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This is a clip. For the full episode, subscribe: 10percenttrue.com Former US Navy Naval Flight Officer Hoover Coggins takes us inside the secretive world of the EP-3 electronic-intelligence aircraft. Flying from Spain and forward bases around the Mediterranean during the Cold War, Hoover progressed from navigator to senior tactical electronic-warfare evaluator and mission commander. In Part 1, he explains the EP-3’s enormous mission crew, its sensors and linguists, how operators identified hostile radar systems, and what happened when Soviet, Israeli or Libyan fighters came to investigate.

Watch full episodes at: 10percenttrue.comJosé Jiménez 10PCT EP59 P4 ClipFormer F-111 pilot, Libya raider, test pilot and squadron commander José Jiménez returns to recount an extraordinary third career. After retiring from the US Air Force and briefly flying Boeing 747s, the events of 9/11 drove him back toward public service. At 44, he entered the US Foreign Service and began again at the bottom, eventually serving in Senegal, Iraq, Morocco and Zimbabwe. In this clip, José offers an unusually candid account of diplomacy, de-Ba’athification, reconstruction, terrorism and the strange realities of representing America in a war zone.#iraqwar #militaryhistory #geopolitics

Former Mirage F1 combat pilot Easy Bethoux initially dismissed aerobatic flying as “circus” work—until a friend told him that life in the Patrouille de France was “war twice a day.” One selection flight changed everything. Easy went on to fly with and ultimately lead France’s national display team. In this remarkably candid conversation, he explains the fear, trust, discipline and emotional cost behind one of the world’s most respected formation teams.00:00:00 Introduction00:02:15 From the Mirage F1 to the Patrouille de France00:03:26 “I’m not a circus guy”00:04:04 “It’s war twice a day”00:05:31 Arriving for the selection day00:07:00 Flying in the Alpha Jet’s back seat00:09:12 The formation tightens—and Easy cries00:10:33 The dynamic flight at 100 feet00:12:00 The selection interview00:15:00 Joining the team and starting again00:19:40 Searching for the perfect formation flight00:21:16 Going to war with yourself00:25:01 Learning to accept fear00:27:29 “I was afraid of dying”00:34:00 A typical Patrouille de France training day00:39:00 The pilot–mechanic relationship00:44:00 Learning movements from the team’s “Bible”00:50:30 The training flight that nearly ended in ejection00:57:50 The relentless display schedule01:10:00 Safety, fatigue and flying within your limits01:19:09 Dealing with threats during a live display01:25:46 The hardest part of the job01:31:00 When the entire formation reaches 100%01:34:15 Choosing the next leader01:38:25 Emotion and honesty among fighter pilots01:39:43 Easy’s fear above Flight Level 30001:45:01 Creating the “Apache” manoeuvre01:50:00 Meeting the world’s other display teams01:54:57 Why the Alpha Jet works so well02:05:34 What audiences never see behind the display02:15:00 How the show continues to evolve02:21:40 Leaving the Patrouille de France02:24:19 Bringing every pilot home02:24:35 Bertrand and the death of his father02:31:44 “You bring him back every day”02:33:26 The team’s accident and safety briefing02:35:35 Should Bertrand see his father’s fatal accident?02:37:31 The decision and its aftermath02:39:50 “You can be a fighter and you can cry”02:41:00 Closing thoughts

Watch full episodes at: 10percenttrue.comDiego Salgues 10PCT EP94 P3 ClipMirage 2000 veteran Diego Salgues returns for the final part of our extended conversation. We discuss the Mirage 2000-5, RDY radar, MICA, Link 16, Ukraine and a night interception in which Diego passed approximately 150 feet above a Shahed drone he could not see.We also explore how he transformed a failing conversion unit and what it means to leave fighter aviation after 2,500 hours in the Mirage.

Watch full episodes at: 10percenttrue.comDiego Salgues 10PCT EP94 P2 ClipMirage 2000 pilot Diego Salgues recounts suffering G-LOC during a dogfight, waking up inverted and nose-high, and being temporarily unable to make his body recover the aircraft. He explains what caused the incident, why the mission unexpectedly continued, and how he rebuilt his confidence before pulling 9G again.

Diego Salgues spent 30 years in the French Air Force and flew variants of the Mirage 2000 for an extraordinary 26 years. In Part 1, he retraces the demanding route from gliders, the Epsilon and Tucano to the Alpha Jet and finally the Mirage 2000, sharing candid stories about fighter-pilot training, squadron culture and the human cost of military aviation. He then takes us deep inside the Mirage’s fly-by-wire controls and explains how its delta wing, low-speed handling and vertical performance shaped BFM against aircraft including the MiG-29 and F-16.

If you enjoy this episode, please take out a subscription to 10 Percent True at: https://www.10percenttrue.com/pricing-plans/list. 10PCT EP88 Dave “Khan” Carr – F-15, F-16, Weapons School & AggressorsDave “Khan” Carr joins 10 Percent True to discuss an extraordinary fighter career flying the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Viper.From Cold War intercepts over Alaska and Iceland, to the Fighter Weapons School, Red Flag Aggressors, and teaching the next generation of fighter pilots, Khan offers a rare insight into the reality of high-end air combat.This is a deep dive into how the USAF prepared to fight the Soviet Union, how air combat tactics evolved through the Cold War and beyond, and what it really takes to become a top-tier fighter pilot.Along the way, Khan shares stories of Arctic alert missions, Weapons School pressure, Aggressor training, massive Red Flag battles, Soviet threat replication, and how the Eagle and Viper compared in a fight.If you’ve ever wanted to understand what really happens behind the scenes in elite fighter aviation, this is one you won’t want to miss.⸻0:00 Intro Teaser – Eagle vs Viper Differences2:20 A Quick Word from Steve4:04 Welcome Khan4:50 Khan Introduces Himself6:40 First Tour at Elmendorf – Flying the Eagle in Alaska8:38 Early Career Challenges and Encounters12:12 Discussing Losses in the Early Days14:08 Dealing with Loss15:34 Eyeing the Next Career Step – and Making It Happen17:17 Keflavik – CFTs and Diversions to Scotland19:47 Steve Geeks Out on CFTs21:14 The Mission at Keflavik – Bears, Tomcats and Lightnings (with Tankers)23:04 Honing Air-to-Air Skills as the Eagle Matured25:28 Dialling Up the AoA – “It Depends…”26:55 Rudder Use, When to Use It, and Evolving Tactics28:32 Weapons School – Selection, Work-Ups and Challenges32:40 A Memorable Weapons School Sortie – Vark Speed and Perfect Execution35:58 Why No “Super Squadrons”?37:24 The Benefits of Weapons School Graduation40:30 Expertise Across All Facets of the Mission41:52 Tyndall and the FTU44:35 Does It Get Better Than This?46:18 Eagle Culture – and Did It Change?49:52 Peak Performance or Room for Improvement? The Importance of COMMS54:12 Getting Granular – What It Takes to Make It in the Eagle Community56:34 Regrets About Missing Desert Storm?58:12 Joining the Aggressors59:48 Being a “True” Aggressor1:04:25 Gloves Off?1:06:10 Simulating the Threat as Accurately as Possible – Who Sees Who?1:09:48 Maintaining Situational Awareness1:10:55 Becoming a Threat System SME – The Process1:13:05 Expectation vs Reality as More Information Became Available1:15:50 “Natural” Bias?1:17:54 Views on Threat Advantages and Capabilities1:21:45 Eagle vs Viper Comparisons (Intro Teaser Topic)1:25:02 The “Bad Bob” (VX-9 F-14D) Encounter1:26:55 Toughest Opponent as an Aggressor?1:30:19 When Things Don’t Go to Plan – Scaring Yourself1:34:10 Eating Shit as an Eagle Guy Flying Vipers?1:34:54 Twilight of a Career – Guard Life, MSIP A Models, NVGs and Iraq1:39:32 Young vs Old Eagle Driver1:42:14 Keeping Up with Evolving Tactics and Changes1:49:30 Fini Flight1:53:15 Do You Miss It?1:53:54 Thanks Khan – Till Next Time

Get the full, ad-free episode here: https://www.10percenttrue.com/pricing-plans/listFormer Royal Australian Air Force Hornet pilot and Fighter Combat Instructor Ray "Homer" Simpson returns for Part 2.

Former Royal Australian Air Force Hornet pilot and Fighter Combat Instructor Ray "Homer" Simpson joins me for the first of a two-part conversation covering one of the most detailed discussions of fighter aviation we've ever recorded.In Part 1 we explore Homer's journey into the RAAF after three attempts to join, his early Hornet career, becoming a Fighter Combat Instructor, and the realities of Basic Fighter Manoeuvres (BFM). Homer explains how Hornet pilots learned to dogfight, what separated average pilots from exceptional ones, how the classic Hornet behaved before the flight control computer upgrades, and what changed with the arrival of AMRAAM, ASRAAM, Link 16, JHMCS and the Hornet Upgrade Program.We also discuss DACT against MiG-29s and F-16s, Australian fighter culture, instructor philosophy and the progression from student to instructor.Watch full episodes early and support the channel at:10percenttrue.com

Get the full, ad-free episode here: https://www.10percenttrue.com/pricing-plans/list10PCT Episode #92 [CLIP]Former Royal Australian Air Force Hornet pilot Gary “Schlick” Skilton joins me to discuss life flying the F/A-18A Hornet during the 1990s.Before reaching fighters, Schlick spent three years flying the DHC-4 Caribou into remote Australian bush strips and the mountains of Papua New Guinea. Those experiences shaped the airmanship that helped him transition to the Hornet.We discuss the RAAF training pipeline, Hornet conversion, Australian fighter culture, BFM, early AMRAAM integration, operating without Link 16 or an IFF interrogator, exchange pilots from the US, UK and Canada, flying against MiG-29s and F-15s, and the Hornet Upgrade Program that transformed the aircraft after his departure.

What is it actually like to serve aboard a nuclear submarine?Former US Navy sonar operator Aaron Amick joins me to explain the reality of submarine warfare, from the training pipeline and sonar school to real Cold War patrols tracking Russian submarines.We discuss how sonar operators identify ships purely by sound, what happens when another submarine appears unexpectedly beneath the sea, life during months-long deployments without surfacing, submarine tactics, acoustic intelligence, and why experience matters far more than technology.Aaron also shares stories from operational patrols, close encounters with Russian anti-submarine forces, the psychology of life underwater, and some of the strangest things ever detected beneath the ocean.Whether you’re interested in submarines, naval warfare or simply how military professionals operate in one of the world’s most demanding environments, this is a fascinating look inside the Silent Service.(game videos) Jive Turkey Live: https://www.youtube.com/@jiveturkeylive(lecture series) Sub Brief: https://www.youtube.com/@SubBrief(live streams every Wed. & Fri.) Sonar and Steel: https://www.youtube.com/@sonarandsteel(company Website) https://www.subbrief.com/0:00 Introduction1:50 Welcome to Aaron and episode outline4:20 Inspiration to become a submariner8:17 Sonar A School10:38 Merchant ship vs warship acoustic signatures13:13 Did it come naturally, and what happened to those who washed out?16:07 Understanding the LOFARgram (the “waterfall” display)19:20 The first time detecting another submarine20:45 The submarine tactics playbook and how it is learned28:47 The training cadre32:28 Aaron’s YouTube channels35:04 Two years in the Navy before setting foot on a submarine37:13 Life aboard the Los Angeles and Ohio classes: living conditions, accommodation and watch rotations44:20 Can you talk normally inside a submarine?45:32 Deployments vs getting underway, knowing where you’re going, and the perks of being a sonarman51:00 The first operational mission during the aftermath of the USS Baton Rouge collision56:35 Experience versus knowledge: the psychological and emotional challenge1:00:25 Six-hour watches: staring at the LOFAR display and staying alert1:04:16 Managing multiple contacts and building situational awareness1:08:30 The evolution of sensor fusion and communicating the tactical picture1:13:38 The last shower before a mission… and living with the smell1:16:08 The longest time spent underwater1:17:30 Medical emergencies at sea1:20:55 The Udaloy encounter1:30:04 Understanding the adversary1:33:00 Maintaining close formation with another submarine1:36:22 Views on Russian and Chinese submarine forces1:42:53 Synthetic aperture radar from space1:45:08 Aaron’s journey as a sonarman1:48:04 Underwater UAPs and unexplained contacts1:55:14 The final mission1:58:55 Did the career meet or exceed expectations?2:01:00 Does Modern Naval Warfare bring frustration or fond memories?2:03:05 The SubBrief team2:05:20 The “last last” question: taking content down2:07:40 Wrapping up

10PCT Episode #90This is an interview recorded as part of my research for Twenty Years at War - the second part of my series of coffee table books on the F-15E Strike Eagle: https://www.10percenttrue.com/product-page/tyaw-pre-orderFour F-15E veterans — “Deuce” Cooper, “Funkle” Esler, “NAILS” Ashmore and “Leroy” Domberg — reunite to discuss Operation Odyssey Dawn and the opening phase of the Libya air war in 2011. What begins as a discussion about Libya quickly becomes a broader conversation about the Strike Eagle community’s transition from the highly restrictive, JTAC-driven wars in Iraq and Afghanistan back to dynamic targeting, SCAR, coalition strike operations and independent decision-making. The group recounts the rapid deployment from RAF Lakenheath, the uncertainty surrounding Libyan air defences, the first night over Benghazi, the loss of BOLAR 34, the evolution of tactics during the campaign, and the lessons that would later shape operations against ISIS and beyond. Along the way they discuss mission planning, coalition integration, the value of the two-seat cockpit, targeting pods, radar development, CCA concepts and the future of the Strike Eagle.

Get the full, ad-free episode here: https://www.10percenttrue.com/pricing-plans/list10PCT EP89 P2 MeSo Harney and Mask StarkMask recounts his own ordeal on the ground, including encounters with local Libyans, an uncertain journey to Benghazi, and efforts to establish contact with coalition forces.

10PCT EP89 MeSo Harney and Mask Stark0:00 welcome to Mask and MeSo and episode preview 1:02 MeSo intro1:55 Mask intro3:22 background to the fateful deployment 5:40 initial 6 ship deployment ends in a bunch of diversions7:02 mission set(s)9:00 defining SCAR from the crew point of view10:42 geographical constraints?11:30 co-ordinating with other assets13:20 treading unfamiliar ground with the spotlight on you?15:20 co-ordinating with ground assets?16:55 difficulty with ROE/authority/responsibility?20:55 weaponeering/loadouts23:17 strafe?24:55 threats?26:46 SERE refresher and preparation/study?30:40 hard crewed, previous flight experience together?33:35 standardisation?34:00 mission of the day, mission planning and ejection contract37:30 pre planned evasion tactics?39:18 initial phase of the mission40:48 trapped fuel, initial troubleshooting and handling imbalance in the established community fashion43:09 target details45:12 target egress, loading and initial indications of trouble47:30 -229 jets spin departure aids - did they work?49:30 thought process in this phase?51:05 mayday call51:44 flight lead’s SA and tapes?53:10 bailout decision and sequence56:45 opening shock (of chute) and bye bye NVGs59:02 how long in the chute and contemplating landing1:03:50 landing roll/PLF

Get the full, ad-free episode here: https://www.10percenttrue.com/pricing-plans/list 10PCT EP88 – Dave “Khan” Carr | F-15 Eagle, F-16 Viper, Weapons School & Aggressors Dave “Khan” Carr joins 10 Percent True to discuss an extraordinary fighter career flying both the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Viper. From Cold War intercepts over Alaska and Iceland to the pressure cooker of the USAF Fighter Weapons School, Red Flag, and Aggressor duty, Khan offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at elite fighter aviation. This episode explores how the USAF prepared to fight the Soviet Union, how air combat tactics evolved through the Cold War and beyond, and what it really took to become a top-tier fighter pilot. Along the way, Khan shares stories of Arctic alert missions, Keflavik intercepts, Weapons School work-ups, massive Red Flag battles, Soviet threat replication, and how the Eagle and Viper compared in a fight. If you’ve ever wondered what really happens behind the scenes in elite fighter aviation, this is one you won’t want to miss. Timestamps 2:20 A Quick Word from Steve 4:04 Welcome, Khan 4:50 Khan Introduces Himself 6:40 First Tour at Elmendorf – Flying the Eagle in Alaska 8:38 Early Career Challenges & Encounters 12:12 Discussing Losses in the Early Days 14:08 Dealing with Loss 15:34 Eyeing the Next Career Step – and Making It Happen 17:17 Keflavik – CFTs & Diversions to Scotland 19:47 Steve Geeks Out on CFTs 21:14 The Mission at Keflavik – Bears, Tomcats & Lightnings (with Tankers) 23:04 Honing Air-to-Air Skills as the Eagle Matured 25:28 Dialling Up the AoA – “It Depends…” 26:55 Rudder Use, Evolving Tactics & When to Use It 28:32 Weapons School – Selection, Work-Ups & Challenges 32:40 A Memorable Weapons School Sortie – Vark Speed & Perfect Execution 35:58 Why No “Super Squadrons”? 37:24 The Benefits of Weapons School Graduation 40:30 Expertise Across All Facets of the Mission 41:52 Tyndall & the FTU 44:35 Does It Get Better Than This? 46:18 Eagle Culture – Did It Change? 49:52 Peak Performance or Room for Improvement? The Importance of Comms 54:12 Getting Granular – What It Takes to Make It in the Eagle Community 56:34 Regrets About Missing Desert Storm? 58:12 Joining the Aggressors 59:48 Being a “True” Aggressor 1:04:25 Gloves Off? 1:06:10 Simulating the Threat Accurately – Who Sees Who? 1:09:48 Maintaining Situational Awareness 1:10:55 Becoming a Threat System SME – The Process 1:13:05 Expectation vs Reality as More Information Became Available 1:15:50 “Natural” Bias? 1:17:54 Views on Threat Advantages & Capabilities 1:21:45 Eagle vs Viper Comparisons (Intro Teaser Topic) 1:25:02 The “Bad Bob” (VX-9 F-14D) Encounter 1:26:55 Toughest Opponent as an Aggressor? 1:30:19 When Things Don’t Go to Plan – Scaring Yourself 1:34:10 Eating Shit as an Eagle Guy Flying Vipers? 1:34:54 Twilight of a Career – Guard Life, MSIP A Models, NVGs & Iraq 1:39:32 Young vs Old Eagle Driver 1:42:14 Keeping Up with Evolving Tactics & Change 1:49:30 Fini Flight 1:53:15 Do You Miss It? 1:53:54 Thanks, Khan – Till Next Time