David Bellavia earned the Medal of Honor for his actions on November 10, 2004, during Operation Phantom Fury in Fallujah, Iraq—one of the most intense urban battles in U.S. military history. In this re-release of The Afterburn Podcast, Bellavia shares raw, unfiltered reflections on leadership in combat, the trauma of modern warfare, and the deep bonds of brotherhood forged in battle.

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Welcome to this week’s Lowdown with The Afterburn Podcast! 🚀 Dive into the latest defense and aerospace news, including China’s new J-20S twin-seat stealth fighter, DARPA’s warning on quantum sensing threatening F-35 and B-21 stealth, Chinese espionage arrests targeting the U.S. Navy, a grounded British F-35B in India, NATO F-35s guarding Ukraine-bound supplies, and a KC-46 tanker mishap. Plus, Rheinmetall’s new F-35A plant in Germany, retired generals pushing for more F-35As and E-7 Wedgetails, and our Threat of the Day: China’s Chengdu J-10. Stay ahead with breaking military aviation news!

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In this episode of The Lowdown, we’re breaking down one of the biggest military aviation operations in recent memory — Operation Midnight Hammer, a massive coordinated strike targeting Iranian nuclear infrastructure. With over 125+ aircraft, B-2 stealth bombers, Tomahawk missiles, and full-spectrum cyber warfare involved, this was no ordinary mission. We also dive into two major budget updates hitting the U.S. Air Force: The E-7 WEDGETAIL, the much-anticipated AWACS replacement, may now be on the chopping block. The F-35 Lightning II program faces significant cuts in the 2026 defense budget proposal. This is your no-BS, fast-hitting update on the biggest stories in defense and aviation. Whether you're a pilot, a defense pro, or just a military aviation nerd — you're in the right place.'

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