FPP222 - Afghanistan: America's Longest War

On October 7, 2001, a US Air Force B-2 Spirit crossed into Afghan airspace as part of the opening campaign of Operation Enduring Freedom. Nearly twenty years later, a C-17 Globemaster carrying the final American soldiers lifted off from Kabul as the Taliban returned to power. Between those two very different aircraft lies the story of America's longest war. What began with a remarkably successful military campaign against the Taliban and al-Qaeda evolved into a two-decade multinational effort encompassing counterterrorism, counterinsurgency, nation-building, and the creation of Afghan security forces. On this episode, Dr. Lance “Boil” Lewis, a retired Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet pilot and historian, helps examine how—and why—that transformation occurred. Tracing the conflict from Afghanistan's geography and history, through the opening air campaign and the long years that followed, to the final chaotic weeks of August 2021, the evacuation of more than 120,000 people, and the people and equipment left behind, it becomes evident that no single decision or individual explains the outcome. Instead, this is the story of two decades of consequential decisions—and the enduring difference between winning battles and achieving national objectives. Music by Slater Aiello. Please support the show at: Fighter Pilot Podcast | Creating air combat-related content. | Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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FPP221 - The Israeli Ace with 12 MiG Kills

Brigadier General (Ret.) Israel Baharav is one of Israel's most accomplished fighter pilots, credited with twelve MiG-21 kills during his distinguished career in the Israeli Air Force. Over three deca...

17 Elo 49min

FPP220 - Launching Satellites from F-104s

In this episode, I sit down with Tim Franta, CEO of Starfighters Space, to discuss the company's mission to transform access to space using high-performance aircraft. We explore the STARLAUNCH air-lau...

3 Elo 46min

FPP219 - From Wimbledon to Mach 1.58: Louis Skupien’s Wild Ride into Telling Aviation’s Story

He was a national champion tennis player headed for Wimbledon, then COVID and injury ended that dream overnight. Two years later, Louis Skupien was strapped into a jet suit. Four years after that, h...

20 Heinä 52min

FPP218 - The Humans Behind Autonomous Air Combat

Former US Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot turned Autonodyne CEO Steve Jacobson discusses one of the most important and least understood aspects of future air combat: the human-machine interface. ...

13 Heinä 53min

FPP217 - Shot Down, Not Out: Col. Richard "Dog" Brenneman on Service and Survival

US Air Force Colonel Richard "Dog" Brenneman describes his incredible story of courage and determination. Shot down over North Vietnam on his 26th combat mission while flying the F-4 Phantom II, Col....

29 Kesä 1h 36min

FPP216 - 300 Vietnam Missions in the F-4: Combat and the Making of a Leader

Ron "Toes" Cooper grew up silent, insecure, and certain he'd never amount to much. Then four men believed in him — and everything changed. Toes went on to fly the F-4 Phantom in over 300 combat missio...

15 Kesä 1h 4min

FPP215 - U-2s on Aircraft Carriers: A Cold War Gamble

During the Cold War, the Lockheed U-2 gave the United States the ability to peer deep inside denied territory from altitudes once thought unreachable. But after the Francis Gary Powers shootdown and i...

1 Kesä 48min