S9 Ep52: Espresso Martini | Operation Spiderweb, CIA’s Star Wars Fan Site, and the Mystery of RAT55

Ukraine’s audacious drone assault on Russian airbases, codenamed Operation Spiderweb, leads this week’s episode, as Chris and Matt break down how Kyiv may have just kneecapped Russia’s strategic bomber fleet in a single strike. They dig into what it means for Russia’s nuclear deterrent, the future of force protection, and the broader trajectory of the war. Then, a Star Wars fan site turns out to be a front for CIA covert communications. Matt unpacks how it worked, why it failed, and the lives it may have cost. Plus, a rare public appearance by RAT55, the Air Force’s bizarre stealth-measuring 737, raises questions about Area 51, classified drones, and the durability of U.S. air dominance in a drone-saturated world.

Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, geopolitics, and current affairs.

Please share this episode using these links YouTube: https://youtu.be/PcO9r-7x8lk

Articles discussed in today’s episode "What Ukraine’s Unprecedented Drone Attack Means For Russia’s Bomber Force" by Thomas Newdick | The War Zone: https://www.twz.com/air/what-ukraines-unprecedented-drone-attack-means-for-russian-bomber-force

"The CIA Secretly Ran a Star Wars Fan Site" by Joseph Cox | 404 Media: https://www.404media.co/the-cia-secretly-ran-a-star-wars-fan-site/

"The CIA's communications suffered a catastrophic compromise. It started in Iran." by Zach Dorfman & Jenna McLaughlin | Yahoo News: https://www.yahoo.com/news/cias-communications-suffered-catastrophic-compromise-started-iran-090018710.html

"America’s Throwaway Spies" by Joel Schectman & Bozorgmehr Sharafedin | Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-spies-iran/

"World’s Most Secretive 737 Just Made A Very Rare Appearance" by Tyler Rogoway | The War Zone: https://www.twz.com/air/worlds-most-secretive-737-rat55-just-made-a-rare-public-appearance

Support Secrets and Spies Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies
Buy merchandise from our Redbubble shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996
Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg
For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com

Connect with us on social media Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspies
Facebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspies
Spoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies

Follow Chris and Matt on Bluesky:
https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social
https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net

Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD.
Music by Andrew R. Bird
Photos by Maxar

Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.