Super Harris 10 Percent True EP80 P1In this wide-ranging and unvarnished conversation, retired USAF two-star General “Super” Harris explains how U.S. military acquisition and flight-test culture has changed since the end of the Cold War—and why he believes those changes are dangerous. Drawing on decades as an electronic warfare officer, developmental tester, squadron commander, and instructor at Test Pilot School, Harris lays out a four-stage framework charting the consolidation of defence contractors, the erosion of developmental and operational testing, the rise of concurrency, and today’s push toward “DevOps at the front line.” Using real examples—from the F-22’s infamous International Date Line failure to bomber weapons integration and modern naval systems—he argues that skipping test and accepting immature systems risks lives, credibility, and deterrence itself. It’s a candid, insider warning about how great powers lose their edge, and why testing still matters0:00 Support the channel0:37 Intro teaser4:09 Welcome back Super – framing the episode – Developmental/Operational testing today11:36 The Military Industrial Complex and Eisenhower’s mic drop15:42 the F-111 gone so EF-111 suffers by association – TPS graduate with nowhere to go! So B-1……23:57 black hats and white hats25:55 B-1 qualled but only there to “put the new thing on”28:12 SQN CDR highlights29:17 80 bomb load DT Graduation story (smiley face)34:21 flying a B-52 mission while watching Dr Strangelove39:22 win big – bad things happen….40:43 a litany of stupid (not all innovation is good)44:52 “the last supper” and its fallout (consolidation of corporations/contractors)50:07 the 4 stages (preview of coming attractions – intro teaser)58:22 who is “Col Nicholson”? – when ethics slide1:03:27 the right reasons….1:08:27 “acquisition reform” is not the problem1:14:52 FORD class failures – tail wags the dog – “the testers are the problem”1:20:04 Raptors, Deficiency Reports and across the date line to Kadena1:35:07 4Stars “wanting it so bad” (why hasn’t Steve seen A Christmas Story!)1:41:07 the “last” last question – the solution?1:46:57 previewing next episode

Get Mike's book: https://amzn.eu/d/b2lcwQtGet ad-free, early access to new 10 Percent True videos: https://www.10percenttrue.com/pricing-plans/listPig Penn, 10 Percent True Episode 79.In this extraordinary episode of 10 Percent True, Mike “Pig” Penn—US Navy A-7 Corsair II pilot, Iron Hand aviator, and Vietnam POW—walks through a life defined by combat, captivity, survival, and purpose. Pig recounts flying alpha strikes and Iron Hand missions over North Vietnam, dodging SAMs at night, being shot down near Hanoi in 1972, and surviving an ejection, capture, and eight months inside the Hanoi Hilton. He describes the brutal realities of captivity, the tap code, the psychological battle to retain hope, and the moment B-52 strikes signalled that the war—and his imprisonment—was nearing its end. The conversation then shifts to Pig’s post-war life: returning to flight, confronting PTSD and alcoholism, and ultimately finding a new mission—helping others survive their darkest moments. It’s a raw, unfiltered account of air combat, resilience, and why hope is not abstract, but essential to survival.0:33 intro teaser1:20 welcome “Pig” 2:55 ama question from Sedlo regarding Alpha Strikes6:18 Route to Naval Aviation and background 9:07 Training pipeline and experiences11:23 Buckeye at the boat14:50 Hope and Courage15:55 the reality of landing in the boat, scary, exhilarating?18:40 going into combat knowing a night trap awaits afterwards 20:33 The SLUF24:37 SAMS and dodging them30:37 Iron Hand32:53 finding SAMs and target prosecution by Shrike39:13 validating success? BDA? 40:33 any tactic change through experience - when iron hand turns into RESCAP43:08 psychological load? 45:08 shootdown49:21 on the ground and to the Hanoi Hilton53:23 cheating death54:03 coming to terms with initial stages of the ordeal56:33 any preconceptions/intel on the “Hilton” before arriving 58:23 initial phase at the Hilton1:02:33 Heartbreak hotel, making (unexpected) acquaintances, eventually starting to eat1:07:43 low down via tap code before leaving solitary and meeting fellow POWs1:10:19 why group you together?1:11:45 information flow, long sideburns and air raid drills preface December 18th (Linebacker II)1:19:53 mindgames and release order hang ups 1:21:58 release day story1:26:50 3 days in Clark and learning to sleep in a bed again1:28:06 to Travis AFB and reuniting with family and friends1:29:11 resentment? Return?1:32:17 flight gear on display in Hanoi1:32:43 what comes next? Returning to normality? Coming full circle on an incredible story. 1:35:58 F-4 orders turn sour so back to Lemoore and the A-7 RAG1:38:38 getting out and into Continental 1:38:45 meeting Kissinger 1:40:06 psychological and emotional journey and the genesis of the book - Hope and Courage1:47:48 meeting Marcus Luttrel and guesting on his podcast1:51:44 how to find Pig on tour/find out more1:53:03 philosophising on the experiences1:55:17 Share this please

Get ad-free, early access to new 10 Percent True videos: https://www.10percenttrue.com/pricing-plans/list0:00 intro and welcome back Buck1:38 weapon school genesis and selection6:21 3 times through and a baby on board!7:57 standing up the school12:42 light grey snub comes full circle!16:17 fighting institutional resistance in AFSOC18:16 the value and the sanctity of the debrief19:16 bilat story - AFSOC resistance continued23:10 prefacing weapon effects videos and opening eyes on BDA29:23 continuing the development story (FARP mission), regaining lost skills32:08 a negative experience 33:28 a positive experience (Hind story)37:45 decompression after the WIC, follow on assignments before returning as commander including some good bad and ugly 47:45 the slow clap 3 star - how does someone fail their way to the top?51:14 AFSOC culture, question marks, continued tribalism? 55:51 working with spec-ops operators58:40 “taking Tonopah”1:01:50 protection from and integration of fast movers1:06:03 dates 1:06:50 weapons officers deployed and first combat?1:08:10 setting the stage1:10:25 early days of combat 1:12:55 mission story - briefing on a post it note1:22:05 taking stock and stopping counting1:23:55 accepting the risk of descending below cloud and being shot at? 1:24:58 debriefing and decompression 1:31:15 feedback from “customers” (operators)1:32:50 another mission story featuring close calls, pointed feedback and subsequent fallout1:50:10 summarising the aftermath of the mission - and the greatest feedback1:54:10 the investigative perspective?1:57:50 need to be pragmatic in the face of AF “integrity”?1:59:52 pre-visualisation vs “just send it” 2:02:30 trying to mitigate operator dismay at refusal to engage2:05:47 other coalition partners - working with Brits?2:07:54 liaison/exchange?2:09:20 2nd DFC?2:09:50 Air Commando Hall of Fame2:13:18 reviewing more video clips2:25:20 the boat one!2:30:20 Phantom lovers avert your eyes2:32:02 funny mission story (the Padré)2:37:20 changes and the future of gunship2:44:14 letting go difficult?2:48:05 potentially another episode and wrapping up