
FPP213 - Top Gun, Tomcats, and AI Wingmen: "Yank" Cummings on Tomorrow’s War
From Fighter Pilot Podcast by E. Vincent "Jell-O" Aiello, Retired U.S. Navy Fighter Pilot
May 4, 2026 · 1h 19m
About this episode
JJ “Yank” Cummings discusses F-14 Tomcats, carrier aviation, and the future of autonomous air combat.
JJ “Yank” Cummings returns to the Fighter Pilot Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on F-14 Tomcats, carrier aviation, Top Gun: Maverick, and the rapidly approaching age of autonomous air combat. From war stories over Afghanistan to his work with Shield AI, Yank brings a rare blend of cockpit credibility, command experience, and forward-looking insight. This one is about more than airplanes; it’s about trust, technology, leadership, tomorrow’s war, and, somehow… robot cats. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations
People in this episode
Host: E. Vincent "Jell-O" Aiello
Guest: JJ “Yank” Cummings
Topics covered
- F-14 Tomcats
- carrier aviation
- autonomous air combat
- Top Gun
- military leadership
- technology in warfare
Keywords
- F-14 Tomcats
- Top Gun
- autonomous air combat
- military technology
- leadership
- war stories
- aviation
Sponsors
RedCircle
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Shield AI
Products: Top Gun: Maverick
Books & works: F-14 Tomcats
Places: Afghanistan
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