The Afterburn Podcast11 Mars 2025

Surface to Air Missiles (SAMs) Lowdown

The Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) mission has evolved alongside the development of Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) systems. In this episode of The Lowdown, host Mike "Flash" McVay takes a deep dive into the history and advancements of SAM technology, from its early origins to today’s modern, highly integrated air defense networks.

🛡️ How did SAMs start? The first concepts of surface-to-air guided weapons were developed in WWII, but it wasn’t until the Cold War that the technology became a true threat to air superiority.
🚀 The Rise of Soviet SAMs – From the SA-1 and SA-2 in the Vietnam War to modern S-400 and S-500 systems, the Russian IADS (Integrated Air Defense System) remains one of the most formidable air defense networks todayy
⚡ How the U.S. Responded – The Wild Weasel program, AGM-88 HARM missiles, and the shift to electronic warfare and cyberattacks to neutralize enemy air defenses.
🌍 SAMs Today & The Future – Countries around the world are developing more advanced, mobile, and networked air defense systems, making SEAD missions riskier than ever.

The SEAD mission is evolving, and understanding how SAMs have shaped air warfare is critical for today’s modern air combat operations.

Have a story? Want to Connect? Advertise? https://theafterburnpodcast.com/contact/

🛫 Become a Fighter/Bomber/Cargo/Tanker/RPA Pilot 🎯 : http://bogidope.com/?bd=tappodcast 🛫

Air Force Officer Qualifying Test (AFOQT) Prep with AFOQT Wingman https://afoqtwingman.com/Code: AFTERBURN for 10% off

🔺 Aviation & Defense Newsletter - https://bit.ly/AfterburnNewsletter 🔺

Become a Patron, Support the Show, & Gain Exclusive Benefits: https://www.patreon.com/c/theafterburnpodcast

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Det här avsnittet är hämtat från ett öppet RSS-flöde och publiceras inte av Podme. Det kan innehålla reklam.

Avsnitt(291)

Commanding the Wing That Flew Into Iran | Operation Midnight Hammer | Col Kevin "Flint" Hicok

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 Afte...

14 Aug 40min

Why the F-16 Flew Into Iran | Operation Midnight Hammer | Weapons Officers "Cash" and "Ghost"

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...

13 Aug 1h 28min

F-16 Compressor Stall Over Iran | Operation Midnight Hammer | "Smalls" & "Scar"

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 ...

13 Aug 1h 49min

8 Seconds to Save my Wingman | Operation Midnight Hammer | F-16 Wild Weasel "Glitch"

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 S...

13 Aug 42min

We'll See You in a Couple of Days" | Operation Midnight Hammer | Director of Ops "Cuffs" Kimber

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 ...

13 Aug 40min

I Thought Our Pilots Were Not Coming Home | Operation Midnight Hammer | Intel Officer "Glib" Richard

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 ahe...

13 Aug 21min

548,000 Gallons in One Night | Operation Midnight Hammer | Fuels NCOIC MSgt. Edge

Operation Midnight Hammer through the eyes of the people who flew it. MSgt. Edge was the fuels NCOIC responsible for getting gas into every aircraft, supporting the Wild Weasels who flew Suppression o...

13 Aug 18min

House of Cards Behind the Iran Strike | Operation Midnight Hammer | Logistics Cmdr Lt Col Tilton

Operation Midnight Hammer through the eyes of the people who flew it. Lt Col Tilton commanded the logistics readiness squadron at the deployed location, supplying the base the Wild Weasels flew from w...

13 Aug 36min