Authentic Media: Aviation

Brian "Sunshine" Sinclair shares his experiences transitioning from a junior officer to a department head in a Navy aviation squadron, as well as his transition to the F18 Echo. He also discusses his combat tours and the challenges he faced during live fire exercises and armed overwatch missions. The conversation covers topics such as close air support, hypoxia incident, transition to Annapolis, and experience at Air Force Test Pilot School. It also delves into the evaluation process of different airframes and the challenges of flying seaplanes. Sunshine shares his experiences as a test pilot, including a rough landing on Lake Mead, a harrowing takeoff, and the challenges of flying out-of-control aircraft. He also discusses his time at VX31, where he tested network-enabled weapons and chased Tomahawk cruise missiles. Finally, he transitions to a new role at the depot, reflecting on the end of his flying career. The conversation covers a range of topics including aircraft maintenance, flight incidents, and the impact on personal life. Sunshine shares experiences of dealing with dire situations in the cockpit and the emotional toll it takes. The conversation also highlights the importance of Navy spouses and the challenges they face.

Episode Summary: Marine Corps Fighter Pilots Lance "Boil" Lewis and Dave "Chip" BerkeIn this episode, Marine Corps fighter pilots Lance "Boil" Lewis and Dave "Chip" Berke delve into the Marine Corps Forward Air Control (FAC) mission. They discuss the critical role of FACs in coordinating close air support for ground troops, highlighting the extensive training FACs undergo, including attending TACP school and conducting field exercises with live ordnance.Lance and Dave share their experiences from deployments in Iraq, describing the challenges of coordinating air support in kinetic environments. They explain the different types of control for close air support (Type 1, Type 2, Type 3) and the importance of building trust and collaboration with Army counterparts.Episode Summary: Marine Corps Fighter Pilots Lance "Boil" Lewis and Dave "Chip" BurkeIn this episode, Marine Corps fighter pilots Lance "Boil" Lewis and Dave "Chip" Burke delve into the Marine Corps Forward Air Control (FAC) mission. They discuss the critical role of FACs in coordinating close air support for ground troops, highlighting the extensive training FACs undergo, including attending TACP school and conducting field exercises with live ordnance.Lance and Dave share their experiences from deployments in Iraq, describing the challenges of coordinating air support in kinetic environments. They explain the different types of control for close air support (Type 1, Type 2, Type 3) and the importance of building trust and collaboration with Army counterparts.The conversation emphasizes the value of detailed coordination, communication skills, and the ability to understand both air and ground perspectives. They reflect on the strong bond between the Navy and Marine Corps and discuss the challenges of timely and effective communication in combat situations.The conversation emphasizes the value of detailed coordination, communication skills, and the ability to understand both air and ground perspectives. They reflect on the strong bond between the Navy and Marine Corps and discuss the challenges of timely and effective communication in combat situations.

Former U.S. Air Force Major Chris Stewart discusses his pathway to military service, including his family's military background and his initial resistance to joining the Air Force. He shares his experience in pilot training and flying helicopters before transitioning to the B1B. The conversation then focuses on the Coronet Bat mission, a record-setting flight around the world to demonstrate the B1B's global power capabilities. Stewart explains the planning and preparation involved in the mission, including obtaining flight clearances, pre-positioning tankers, and testing the aircraft's performance. The chapter ends with a discussion on the fuel efficiency and wingsweep angle of the B1B during the mission. Coronet Bat was a significant achievement for the B-1B bomber, demonstrating its reliability and capabilities. The crew faced challenges such as contingency recovery points and unexpected weather conditions. They had to carefully plan their fueling points and ensure spare tankers were available. The B-1B flew at lower altitudes for efficiency and had a reliable radar system for weather detection. The crew experienced fatigue during the 36-hour flight and relied on prepackaged food and a chemical toilet. Coronet Bat marked the maturation of the B-1B and solidified its role as a reliable weapon system. The mission set world records and the crew won the McKay Trophy for their achievement. Chris Stewart, a former B-1B pilot, went on to serve in Congress and work on national security and defense issues.

In this episode, Roger profiles Lance "Boil" Lewis who has had a full and decorated career in Marine Corp Aviation.

Originally published on The Fighter Pilot Podcast, The Merge is about a fatal mid-air collision between an F-5F Tiger and F/A-18C Hornet during a training exercise near Naval Air Station Fallon, NV. Over the following six episodes, the listener will learn why squadrons train in Fallon, who is based there and what training they provide, how the mishap occurred, and the result it had on those involved.

In Part 2 of Complex Air Defense, Roger and Rob continue to discuss complex air defense, inspired by recent events in the Middle East. They explore the different types of ships involved in air defense, such as Aegis cruisers and destroyers. They delve into the concept of complex air defense, which involves defending against multiple threats simultaneously, including anti-ship cruise missiles, low-slow flyers like drones, and ballistic missiles. They also touch on the rules of engagement and the challenges of avoiding blue on blue engagements. The conversation in this part focuses on air defense control units and their capabilities. It discusses the role of the Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC) and the planning process for air warfare. It also explores the collaboration between different air defense control units and the concept of sensor fusion. The conversation touches on the differences between cruisers and destroyers in terms of their capabilities and the challenges of maintaining older ships. The potential retirement of cruisers and the future of air defense control units are also discussed. In this part of the conversation, Roger discusses the decision-making process for upgrading destroyers and the different baseline configurations. He explains how the Arleigh Burke destroyer has Baseline 9, which allows it to have advanced capabilities for both ballistic missile defense and conventional missile defense. He also talks about the BMD 4X program and how it is used to upgrade older destroyers. Roger then delves into the composition of carrier strike groups and the challenges of coordinating the deployment of different ships. He mentions the importance of strategic assets and the role of BMD ships in specific areas of responsibility. The conversation then shifts to the maintenance and overhaul cycles of cruisers and destroyers, highlighting the time it takes for these ships to undergo repairs and upgrades. Finally, Roger discusses the process of rearming ships at sea and the integration of US Air Force assets in carrier strike group operations. In this final part of the conversation, Roger and Rob discuss the complexities of data sharing and the potential risks involved. They touch on the possibility of sharing data between countries that have the F-35 aircraft and the challenges of segmenting and filtering the data. They also discuss the importance of planning and executing training in maritime warfare, as well as the need for vigilance and readiness. The conversation concludes with a discussion about future topics, including surface warfare and special operations.

Inspired by recent events in the Middle East, Roger and Rob Grady, Co-founder of Authentic Media, discuss ‘Complex Air Defense’. Continuing from past episodes on air defense topics, the discussion explores defending against multiple threats simultaneously, including anti-ship cruise missiles, low-slow flyers like drones, and ballistic missiles. Using his experiences on both Aegis cruisers and destroyers, Roger explains the capabilities and differences between the two including CIC layouts, number of VLS cells, and various configuration depending on when each was built. He explains how previous decisions to equip Arleigh Burke destroyers now allows it to have advanced capabilities for both ballistic missile defense and conventional missile defense. The conversation then shifts to the maintenance and overhaul cycles of cruisers and destroyers, highlighting the time it takes for these ships to undergo repairs and upgrades. In this final part of the conversation, Roger and Rob discuss the complexities of data sharing, including the benefits and the potential risks involved.

In this conversation, Roger and Sunshine discuss the concept of sensor fusion and its importance in modern warfare. They highlight the use of various sensors, such as radar and electro-optical systems, to gather information and create a common operating picture. They also touch on the historical development of radar and the challenges of integrating different sensor data in real-time. The conversation provides insights into the evolution of sensor technology and its impact on military operations. The conversation explores the concept of sensor fusion and its benefits in military operations. It discusses the different types of sensors, such as radar, electro-optical, and EW, and how they contribute to a common operating picture. The importance of collaboration and sharing sensor data is emphasized, as it allows for better target identification and tracking. The challenges of sensor limitations, such as resolution and field of view, are also mentioned. The conversation highlights the role of sensor fusion in improving situational awareness and decision-making in combat scenarios. The conversation in this part focuses on the challenges of implementing advanced technology in military aircraft and ships. The main themes include computational power, thermal loads, power requirements, and training. The conversation also touches on the concept of sensor fusion and the capabilities of the F-35 aircraft. In this final part of the conversation, Sunshine and Roger discuss the game-changing capabilities of the F-35 and the concept of sensor fusion. They highlight how the F-35's ability to automatically homogenize inputs from various sensors revolutionizes the way information is processed and shared. They also discuss the importance of training and understanding the limitations of technology. The conversation concludes with some humorous sea stories.