Throttle Up Radio with Captain Kevin Smith

Think Like a Fighter Pilot – Part II. Fighter pilots execute activities quickly, with precision and above all without error, in the performance of their jobs. If we could look into their mind-space, what would we find that makes this possible? Captain Smith discusses this question from the perspective of a former fighter pilot.

Think Like a Fighter Pilot – Part I. For high stakes operations involving air combat, there is a proper way to think, AND an improper way to think. Captain Smith explains!

Who Can Hold the Air? Part VI – The Psychology of the Fighter Pilot. Captain Smith discusses the psychology of the fighter pilot and why this is important now that the F-47 has just been announced.

Who Can Hold the Air? Part V – And Who Can Hold the Sea? Captain Smith discusses why these two questions are more important today than they have ever been.

Who Can Hold the Air? Part IV – Air Combat Operations and the F-47 NGAD. This week Captain Smith discusses the new F-47 and how it relates to air combat operations and victory in the air.

Who Can Hold the Air? Part III – Great Power Conflict and the Velocity Imperative. Captain Smith discusses and explains from a unique perspective the importance of velocity in air combat operations.

Who Can Hold the Air? Part II. In the reality of a great power conflict, air superiority is essential. The mission critical question – who can hold the air? – becomes central to our national defense. Captain Smith discusses…

Who Can Hold the Air? Part I. As the Defense Department reorganizes for a great power conflict, this week Captain Smith discusses how we ensure air combat victory.

Special Report: The Innovation Pipeline. The new Secretary of Defense desires to 1) re-establish deterrence, 2) employ the best systems, and 3) lead the world. This week Captain Smith opines on how we do this if our innovation pipeline is empty.

Special Report: The Aviation Enterprise – Part II. Captain Smith discusses aviation safety, and the causes of the system failure in light of the devastating and fatal accident at Reagan Airport in Washington D.C. on January 29, 2025. He plays a YouTube clip entitled “The Evolution of Flight: Long Haul” by Simple Flying.

Special Report: Tragedy on the Potomac. Captain Smith gives his perspective on the national aviation enterprise (including both military and civilian) as it relates to the recent mid-air collision in Washington DC over the Potomac River. He plays clips from President Trump's news conference and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

The Art of War – Part III: The Ethos of a Warrior (continued). Captain Smith continues his discussion of warrior ethos by identifying the key issues facing the Defense Department: warrior ethos, war-fighting skills, and tactical proficiency. He plays a YouTube clip entitled “The Code of the Warrior Ethos: Quotes to Get You Ready for … Continue reading "Throttle-Up® Episode: Jan. 25, 2025"

The Art of War – Part II: The Ethos of a Warrior. Captain Smith discusses art or art form as it fits into the discussion of warfare.

The Art of War – Part I: Captain Smith discusses the first order of business for the Department of Defense under the new and incoming Trump administration. He also plays a clip about the 21 principles of the Art of War according to the brilliant Sun Tzu.

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part XXXVI: Merry Christmas! This week the questions is … “When danger, high risk, and chaos are what you encounter, how do you deal with this and still complete the mission?” Captain Smith discusses this issue and plays a clip about the “5 steps to problem solving.”

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part XXXV: The Combat Effectiveness Challenge. Captain Smith discusses his recent talk at the Military Operations Research Society (MORS) in Alexandria, Virginia. He explains the “great power conflict” and the combat effectiveness challenge that it presents.

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part XXXIV: Combat Effectiveness. Captain Smith answers the question: How effective is our front line fighting force? As the Commander of a forward deployed combat unit, Captain Smith discusses how he ensured his unit was combat ready.

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part XXXIII: Captain Smith discusses what he would tell the incoming Secretary of Defense about the military and our nation's warriors. He also plays a clip from the Academy of Ideas entitled “Fear Psychosis and the Cult of Safety – Why are People so Afraid?”

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part XXXII: Edge of Reason 4. Captain Smith discusses how to think during times of upheaval, radical alterations of reality, and conditions approaching chaos and catastrophe.

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part XXXI: What exactly do we bring to the battle space? Is it just what is obvious, or is it key intangibles as well? Captain Smith discusses and sheds light on this question.

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part XXX: Edge of Reason 3. Upon entering a realm of reality previously unoccupied, what do you do? Captain Smith explains.

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part XXIX: Edge of Reason 2 – Think Critically and Reason Effectively. If we are engaged in a high stakes operation, in which complexity and uncertainty reside, we must operate 1) at the high end of the performance spectrum, as well as 2) at the extreme edge of the stability envelope. Captain Smith … Continue reading "Throttle-Up® Episode: Oct. 5 & 6, 2024"

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part XXVIII: Edge of Reason. This week Captain Smith urges his listeners to upgrade their thinking and reasoning skills so as to be able to 1) operate at the high-end of the performance spectrum, and 2) perform with precision at the extreme edge of the operational envelope.

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part XXVII: Complex Problem Solving. This week's broadcast is about solving a complex problem when operating at the high end of the conflict spectrum. Captain Smith explains what this statement means in practice in the military or business.

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part XXVI: Why He Did It. Captain Smith explains to his audience why he wrote his latest book, The Sonic Warrior: Chronicles of a Top Gun Pioneer, and why he produced The Sonic Warrior Documentary found at “The Sonic Warrior Youtube Channel”. All of Captain Smith's content (videos, books, substack articles, podcasts) can … Continue reading "Throttle-Up® Episode: Sept. 14 & 15, 2024"

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part XXV: Flying the Supersonic F-8 Crusader. The F-8 Crusader set a national speed record and was awarded the Thompson Trophy in 1957. The U.S. Navy flew the F-8 Crusader for 30 years, as well as the French Navy and the Philippine Air Force. Captain Smith discusses what it was like flying the … Continue reading "Throttle-Up® Episode: Sept. 7 & 8, 2024"

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part XXIV: Kinematics and the Three Body Problem. This week Captain Smith discusses the three body problem. He wrote about it in his book, The Sonic Warrior, and in this broadcast he explains why understanding this phenomenon can improve our performance and why this is important.

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part XXIII: Combat Effectiveness. Combat effectiveness of a forward deployed combat unit considers the skillful execution of the battle plan when enemy engagement occurs at the high end of the conflict spectrum. The execution of the battle plan follows immediately after the activation of the entry protocol, which occurs upon entering the airborne … Continue reading "Throttle-Up® Episode: Aug. 17 & 18, 2024"

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part XXII: The Curated Mind-Space. Captain Smith has said that the prime directive is “do not allow others to tell you what to think. Instead, learn how to think about everything.” In this episode Captain Smith explains the prime directive.

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part XXI: Combat Effectiveness. In a recent presentation at the Navy Postgraduate School, Captain Smith talked about the idea of combat effectiveness. In this episode he explains this concept and why it is so important today.

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part XIV: Outcome Projection. Why is outcome projection so important? It has been said that in a highly dynamic combat engagement, what is most important is not what is happening right this moment, but what is coming the next moment or what it is becoming. Captain Smith discusses whether this concept is covered … Continue reading "Throttle-Up® Episode: July 6 & 7, 2024"

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part XVIII: Not the Plane, but the Pilot. In the Top Gun movie it was repeated several times that “it is not the plane, but the pilot”. In this episode of Throttle-Up Radio Show Captain Smith discusses what this means.

Special Edition: The Meta-Crisis. This week Captain Smith explains what the meta-crisis is; and he addresses what this means from his life purpose perspective.

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part XVII: The Life and Times of a First Generation Sonic Warrior. Join Captain Smith as he discusses what this meant for him.

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part XVI: For sonic warriors, the critical operational concern at hand is “how effective are we?”. Since he is a sonic warrior, Captain Smith is in a unique position to address this issue. Listen in to how he answers this important question.

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part XV: In Top Gun: Maverick, the Maverick character says “it is not what I am but who I am – a naval aviator, Navy fighter pilot…”. Captain Smith explains what this means to him as a retired naval aviator and Navy fighter pilot.

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part XIV: The Story of Top Gun. Captain Smith discusses the actual story of Top Gun and his involvement with it.

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part XIII: This week Captain Smith discusses warrior training and proficiency at the high end of the conflict spectrum, the kind of training needed in a great power conflict. How are such exercises developed?

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part XII: Elite Problem Solvers. The meta-crisis is here. Now what are we going to do about it? Nothing? Jump on a solution right away? Give a speech? Initiate an ad campaign? Captain Smith provides his recommendation.

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part XI: The Meta-Crisis and a Revolution of Thought. In this week's broadcast Captain Smith returns to an earlier discussion of the meta-crisis and calls for a revolution of thought.

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part X: The discussion this week is focused on the capabilities that give us a good chance of achieving mission success in the field of air combat when operating at the tip-of-the-spear. Captain Smith hopes you will listen in!

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part IX: This week Captain Smith addresses the meta-crisis facing our world as recently discussed by Iain McGilchrist, the author of The Matter with Things, and others.

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part VIII: The aircraft carrier at sea is the tip-of-the-spear. Captain Smith explains. All of Captain Smith's podcasts since 2016 can be listened to or downloaded from his website, throttleupradio.com.

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part VII: Captain Smith gives a detailed description of combat effectiveness, a topic he presented at a recent MORS Wargaming Workshop in San Diego.

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part VI: Captain Smith presents the idea that tip-of-the-spear thinking is radically different from the kind of thinking that is currently in use. He explains why he is pointing this out and why it is helpful.

Tip-of-the-Spear – Part V: Great Powers Conflict. Captain Smith explains what it means when preparing for battle at the tip-of-the-spear, and the reality is a conflict between the great powers. He also explains how one prepares for such a conflict within the airborne battle-space.

Tip of the Spear – Part IV: In this broadcast, Captain Smith discusses his soon to be released film documentary describing his sonic warfare experience; and delves more deeply into his “Tip of the Spear” initiative and what he hopes to accomplish.

Tip of the Spear – Part III: Captain Smith proposes two familiar ideas – 1) If you want peace, prepare for war. 2) Prepare to engage the enemy at the tip of the spear. What should we know about these statements. Why is this important?

Tip of the Spear – Part II: In this broadcast, Captain Smith discusses the ability to predict a future situation from a set of current events. He answers the following questions: 1) Why is this important? and 2) How do you do it?

Tip of the Spear – Part I: Captain Smith was the Commander of a forward deployed combat unit embarked aboard the USS Constellation, a Kitty Hawk class super carrier. In this broadcast, Captain Smith explains how he got into that position and what if meant for national defense.