Military aviation, read through the signal.
The gist
The Afterburn Podcast blends military aviation interviews with sharp briefings on current defense events. Recent episodes move from Barksdale drone overflights and KC-135 mishaps to Iran negotiations, fighter procurement, autonomous systems, and China's J-35 export push.
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About The Afterburn Podcast
The Afterburn Podcast sits at the intersection of military aviation, defense spending, and unfolding security events. It has the feel of a briefing, but with more aviation texture and more willingness to say what looks unresolved. The show moves quickly. Recent episodes read the Pentagon's fiscal year 2027 request as a map of future priorities, with attention to Air Force modernization, Space Force growth, Navy shipbuilding, Army missile buys, and large classified or autonomous programs. Aircraft are never treated as isolated machines. A B-52 at Barksdale becomes a way to talk about Global Strike Command, nuclear command and control, and the new vulnerability created by cheap drones. A damaged KC-135 leads into questions about recovery, survivability, and the pace of operations around Operation Epic Fury. The show also follows geopolitical pressure points with an aviation-first lens. Iran negotiations, Vice President Vance's Pakistan talks, the Strait of Hormuz, blockade language, ballistic missiles, tankers, and Gulf state exposure all become part of the same operating picture. The show is comfortable with uncertainty. It often separates confirmed facts from assumptions, then explains which details seem strategically loud. Fighter coverage is another steady lane. Episodes examine F-47 and B-21 investment, F-15E losses, potential F-22 signaling, and China's J-35 deal with Pakistan. The J-35 discussion widens into airborne early warning, missile defense, export timelines, and how Beijing might market a stealth fighter to countries outside the F-35 circle. Interviews add depth without losing the technical current. Tucker "Cinco" Hamilton's appearance brings in AI, F-35 testing, collaborative combat aircraft, range risk, weapons integration, and the cost of moving fast inside a military test enterprise. The show can be blunt. It is not polished into diplomatic fog. That bluntness is useful, because the subject matter often turns on procurement gaps, readiness accounts, bureaucratic drag, and signals that hide inside budgets or basing decisions. For listeners who track military aviation closely, the reward is the connective tissue: jets, drones, missiles, bases, budgets, and command decisions placed in one readable frame.
Made for: The show suits listeners who follow military aviation, defense budgets, current security events, and the operational details behind aircraft and missile systems. It is especially useful for people who want current events explained through platforms, readiness, basing, and procurement choices.
What sets it apart: The Afterburn Podcast pairs aircraft fluency with live strategic analysis, moving from aviation details to budget tables and geopolitical pressure points. Its strength is connecting visible events, such as drone overflights or fighter deals, to the larger force-design signals behind them.
In their own words
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/
Why you'd press play
Missile footage pauses at the exact moment your civilian brain starts guessing.
Press play if you want
- an F-35 reserve hiring board to explain what moves an application into the no pile
- air-combat analysis that helps you read formation, warning cues, and split-second reactions
Talks about
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Episodes
- 1
#136 Lorenzo Harris | “The Day I Never Talk About” | Most Intense Mission
·1h 19m - 2
China & Pakistan ink J-35 Stealth Fighter Deal
·12m - 3
Maj. Gen. John "Trapper" Winters on 40 Years of Fighter Aviation
·2h 3m - 4
US Airman Still on the Ground in Iran - What the U.S. is Doing to Rescue Them
·9m - 5
F-35 Test Pilot Breaks Down China's J-36, CCA, & AI in the Cockpit | Tucker "Cinco" Hamilton
·58m - 6
Ceasefire? Iran & U.S. Appear to Escalate | Bunker Busters Hit Isfahan & Chechnya Threatens
·10m - 7
Col Bud Anderson Laid to Rest at Arlington National Cemetery
·10m - 8
War Over in 2-4 Weeks? A-10 Gun Runs Against Iranian Proxies, F-18 Near Miss
·14m - 9
Air Canada Flight 8646: Runway Disaster at LaGuardia
·8m - 10
FAT Targets: The Hidden Cost of Iran War — US Bases in the Middle East
·10m - 11
America's Newest Weapon | Iran Escalates Conflict with More Strikes
·12m - 12
Did Iran Finally Hit a US Fighter Jet?
·9m - 13
Why Dubai Is in Serious Trouble — And U.S. Allies tell Trump "No" to Helping
·7m - 14
US Strikes Iran's Oil Hub — Marines Heading to Middle East
·9m - 15
ATACMS Just Changed Naval Warfare | Heaviest Strike Day Yet
·13m - 16
KC-135 Tragedy, Day 13 Epic Fury, & The Disappearance of Gen. McCasland
·21m - 17
Iran Updates | F-15E Shoot Downs & More
·46m - 18
#146 MiG-29 Shootdown to Testing the F-22 Raptor | Mike "Dozer" Shower
·1h 55m - 19
Super Bowl LX Flyover Deep Dive: The Pilots of Super Bowl 60 Flyover
·1h 23m - 20
#145 Dr. Anthony Vinci | Former NGA Chief Technology Officer | Future of A.I. & Espionage
·1h 13m - 21
#144 Why the 2026 MH370 NEW Search is Different: New Tech & The Avionics Bay Theory | Jeff Wise
·1h 37m - 22
#143 Fighter Pilot's Harrowing Dogfight: Aircraft on Fire, Enemy Closing In : Col Joe Peterburs
·1h 44m - 23
Bro Chat 20 - "Brakes as Required"
·1h 24m - 24
#142 Rob “Trip” Raymond | F-16 Combat, SEAD, Iraq, and Dos Gringos
·1h 37m - 25
Lowdown 17 Nov | NATO Drops the E-7, Air Force Eyes New Anti-Drone Missile, Su-57 Activity
·13m - 26
#141 Greg "Hoser" Hansen | Carrier Landings, Soviet Intercepts & The Scariest Night Flight
·1h 35m - 27
#140 Dave "Chip" Berke | TOPGUN Instructor to F-35 Commander: Fighter Pilot on Humility, Ego & Extreme Ownership
·1h 32m - 28
#139 F-16 Fighter Pilot to Test Pilot | Keith "Coma" Colmer
·1h 54m - 29
F-35 Block 4 Delayed | "Doomsday" Plane | Aviation & Defense News
·10m - 30
#128 Desert Storm's Wild Weasels | Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses Part II
·1h 34m - 31
#127 Vietnam Wild Weasels | Deadly Evolution of Surface-to-Air Missiles
·1h 52m - 32
Aviation & Defense News: KC-46 Issues, ICBM Upgrades, and More | The Lowdown 7 Sep
·13m - 33
#137 Scott "Fester" Fredrick | F-16 Fighter Pilot | Surviving an Ejection over the Pacific Ocean
·1h 32m - 34
F-15 Ejection - MiG-29 Parts Heist + More | Lowdown 18 Aug
·16m - 35
Bro Chat 19.0 | How to Get a Job Flying the F-35 in the Reserves
·1h 22m - 36
NORAD Intercepts Russian Bombers | F-35 Delays | China’s J-35 Stealth Jet Enters Service
·15m - 37
Surface to Air Missiles (SAMs) Lowdown
·17m - 38
F-16 Bombing Accident, KC-46 Grounded, Su-57 Stop in Iran & More
·13m - 39
Suppression of Enemy Air Defense (SEAD) Introduction
·16m - 40
J-20 Beast Mode, Navy Crash & Chernobyl Drone Strike | The Lowdown
·7m - 41
#123 Derek 'Woody' Oaks – C-130 to A-10 | Combat Flying & Leadership
·1h 38m - 42
Frankenstein F-35 - Marine Corps F-35 Shakeup - U.S. Official Caught Selling Secrets to China
·15m - 43
Su-35s for Iran, China's "Special" boats, and Sweden’s Big Military Gift
·13m - 44
#123 - What Happened to Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 | Jeff Wise
·1h 55m - 45
#125 Fighter Aircraft Maintenance | Col Hall Sebren
·1h 31m - 46
F-22 IRST Upgrade, A-10's Stranded, & Boeing's BIG Loss
·9m - 47
#124 Lt General (ret) Dan "Razin" Caine | F-16 Air National Guard | 9/11 Scramble | JSOC | CIA
·1h 37m - 48
#123 - What Happened to Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 | Jeff Wise
·1h 55m - 49
Bro Chat 17.0
·1h 27m - 50
Lowdown 9 Jan | Serbia Gets Chinese Missiles | D.C. Vipers to MD | Saudi Arabia Eyes New 5th-Generation Fighter
·11m - 51
#122 The Taliban Unveiled: Insights from 'Hollywood Gate' | Ibrahim Nash'at
·59m - 52
Peaceful Transfer of President Power 🇺🇸 Why Syria Matters 🇸🇾 Why Biden Visited Angola 🇦🇴
·29m - 53
#121 Chad "Vinny" Vincelette | TOP GUN Fighter Pilot | F-14 & F/A-1
·1h 27m - 54
A-10 to Leave Overseas | 🇷🇺 Russia Trades S-400🇰🇵 | OA-1K SkyWarden
·18m - 55
#120 Kyle Rempfer | From Combat Controller to Washington Post Journalist
·1h 24m - 56
CIA Analyst Captured | DF-26 "Guam Express" | U.S. Authorizes Strike Weapon | Lowdown 27 Nov 24
·12m - 57
Su-57 gets Roasted | J-35 Appearance | 737 Cargo Fire Lowdown 15 Nov 2024
·12m - 58
Seamus "Flats" Flatley Legacy of Naval Aviation | F-14 Fighter Pilot & TOP Gun Graduate
·1h 26m - 59
Lowdown 4 Nov 2024 | $150,000 Soap Dispensers | 🚨TOD: F-35I "Adir" | F-35B Crash Report
·17m - 60
Life Flying Army Helicopters as a Blackhawk Pilot | CW3 Jon "Muttley" Behuniak
·1h 26m - 61
Alex Grandahl | U.S. Army National Guard Blackhawk Pilot
·1h 55m - 62
Lowdown 14 Oct 24| Lord of War is Back 🚨 SA-17 🚨 F-16 Shoot Down
·19m - 63
Lowdown 7 Oct 24: Su-35 Headbutt | Felon Air-to-Air 🚨TOD: Chinese Missiles | Turkish F-16 Near Miss
·16m - 64
Lowdown 30 Sept 2024 : Dumb Tactical Vehicle 🚨TOD: S-400 Triumf | 🇺🇦 F-16s Destroyed
·20m - 65
Kevin Shipp | How This Tiny Tennessee Town Keeps The U.S. Military Supplied With Nukes
·40m - 66
Lowdown 23 Sep | Houthi Homemade SAM 🚨TOD: J-20 "Mighty Dragon" | F-35s to Romania
·25m - 67
Gene Sievers| Site Manager at Y-12 National Security Complex| The Tennessee Town That Built America's Nuclear Arsenal
·32m - 68
Lowdown 16 Sep 24: Navy SEAL Arrested, Threat of the Day: J-10C , F-35 is Too Loud, Americans sentenced to death in Congo
·23m - 69
Inside Y-12 National Security Complex's Nuclear Security Mission | Dr. Martin Williamson #113
·26m - 70
Lowdown 9 Sep 2024 | F-35 Pilot Crashes Apache | Flamethrower Drone | 🇻🇪 Plane Seized | NGAD
·18m - 71
#112 Wade "Prada" Hetrick | The Mighty C-17
·1h 7m - 72
Lowdown 1 Sep 2024 | Mach 3.5 in an SR-71 | Ukraine F-16 Crashed | ISIS Raid Kills 15 | Drone Wingman
·23m - 73
#111 Forrest Underwood | Former AFSOC Pilot | Defense Innovation, A.I., and the Defense Industry
·1h 39m - 74
Lowdown 26 Aug 24 | Soviets Atomic Bomb | Wheel O' Fear | Base Sabotaged | KC-46 Mishap
·17m - 75
Lowdown 19 Aug 24 | Bud Anderson | Taliban Driving MRAPs | North Korean Laptop Farm
·21m - 76
#110 General Minihan | Commander Air Mobility Command
·1h 7m - 77
Lowdown 12 Aug 24 | B-1 Commander Fired | Ace of Guadalcanal | New Air Force Helicopter
·20m - 78
#109 The Art of Dynamic Targeting: Future of Warfare
·1h 50m - 79
Lowdown 5 Aug 2024 | Operation Tidal Wave | Billionaire Terrorist 💀 | Army Solider Convicted in Russia
·18m - 80
#108 Rep Burgess Owens
·51m - 81
Lowdown 29 Jul 2024 | North Korean Hacker Hired | B-1 Crash Report | China's Nuclear Demands
·10m - 82
#107 Nathan "Yokel" O'Kelly | F/A-18 Fighter Pilot
·1h 45m - 83
Fighter Pilot Mount Rushmore: Do You Agree? | Bro Chat 21
A group of fighter pilots discuss and debate their personal Mount Rushmore picks for the greatest fighter pilots, with a focus on criteria and whether to include international pilots.
·1h 9m - 84
#129 SEAD Part III - Operation Allied Force - Wild Weasel Fighter Pilot
A fighter pilot discusses his background and the evolution of SEAD operations during Operation Allied Force.
·1h 26m - 85
#138 Desert Storm: F/A-18 Hornet Pilot Bob “Bags” Simeone
F/A-18 Hornet pilot Bob 'Bags' Simeone recounts the chaotic refueling process during Desert Storm and his fears of dying in a mid-air collision.
·1h 8m - 86
#126 Brad Thomas | Surviving Black Hawk Down Inside Look | Ranger Regiment - Delta Force
Brad Thomas recounts his experience during the Battle of Mogadishu, known as Black Hawk Down, from his perspective as a member of the Ranger Regiment and Delta Force.
·1h 20m - 87
KC-46s over NGAS? F-35s Make Moves | B-21 Raider Updates | Threat of the Day: SA-21 Growler
·14m - 88
David Bellavia: Medal of Honor | Battle of Fallujah (Re-Release)
·1h 33m - 89
What is China's Latest J-20 Variant | KC-46 Loses Boom & More
·10m - 90
What's Really Impressive about Operation Midnight Hammer
·8m - 91
Bro Chat 18.0 Fighter Pilot Reality, F-35 Magic, Why Torching Waymo Cars is Bad
·1h 4m - 92
F-18 Journey Through TopGun and Beyond | Ep 135 Vincent "Jell-O" Aiello
·1h 18m - 93
#134 Vince "Snapper" Sherer | A-10 Fighter Pilot - Inside Close Air Support and Combat Operations
·1h 34m - 94
Dos Gringos is Back! Live Concert 7 June 2025
·14m - 95
#133 Trent “Teddy” Meisel | F-16 Fighter Pilot
·1h 17m - 96
#132 Denmark's F-16 Demo Pilot | Troels "TEO" VangTroels
·1h 4m - 97
#131 Future of the Wild Weasel - Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD)
·59m - 98
B-2 Show of Force - Air Force Readiness Declines - F-47 Next Gen Fighter | Lowdown 4 Apr 2025
·13m - 99
#130 SEAD Part IV - Operation Iraqi Freedom
·2h 14m - 100
Through the Yellow Visor - Fighter Pilot Podcast Host Jell-O's Book
·5m - 101
$75 Billion in Classified Programs | America's Largest Military Budget Eve
The Pentagon requests a record $1.5 trillion defense budget for 2027, with the Air Force receiving the largest share, including a 22% increase and significant funding for the Space Force.
Apr 18, 2026·8m - 102
NO ESCAPE: US Navy's Full Blockade of the Strait of Hormuz
The episode discusses the US Navy's full blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and the ongoing ceasefire negotiations with Iran, highlighting the lack of resolution and potential misunderstandings.
Apr 16, 2026·8m - 103
Nuclear Bomber Base Just Got Overflown by Unknown Drones
Discussion of unknown drones overflying Barksdale Air Force Base, home to nuclear-capable B-52 bombers and Global Strike Command, and the implications for security.
Apr 12, 2026·9m - 104
Talks FAIL in Pakistan & Frankenstein KC-135 Returns from Desert
Analysis of failed US-Iran negotiations in Pakistan and the strategic implications of Iran's use of the Strait of Hormuz as leverage.
Apr 12, 2026·11m - 105
China & Pakistan ink J-35 Stealth Fighter Deal
This episode discusses China's J-35 stealth fighter deal with Pakistan and the accelerated delivery timeline, along with the KJ500 airborne early warning platform.
Apr 11, 2026·12m - 106
Maj. Gen. John "Trapper" Winters on 40 Years of Fighter Aviation
Apr 10, 2026·2h 3m - 107
US Airman Still on the Ground in Iran - What the U.S. is Doing to Rescue Them
Apr 4, 2026·9m - 108
F-35 Test Pilot Breaks Down China's J-36, CCA, & AI in the Cockpit | Tucker "Cinco" Hamilton
Hidden gemThe Afterburn Podcast host interviews F-35 test pilot Tucker “Cinco” Hamilton about collaborative combat aircraft, AI agents, the F-47, and military acquisition.
Apr 3, 2026·58m·3 clips - 109
Ceasefire? Iran & U.S. Appear to Escalate | Bunker Busters Hit Isfahan & Chechnya Threatens
Apr 2, 2026·10m - 110
Col Bud Anderson Laid to Rest at Arlington National Cemetery
Apr 2, 2026·10m - 111
War Over in 2-4 Weeks? A-10 Gun Runs Against Iranian Proxies, F-18 Near Miss
The Afterburn Podcast examines Operation Epic Fury through A-10 gun runs in Mosul and an alleged F-18 encounter with an Iranian MANPAD.
Mar 28, 2026·14m·1 clip - 112
Air Canada Flight 8646: Runway Disaster at LaGuardia
Mar 23, 2026·8m - 113
FAT Targets: The Hidden Cost of Iran War — US Bases in the Middle East
Mar 23, 2026·10m - 114
America's Newest Weapon | Iran Escalates Conflict with More Strikes
Mar 21, 2026·12m - 115
Did Iran Finally Hit a US Fighter Jet?
Mar 19, 2026·9m - 116
Why Dubai Is in Serious Trouble — And U.S. Allies tell Trump "No" to Helping
Mar 18, 2026·7m - 117
US Strikes Iran's Oil Hub — Marines Heading to Middle East
Mar 16, 2026·9m - 118
ATACMS Just Changed Naval Warfare | Heaviest Strike Day Yet
Mar 14, 2026·13m - 119
Fighter Pilot Mount Rushmore: Do You Agree? | Bro Chat 21
Mar 14, 2026·1h 9m - 120
KC-135 Tragedy, Day 13 Epic Fury, & The Disappearance of Gen. McCasland
Hidden gemCENTCOM’s March 12 statement says a KC-135 was lost in “friendly airspace” during Operation Epic Fury, with one aircraft going down in Western Iraq and one landing safely.
Mar 13, 2026·21m·1 clip - 121
Iran Updates | F-15E Shoot Downs & More
Hidden gemJohn Waters says these 8- to 12-minute news-analysis segments first ran on YouTube, and he asks listeners to send feedback through theafterburnpodcast.com contact page.
Mar 10, 2026·46m·4 clips - 122
#146 MiG-29 Shootdown to Testing the F-22 Raptor | Mike "Dozer" Shower
Feb 20, 2026·1h 55m - 123
Super Bowl LX Flyover Deep Dive: The Pilots of Super Bowl 60 Flyover
Feb 7, 2026·1h 23m - 124
#145 Dr. Anthony Vinci | Former NGA Chief Technology Officer | Future of A.I. & Espionage
Jan 20, 2026·1h 13m - 125
#144 Why the 2026 MH370 NEW Search is Different: New Tech & The Avionics Bay Theory | Jeff Wise
Jan 3, 2026·1h 37m - 126
#143 Fighter Pilot's Harrowing Dogfight: Aircraft on Fire, Enemy Closing In : Col Joe Peterburs
Dec 24, 2025·1h 44m - 127
Bro Chat 20 - "Brakes as Required"
Dec 6, 2025·1h 24m - 128
#142 Rob “Trip” Raymond | F-16 Combat, SEAD, Iraq, and Dos Gringos
Nov 22, 2025·1h 37m - 129
Lowdown 17 Nov | NATO Drops the E-7, Air Force Eyes New Anti-Drone Missile, Su-57 Activity
Nov 17, 2025·13m - 130
#141 Greg "Hoser" Hansen | Carrier Landings, Soviet Intercepts & The Scariest Night Flight
Nov 9, 2025·1h 35m - 131
#140 Dave "Chip" Berke | TOPGUN Instructor to F-35 Commander: Fighter Pilot on Humility, Ego & Extreme Ownership
Oct 26, 2025·1h 32m - 132
#139 F-16 Fighter Pilot to Test Pilot | Keith "Coma" Colmer
Oct 12, 2025·1h 54m - 133
#138 Desert Storm: F/A-18 Hornet Pilot Bob “Bags” Simeone
Sep 21, 2025·1h 8m - 134
F-35 Block 4 Delayed | "Doomsday" Plane | Aviation & Defense News
Sep 12, 2025·10m - 135
Aviation & Defense News: KC-46 Issues, ICBM Upgrades, and More | The Lowdown 7 Sep
Sep 7, 2025·13m - 136
#137 Scott "Fester" Fredrick | F-16 Fighter Pilot | Surviving an Ejection over the Pacific Ocean
Aug 22, 2025·1h 32m - 137
F-15 Ejection - MiG-29 Parts Heist + More | Lowdown 18 Aug
Aug 21, 2025·16m - 138
Bro Chat 19.0 | How to Get a Job Flying the F-35 in the Reserves
Hidden gemThe Afterburn Podcast episode "Bro Chat 19.0 | How to Get a Job Flying the F-35 in the Reserves" follows Conan's route from ROTC to an unsponsored reserve pilot board after he missed an active-duty pilot-training slot.
Aug 15, 2025·1h 22m·5 clips - 139
NORAD Intercepts Russian Bombers | F-35 Delays | China’s J-35 Stealth Jet Enters Service
Jul 27, 2025·15m - 140
#136 Lorenzo Harris | “The Day I Never Talk About” | Most Intense Mission
Jul 25, 2025·1h 19m - 141
KC-46s over NGAS? F-35s Make Moves | B-21 Raider Updates | Threat of the Day: SA-21 Growler
Jul 18, 2025·14m - 142
David Bellavia: Medal of Honor | Battle of Fallujah (Re-Release)
Jul 14, 2025·1h 33m - 143
What is China's Latest J-20 Variant | KC-46 Loses Boom & More
Jul 11, 2025·10m - 144
What's Really Impressive about Operation Midnight Hammer
Jun 27, 2025·8m - 145
Bro Chat 18.0 Fighter Pilot Reality, F-35 Magic, Why Torching Waymo Cars is Bad
Jun 20, 2025·1h 4m - 146
F-18 Journey Through TopGun and Beyond | Ep 135 Vincent "Jell-O" Aiello
Jun 6, 2025·1h 18m - 147
#134 Vince "Snapper" Sherer | A-10 Fighter Pilot - Inside Close Air Support and Combat Operations
May 23, 2025·1h 34m - 148
Dos Gringos is Back! Live Concert 7 June 2025
May 7, 2025·14m - 149
#133 Trent “Teddy” Meisel | F-16 Fighter Pilot
Apr 27, 2025·1h 17m - 150
#132 Denmark's F-16 Demo Pilot | Troels "TEO" VangTroels
Apr 18, 2025·1h 4m