Strap in the cockpit as we dive into the stories of the men and women who defend the freedoms we love. From the cockpit of military jets to boots on the ground. The Afterburn Podcast dives into their stories, the planes, and the missions. For Advertising Opportunities or more information visit: https://theafterburnpodcast.com/
Episodes
The Most Insane Low-Level Bombing Raid of WWIl | The Ploiesti Raid
2 Nov 2026 · 31 min
Today we discuss Operation Tidal Wave, the 1 August 1943 low-level B-24 raid on the Ploesti oil refineries, with author Adam Makos, whose new book follows a rookie Liberator crew shot down over Romania. Operation Tidal Wave: https://link.amazon/B07tn9TK9 Adam Makos, out November 3rd -- Signed and…
300 Combat Missions in the F-4 Over Vietnam | Ron Cooper
30 Oct 2026 · 60 min
Today we discuss 300 combat missions in the F-4 Phantom with Ron Cooper, who flew with the 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron out of Udorn in 1971 and 1972, including the flight that launched as a four-ship and recovered as three. Watch the episode: https://youtu.be/HUzq7kZ6PXk Ron Cooper:…
Russia Just Sent 69 Jet-Powered Drones at Ukraine
28 Oct 2026 · 14 min
Watch on Afterburn Defense: https://youtu.be/o-iTT80CTJY Today we discuss the Geran-4, Russia's turbojet version of the Iranian Shahed one-way attack drone, after an overnight raid of 280 drones on Ukraine. Jet drone launches jumped from about 350 in June to about 2,800 in August, and F-16s are…
America's Answer to China's Best Missile, the PL-15
26 Oct 2026 · 6 min
Watch on Afterburn Defense: https://youtu.be/VGoBPpVbPNo Today we discuss the AIM-424 Malice, the US Navy's new long range air-to-air missile revealed in August 2026, credited with reaching targets beyond 250 nautical miles and shown fitting inside the internal weapons bay of the F-35C. Lowdown…
Romania takes down two Russian drones with F-16s
19 Oct 2026 · 10 min
Watch on Afterburn Defense Youtube: https://youtu.be/GGiXPeV1iJE The incident occurred while aircraft from the 86th Air Base in Borsia were conducting routine patrols. We break down the details behind the drone interception of these two Russian drones, identified as Nugran-4s, and what this means…
Did Houthi's use Drones as a Decoy
15 Oct 2026 · 9 min
Watch on Afterburn Defense: https://youtu.be/TT-9woSmEu8 Saudi Arabia fields Patriot batteries and one of the most capable air forces in the Middle East, and a Houthi barrage still reached King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on October 10, killing 13 people and wounding more than 300.…
The Navy's Secret Fighter Is Back and Boeing Has It
14 Oct 2026 · 9 min
Watch on Afterburn Defense YouTube: https://youtu.be/XNjurMWMPlg Lowdown Defense Newsletter: https://www.lowdownnews.us/ Boeing won the Navy’s F/A-XX sixth-generation carrier fighter on September 29, which means one company now builds both American sixth-gen fighters, the Navy’s F/A-XX and the Air…
Taiwan’s First New F-16s Land After a Month Stuck in Hawaii
9 Oct 2026 · 14 min
Watch on Afterburn Defense: https://youtu.be/sJdOot0ti2E Taiwan’s first two F-16 Block 70 fighters have landed at their new home, plus the US Air Force is weighing new-build F-16s for the first time since 2005. Today we discuss the Block 70, the proposed F-16G, Viper Shield, and the fighter…
The Air Force Fixed a Shot-Up KC-135 While the Base Was Still Being Attacked
6 Oct 2026 · 12 min
Watch on Afterburn Defense: https://youtu.be/4Er8ciSvT84 KC-135 battle damage repair: Air Mobility Command commander Lt Gen Daniel Tulley revealed how maintainers saved a Stratotanker loaded with 200,000 pounds of fuel after an enemy attack during Operation Epic Fury. Ogden Air Logistics Series:…
US Air Force Just Named Its First Two Robot Fighters
2 Oct 2026 · 12 min
Watch on Afterburn Defense YouTube: https://youtu.be/F21BnqlbCow Today we discuss the Air Force naming its first Collaborative Combat Aircraft, the FQ-42A Vengeance from General Atomics and the FQ-44A Fury from Anduril, plus the plan for 1,000 drones by 2032. On 14 September 2026, Secretary of the…
NASA Pulled Its Last SR-71 Into a Hangar and Won't Say Why
1 Oct 2026 · 10 min
Watch on Afterburn Defense: https://youtu.be/DZTWj7NfOgc Today we discuss the SR-71 Blackbird that vanished from NASA Armstrong. Tail 844, the last Blackbird ever built and the last to fly, is gone from its display and NASA will not say where. Aviation Week:…
His Apache Was Hit Twice Over Jalalabad. He Went Back Up | Brad Young
28 Sept 2026 · 1 h 13
Brad Young spent six years in the Air Force as a Korean linguist, including time at the National Security Agency in Hawaii, before an inter-service transfer put him in Army warrant officer flight school. He flew the AH-64D and then the AH-64E for just shy of 17 years across four combat deployments…
Gary "Wolfman" Wolf | A-10 Fighter Pilot
12 Sept 2026 · 1 h 39
During a close air support mission over Baghdad on 8 April 2003, Maj Gary "Wolfman" Wolf and his A-10 Warthog were struck by an SA-16 MANPADS while supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Battle Creek Bourbon: https://shop.winglorespirits.com/pages/commemorative Program and partnership inquiries:…
A-10 Hit over Baghdad: The Story of 8 April 2003
10 Sept 2026 · 28 min
During a close air support mission over Baghdad on 8 April 2003, Maj Gary "Wolfman" Wolf and his A-10 Warthog were struck by an SA-16 MANPADS while supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Battle Creek Bourbon: https://shop.winglorespirits.com/pages/commemorative 0:00 Intro "Lead's Been Hit" 1:29 The…
Commanding the Wing That Flew Into Iran | Operation Midnight Hammer | Col Kevin "Flint" Hicok
14 Aug 2026 · 41 min
Col Kevin "Flint" Hicok commanded the 20th Fighter Wing during Operation Midnight Hammer, leading the largest Air Force wing in CENTCOM since Desert Storm. The three-part documentary series is on Afterburn Defense: Part I: https://youtu.be/MgQ_X3Td8a4 Part II: https://youtu.be/GzdL6NMYDso Part…
Why the F-16 Flew Into Iran | Operation Midnight Hammer | Weapons Officers "Cash" and "Ghost"
13 Aug 2026 · 1 h 28
Operation Midnight Hammer through the eyes of the F-16 Wild Weasel fighter pilots who flew into Iran. Ghost" Trembly and "Cash" Croghan were the wing and squadron weapons officers for the 55th Fighter Squadron, the F-16 Wild Weasels who flew Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses ahead of the B-2…
F-16 Compressor Stall Over Iran | Operation Midnight Hammer | "Smalls" & "Scar"
13 Aug 2026 · 1 h 50
Operation Midnight Hammer through the eyes of the people who flew it. "Smalls" commanded the 55th Fighter Squadron, and "Scar" was one of the F-16 pilots who helped plan and execute the mission. They are the Wild Weasels who flew Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses ahead of the B-2 strike on Iran.…
8 Seconds to Save my Wingman | Operation Midnight Hammer | F-16 Wild Weasel "Glitch"
13 Aug 2026 · 42 min
Operation Midnight Hammer through the eyes of the people who flew it. "Glitch" was one of the youngest F-16 pilots in the formation, flying his first combat deployment with the Wild Weasels who flew Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses ahead of the B-2 strike on Iran. Watch the three-part documentary…
We'll See You in a Couple of Days" | Operation Midnight Hammer | Director of Ops "Cuffs" Kimber
13 Aug 2026 · 41 min
Operation Midnight Hammer through the eyes of the people who flew it. "Cuffs" was the deployed Director of Operations for the 55th Fighter Squadron, the Wild Weasels who flew Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses ahead of the B-2 strike on Iran. Watch the three-part documentary series on Afterburn…
I Thought Our Pilots Were Not Coming Home | Operation Midnight Hammer | Intel Officer "Glib" Richard
13 Aug 2026 · 22 min
Operation Midnight Hammer through the eyes of the people who flew it. "Glib" was the intelligence officer for the 55th Fighter Squadron, the Wild Weasels who flew Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses ahead of the B-2 strike on Iran. Watch the three-part documentary series on Afterburn Defense: Part…