The rescue of the crew of DUDE 44, an F-15E Strike Eagle shot down over Iran, is one of the most complex and dangerous combat search and rescue (CSAR) operations in modern warfare. Retired USAF Colonel and Special Operations pilot Buck Walker breaks down how it happened – from the shootdown to the high-risk mission that brought the crew home. This is how CSAR really works.

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10PCT EP86 P1 – Benji Prefontaine

Chapters

0:00 Intro Teaser – M1.3 Corner Speed, Avoiding the Merge, Low Level

3:00 Welcome, Benji

4:15 Subscriber Question (T-Stoff) – Super Étendard Carrier Ops

10:35 The Hardest Flying of His Career?

13:44 Route to the Air Force

16:15 Initial Flying & Training Curriculum

19:04 Early Impressions & Developing Mission Focus

23:48 Choosing a Platform & Mission

27:10 Explaining Career Choices

29:15 The Mirage 2000N Mission

31:32 Revisiting the Training Accident & Its Repercussions

36:14 Ready for That Conversation?

38:44 The Reward for That Risk

40:22 Alpha Jet

46:36 Air-to-Air Phase – How Formative?

49:18 Armée de l’Air Culture

56:00 Parents’ Opinions

57:37 Mirage F1CT – Introduction, Impressions & Capabilities

1:06:05 Electronic Warfare Suite

1:07:40 MATRA 530 – Fox 1 Capability

1:13:53 Were Export F1 Variants Better?

1:17:00 Diving Deeper into EW Capabilities

1:20:42 M1.3 Corner Speed – Avoiding the Merge at Low Level

1:23:34 “Cheating” in the F1?

1:26:10 DACT Opportunities

1:27:57 Taking on the Mirage 2000

1:30:48 Recce & Air-to-Ground Role

1:36:45 ELINT System Autonomy & Mission Planning

1:40:26 Datalink

1:41:50 Flying Qualities (and Vices) of the F1

1:46:04 Bird Strikes

1:48:20 Experience on the F1CT & Close Calls

1:50:58 Air-to-Air Refuelling – Tankers, Techniques & Night Ops

2:02:15 Geeking Out & Previewing the Next Episode

Cinco Hamilton | 10 Percent True | EP85Former USAF fighter pilot, F-35 test leader, and AI program director Tucker “Cinco” Hamilton joins the show to explain what artificial intelligence actually means for combat aviation. Drawing on his career flying the F-15C, standing up the MC-12 ISR platform, leading F-35 developmental test, and directing the Department of the Air Force–MIT AI Accelerator, Hamilton breaks down the difference between autonomy and AI, how machine learning is being tested in drones like the XQ-58 Valkyrie, and the ethical limits that should never be crossed. The conversation explores whether AI could ever control lethal weapons, how militaries test AI safely through millions of simulations, what AI could do inside aircraft like the F-35, and whether pilots risk becoming deskilled as automation increases. It’s a rare inside look at the future of autonomous combat systems from someone who helped build them0:00 Intro teaser – Drawing a Line 2:23 Welcome Cinco and Episode Outline 5:05 Quick Timeline Introduction 12:50 From Eagle to MC-12? 16:46 Outlining AI in Military Aviation and Defence 22:25 Thought Exercise Presentation 30:14 How Do You Ensure the AI Drone Doesn’t Hit the Bus? Should There Be Concern? 36:37 The Practicalities of Putting AI in the Driving Seat 40:22 How Nuanced Does AI Have to Be to Be “Good Enough”? 45:00 From Theory to Implementation 50:42 Can It Be That Simple? 53:22 Adversarial Developments and Excluding AI from Nuclear Decision-Making 1:01:00 AI Applications in the F-35 and Whether Loyal Wingman Is Possible Without AI 1:06:45 Deskilling of Operators 1:14:22 Audience Question (Nucks) 1:17:00 Audience Question (Matthew) 1:20:55 Audience Question (Biggles-Tintin) 1:23:20 Unlocking the Last 20% – Why Write It? 1:26:50 Balancing Risk in Test Flying and the Role of Faith 1:33:50 How to Get the Book 1:35:10 Thanks to Cinco (Plus the Callsign Story Bonus!)