Military Dogfighting

Any discussion of military dogfighting has to include the Top Gun movies. Before we go further, here’s a short video to set the mood - U.S Navy - Danger Zone | Carrier Deck Ops.

The original Top Gun movie starring Tom Cruise was released in 1986. Here’s the original movie trailer. I was on active duty at that time at Langley Air Force Base where the First Fighter Wing flew F-15 jet fighters. In 2022 the L-O-N-G awaited sequel Top Gun Maverick finally made it to theaters. Here’s the movie trailer.

Now that you’re pumped for action - let’s talk about military dogfights, specifically fighters.

WWI was the first war where airplanes were used in combat. Initially these planes didn’t have guns and pilots would try to shoot each other down with handguns. Later machine guns were added. Here’s a short video of modern reproduction of WWI fighters in combat.

WWII was the first war where airpower made a significant difference in the fighting. The destructive power carried by airplanes were several orders of magnitude more destructive than in prior wars, both for fighter aircraft and especially bombers. The most destructive weapon in history, the atomic bomb, was dropped from a B-29 bomber on Japan.

The Korean war was the first conflict where both sides had jet fighters. The primary fighters used were the US Air Force F-86 Saber and the Soviet Mig-15. These jets were primarily armed with cannons and air-to-air dog fighting at close range was the norm.

The Vietnam War had many jet fighter battles. The US Air Force flew F-105 Thunderchief fighter - bombers, F-4 Phantom fighters, and the Navy flew F-8 Crusader fighters flown off carriers.

North Korea, often with Soviet pilots, flew Mig-17 and later Mig-19 fighters. Missiles mounted under the wings of these fighter aircraft were the primary weapons in dogfights, but once the missiles ran out all sides used wing cannons.

The real Top Gun Navy Fighter Weapons School train the best Navy pilots to go back to their units as instructors. It was started during the Vietnam War as too many American pilots were getting shot down. Unlike the swaggering pilots in the movies, these pilots are consummate professionals. “These highly-skilled men and women describe themselves using three words—humble, credible, approachable. That’s because this school doesn’t accept aviators with an ego, or those who fly with a death wish.” You can read about the real TOPGUN pilots from the link above.

The Gulf Wars 1988 - 1990 were the tail end of actual jet fighter dogfights. After this period the missiles carried by jet fighters were primarily Beyond Visual Range missiles. Fighter pilots are still trained how to dogfight as sometimes it’s still needed, though less often today than in past conflicts.

Satellite dogfights are the new reality of close space combat. While the distances are further and the timelines are hours or even whole days, the stakes can be catastrophic. Below is an article from the Washington Post outlining this new reality.

For readers who don’t have access to the Washington Post, here’s a link to a video Military Satellites: The New Space Dogfights that the article above is based on.

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My upcoming novel, Electromagnetic Assault, is getting closer. The launch date is next Tuesday, April 7, 2026. The book will be available as an Ebook, print on demand, and the audiobook is coming soon. You can preorder the Ebook now from Amazon.

I was a guest on the Rabbit Hole of Research Podcast Episode 55. This episode was originally supposed to air in April closer to my book launch, but world events caught up with the episodes topic, Directed Energy Weapons. The El Paso airport was shut down while Homeland Security tested a laser weapon against a Mexican drone incursion, so this episode was released on February 18th.

On Saturday, April 18th at 2:00 PM I’ll present an author talk and book signing at the Fitchburg, WI public library.

On May 1st I’ll be a speaker at the Lakefly Writers Conference and Book Fair in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. For writers my conference session is why new writers should start a Substack Email Newsletter prior to publication. For readers I’ll be selling my new book, Electromagnetic Assault at the Book Fair.