Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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10PCT EP88 Dave “Khan” Carr – F-15, F-16, Weapons School & Aggressors

Dave “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.

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Full episode 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 and 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 and Diversions to Scotland
19:47 Steve Geeks Out on CFTs
21:14 The Mission at Keflavik – Bears, Tomcats and 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, When to Use It, and Evolving Tactics
28:32 Weapons School – Selection, Work-Ups and Challenges
32:40 A Memorable Weapons School Sortie – Vark Speed and 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 and the FTU
44:35 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 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 as Accurately as Possible – 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 and 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 and Iraq
1:39:32 Young vs Old Eagle Driver
1:42:14 Keeping Up with Evolving Tactics and Changes
1:49:30 Fini Flight
1:53:15 Do You Miss It?
1:53:54 Thanks Khan – Till Next Time