modern, peer-level conflicts.

Brought to you by Authentic Media with the support of Cubic Defense.

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Planning, briefing, executing per standard operating procedures (SOPs) while using checklists, and then debriefing—these are among the common practices military aviators employ to ensure safe, effective operations in combat and in training. 

On this episode, former US Navy and Air National Guard pilot Yarko "J.J." Sos and Navy RIO-turned-WSO Keith "Kombat" Kimmel explain these best practices and how their company Check 6 adapts these practices to other consequential industries.

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Art Palmer is a child of the dust bowl and self-admitted "hobo" who joined the U.S. Army Air Corps and piloted B-24 Liberators during World War II. Art's plane was shot down on his 50th mission and he spent the remainder of the war as a German prisoner.

Now, at 104-year-young, Art shares his recollections with guest host Matt "Flounder" Arny, proving why his truly was the Greatest Generation.

To read the book of stories and prisoner poems compiled by Art's late wife, visit our Patreon page.

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Imagine flying along at night, in combat, so low that you look up to see car headlights. And that's just the beginning.

On this episode, former US Air Force pilot Jeff "Guinnbob" Guinn and navigator Kevin "Rim" Allen describe their harrowing participation in Operation Desert Storm flying F-111Es out of Turkey.

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"Do you have to be good at math to be a fighter pilot?"

On this episode, the host Vincent Aiello shares a September 2020 blog addressing this question, providing examples of the common math concepts fighter pilots must be able to master.

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Hal Sundt, author of Warplane, How the Military Reformers Birthed the A-10 Warthog, describes the origination story of the close air support aircraft the US Air Force never wanted but pilots and ground troops came to love.

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