The Air Warrior Podcast: Recent Episodes
Key Publishing
Taking you behind the scenes of the defence aerospace sector, the weekly Air Warrior Podcast brings together the subject matter experts of Key Aero’s Modern Military Aviation team to uncover the most significant events in the air domain, from the platforms and the people, to the strategic effects and influences that air power provides.
In the first episode of 2022 we hear from a former Rafale fighter pilot from France’s Marine Nationale on his experiences of the aircraft and what daily life was like operating from the French Navy’s flagship, the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle.
In Episode 28 of The Air Warrior Podcast, the final one before the Christmas and New Year break, we hear from the second part to Airbus’ facility in Spain to learn more on the company’s activities and aspirations in the realm of military air-to-air refuelling.
Coming up in Episode 27 of The Air Warrior Podcast, Modern Military Group Editor-at-Large Alan Warnes is in Spain to discuss the country’s Typhoon upgrade and acquisition plans, while other news sees updates on key Airbus programmes such as the Eurodrone and A400M transporter.
The UK is the focus of attention in Episode 26 of the Air Warrior Podcast following the loss on November 17 of an F-35B stealth fighter from No 617 Squadron, which was assigned as part of HMS Queen Elizabeth’s carrier air wing. The incident, which the pilot survived, saw the fighter crash into the Mediterranean Sea, prompting an extensive recovery operation to prevent the wreck from falling into the hands of rivals such as Russia and China.
In Episode 25 of the Air Warrior Podcast we are in conversation with US red air provider Airborne Tactical Advantage Company on the company’s operations, assets, and future opportunities in the combat training market.
Episode 24 of The Air Warrior Podcast brings you analysis on Norway's recently announced plans to retire its F-16AM/BM (MLU) Fighting Falcon fleet before the end of this year, with the fixed-wing combat role set to be solely taken over by the F-35A Lightning II. Meanwhile, the Modern Military Team discusses the continued effort to evacuate British nationals and eligible Afghan civilians to the UK after the August 31 deadline.
Episode 23 of The Air Warrior Podcast brings you analysis of the recently published RAND report that outlines the upcoming threats to the UK's airlift capabilities. Meanwhile, the Modern Military Team discusses ongoing exercises, Exosonic's low-boom supersonic 'Red Air' UAV and the maiden flights of the first two Kuwaiti Eurofighters.
Episode 22 of The Air Warrior Podcast brings you all the latest news from the military aerospace sector, including an impact analysis to the UK of the production rebaseline of the F-35 stealth fighter. Meanwhile, the Modern Military team discusses the IDET 2021 exhibition in Brno, and the fluctuating fortunes of Italian aerospace systems supplier Piaggio.
Episode 21 of The Air Warrior Podcast focusses on the central European aerospace industry as a Czech icon finds itself in the hands of a near-neighbour after Aero Vodochody is sold by Penta Investments. Meanwhile, the podcast grabs some time with the commanding officer of No 24 Squadron Royal Air Force, for an in-depth on the A400M and C130J transporters.
Episode 20 of The Air Warrior Podcast brings details on the maintenance requirements of the three-variant F-35 fighter, an unexpected weather delay in the delivery of Nigeria’s new A-29B counter-insurgency aircraft, and India finally signing on the dotted line for 56 C-295 transporters. Meanwhile we sit down with a Royal Netherlands Air Force C-130H loadmaster to discuss his experiences from 10 gruelling days spent operating in support of the recent Kabul airlift.
Episode 19 of The Air Warrior Podcast brings news by stealth as a B-2 Spirit bomber suffers damage after touchdown in the US, while the retired F-117 Nighthawk is showing it still has a role to play for the USAF as in combat air training.
Meanwhile, the Modern Military team discuss recent shows and events, including DSEI in London and NATO Air Days in Ostrava, Slovakia.
Episode 18 of The Air Warrior Podcast brings you news of new airborne threat warning systems for the UK’s fixed- and rotary-wing fleet, demonstrations flights over the North Sea of General Atomics’ SkyGuardian UAV, and India looking to replace its ageing airlift fleet with a European alternative.
Meanwhile, The Air Warrior Podcast speaks with BAE Systems on its Tempest programme, intended to introduce a sixth-generation fighter for the Royal Air Force for the mid-2030s.
With defence shows and exhibitions opening up again to members of the public, we take a look at the recent Slovakian International Air Festival to detail all the news from the event and analysis of the state of the country’s key procurement programmes.
We speak with former USAF pilot, Dean ‘Wilbur’ Wright, who discusses his impressive career of flying the A-10 and F-117A operationally, as well as for the service’s world-renowned Thunderbirds air demonstration squadron and his time on the Harrier GR7 during an exchange tour with the RAF.
In episode 15, as the crisis in Kabul continues, we take a look at the fallout from the ongoing airlift operation in Afghanistan with Dr Tom Copeland, Professor of Politics at the Colorado Christian University, for his take on the continued mission and its consequences for US policy.
Episode 14 of the Air Warrior Podcast brings you the latest military news from the air domain including the latest from CSG21 and the implication of Iran by US Central Command following July’s fatal drone attack on a commercial tanker off the coast of Oman.
Meanwhile, as the crisis in Afghanistan hits new heights with the temporary return of US and UK forces to help in the evacuation of diplomats and civilians, we look back in an interview with a former US Navy F/A-18 Squadron Commander on his frontline experiences and the role that airpower played in the years of combat operations in the country.
Episode 13 of the Air Warrior Podcast brings you the latest military news from the air domain including the fate of the UK’s E-3D Sentry fleet following the final operational flight of the type, and Israel’s search for additional rotary heavy lift could be at an end with the potential acquisition of CH-53K helicopters. Meanwhile, with the upcoming 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, Assistant Editor Josef Campion speaks with a former US Air Force pilot on his experiences of that fateful day and his role in policing US airspace in the days that followed.
In Episode 12 of the Air Warrior Podcast check out the latest military aviation news including Lockheed Martin’s expectation for F-35 delivery numbers in 2022 and UK investment in its next-generation Tempest programme. In addition, Group Editor at Large Alan Warnes speaks with Gary Waterfall, senior defence advisor for September’s DSEI exhibition and conference, on what visitors can expect as the UK moves to a new normal as Covid-19 pandemic restrictions continue to ease.
In Episode 11 of the Air Warrior Podcast we bring you all the latest military aviation news as hot temperatures in the UK cause flight disruption at RAF Brize Norton. Meanwhile, Alan Warnes speaks with freelance journalist Tim Ripley on the shootdown of the Russian Air Force Il-20 in September 2018 and Russia’s wider airborne intelligence gathering capabilities.
In Episode 10 of the Air Warrior Podcast we bring you all the developments from military aviation including news of a new Russian stealth unveiled at MAKS 2021. Meanwhile, Richard Thomas speaks with Strategy&, PricewaterhouseCoopers strategy consulting business, on its landmark report into the UK’s aerospace and defence sector and key challenges ahead including Net Zero, corporate diversity and ethical supply.
In Episode 9 of the Air Warrior Podcast we bring you all the latest news from the military aerospace sector including unmanned and manned news from the Royal Netherlands Air Force. Meanwhile Richard Thomas is in conversation with Leonardo on its AW149 platform and poses the question as to its suitability for the UK’s future New Medium Helicopter programme.
In Episode 8 of the Air Warrior Podcast aerospace news highlights include the selection by Switzerland of the F-35 stealth fighter for its next-generation fighter programme, Germany signing on the dotted line for the P-8A Poseidon and an interesting dip in UK military fixed-wing routine flight hours in 2019-2020. Elsewhere, Modern Military Group Editor Alan Warnes provides insight into Russian activities in the Black and Mediterranean Seas in recent weeks, and the fielding of a new anti-ship missile capability.
In Episode 7 of the Air Warrior Podcast we bring you the latest military aerospace news as the US State Department approves a possible multi-billion-dollar sale of F-16 fighters to the Philippines and the UK eyes its future H-47 (ER) Chinooks helicopters. Meanwhile, podcast hosts Richard Thomas chats with Swedish aerospace and defence OEM Saab for the latest JAS 39 Gripen fighter developments and prospective export opportunities.
Bringing you all the latest news from the military aerospace sector over the past week, the Air Warrior Podcast team chats through the UK’s Chinook presence in Mali, analysis of the US FY22 budget, and details of the latest from the B-21 Raider next-generation bomber programme.
As rivals to Rafale mull fast jet secondhand offerings and the US hits an unmanned aviation first, Air Warrior Podcast host Richard Thomas chats with freelance defence journalist Alexander Mladenov on the venerable Mi-24 attack helicopter as the type nears 50 years in military service.
While defence procurement news enjoyed a bumper week, Modern Military Group Editor Alan Warnes speaks with Aero Vodochody on its L39NG military jet trainer to learn more about the latest developments from the programmes and potential new markets for the aircraft.
With the West gradually departing from counter-insurgency operations in Iraq and Afghanistan amid a pivot towards the rising powers of the East, what role will platforms like Textron Aviation's AT-6E light attack aircraft play in future force structures? Can such platforms operate in the contested battlespace of the future, or will the likelihood of new low-intensity conflicts ensure a continued relevance?
As French, US and UK platforms test their capabilities in Exercise Atlantic Trident, the Modern Military team examines some of the capabilities on display and potential intelligence gathering activities that these NATO allies could be conducting against each other.
With HMS Queen Elizabeth underway on its landmark CSG21 deployment, the Modern Military Aviation team at Key Aero discuss the Exercise Strike Warrior work-up and examine the capabilities that make up its air wing.