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Fighter Pilot Podcast

Fighter Pilot Podcast

FPP218 - The Humans Behind Autonomous Air Combat

Jul 13, 2026 · 53 min · 12 segments

Today former A-10 pilot and Autonodyne CEO Steve Jacobson joins the Fighter Pilot Podcast to discuss one of the most important and least understood aspects of future air combat: the human-machine…

Today former A-10 pilot and Autonodyne CEO Steve Jacobson joins the Fighter Pilot Podcast to discuss one of the most important and least understood aspects of future air combat: the human-machine interface. He shares stories from flying and testing the A-10, explains why he turned down Test Pilot School before ultimately finding his way into flight test anyway, and reflects on how those experiences shaped his approach to designing command-and-control software for autonomous aircraft. Support this podcast at — https://www.patreon.com/cw/ftrpltpdcst Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today former A-10 pilot and Autonodyne CEO Steve Jacobson joins the Fighter Pilot Podcast to discuss one of the most important and least understood aspects of future air combat: the human-machine…

Speakers: Steve JacobsenGuestTucker HamiltonHost

Show signals: SuitabilitySafeBiasNot politicalPopularityVery Populartop 5%Audience≈131k followers

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Top entities: Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II×18 Human–machine interface×12 Avidyne Corporation×5 United States Air Force Academy×3 A-10C×2

Decades in the A-10 & Life Choices4:58 – 9:43

T

Tucker HamiltonHost

4:58

So how long did you fly the A-10 for?

Steve JacobsenGuest

5:01

A couple decades.

T

Tucker HamiltonHost

5:02

Yeah.

Steve JacobsenGuest

5:03

Active duty and the Air National Guard.

Steve JacobsenGuest

5:05

My time in the reserves was once I was out of the cockpit.

T

Tucker HamiltonHost

5:08

Oh, okay.

T

Tucker HamiltonHost

5:09

You flew with the Massachusetts Air National Guard?

Steve JacobsenGuest

5:11

Connecticut Air National Guard.

T

Tucker HamiltonHost

5:12

Okay.

Steve JacobsenGuest

5:13

Yeah.

T

Tucker HamiltonHost

5:13

All right.

Steve JacobsenGuest

5:14

I did get to spend a couple years, you know, one of my roles out in California as a test guy, it happened to be the depot for A-10s.

Steve JacobsenGuest

5:22

So in addition to flying a lot of the qualitative and some DTD, so a lot of the QTD and some DTD sorties, was also the FCF depot.

Steve JacobsenGuest

5:34

So I do have the distinct pleasure of flying the most number of A-10s than anyone in history because at the time, the entire A-10 fleet was being upgraded to Lastly, and I had to fly all of those aircraft as they came through the depot to get modified.

Steve JacobsenGuest

5:49

So I think I've flown more than 70% of all the tails ever built-

T

Tucker HamiltonHost

5:56

Wow

Steve JacobsenGuest

5:56

...

Steve JacobsenGuest

5:56

in the A-10 that were still flying at the time.

T

Tucker HamiltonHost

5:59

Did you ever get time in the A-10D?

Steve JacobsenGuest

6:00

A-10D?No.

Steve JacobsenGuest

6:03

However, the A 10C is what we kind of-- So if by the D you mean the two C.

T

Tucker HamiltonHost

6:08

Yeah.

T

Tucker HamiltonHost

6:08

Maybe it was the B.

T

Tucker HamiltonHost

6:09

Whatever it was.

Steve JacobsenGuest

6:10

Yeah.

Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt IIEntityAttack aircraft
99%18 mentions
Human–machine interfaceEntity
96%12 mentions
Avidyne CorporationCompanyCompany
94%5 mentions
United States Air Force AcademyCollege or UniversityCollege in Colorado Springs, Colorado
91%3 mentions
A-10CEntityAircraft model
89%2 mentions
SacramentoCityCity in California
86%2 mentions
Fighter pilotEntity
84%4 mentions
Kratos Defense & Security SolutionsCompanyIT security company
81%2 mentions
Northrop T-38 TalonEntityTrainer
79%1 mention
UkraineCountryCountry in Europe
76%3 mentions
PatreonCompanyCompany
74%4 mentions
Anduril IndustriesCompanyDefense industry company
70%2 mentions
RaytheonCompanyDefense contractor corporation
70%1 mention
United StatesCountryCountry in North America
66%1 mention
Strait of HormuzBody of WaterStrait
64%3 mentions
GAU-8 AvengerEntity
61%1 mention
AutonomyEntity
59%3 mentions
KentuckyAdministrative AreaUS state
56%2 mentions
GodEntitySupreme being
54%1 mention
Air National GuardOrganizationMilitary reserve
51%2 mentions
Massachusetts Air National GuardOrganizationMilitary
49%1 mention
Connecticut Air National GuardOrganization
46%1 mention
UkrainiansEntityEthnic group
44%2 mentions
United States Department of WarGovernment OrganizationGovernment department
41%1 mention
CaliforniaAdministrative AreaUS state
39%1 mention
Edwards Air Force BaseAirportAir base in Kern County, California
36%1 mention
BostonCityCity in Massachusetts
33%1 mention
Draper LaboratoryCompanyDefense contractor corporation
33%1 mention
Gulf WarEventArmed conflict
28%1 mention
World War IIIEntity
28%1 mention
Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning IIEntityAircraft family
24%1 mention
Shield AICompanyAerospace and defense company
21%1 mention
BelarusCountryCountry in Europe
16%1 mention
KyivCityCapital of Ukraine
16%1 mention
RussiansEntityEthnic group
16%1 mention
McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike EagleEntityAircraft model
11%1 mention
General AtomicsCompanyNuclear energy corporation
9%1 mention
Fort KnoxDefense EstablishmentMilitary base in Kentucky
6%1 mention
Missile Defense AgencyGovernment OrganizationGovernment agency
4%1 mention
Best BuyCompanyConsumer electronics company
1%1 mention

Autonomous SystemsTechnology
Society
A-10Military > Aviation > Aircraft
Aviation TechnologyBusiness > Startups
AviationMilitary
Aviation PolicyGovernment > Defense > Military Strategy
AircraftMilitary > Aviation
Veteran ExperiencesSociety > Military Culture
Military CultureSociety
DefenseGovernment
Military StrategyGovernment > Defense
Technology
Government
Military
Business
Pilot ExperienceMilitary > Aviation > Aircraft > A-10
Human-Machine InterfaceTechnology > Autonomous Systems
Military ApplicationsTechnology > Autonomous Systems > Human-Machine Interface
Decision-MakingTechnology > Autonomous Systems > Human-Machine Interface > Military Applications
Defense IndustryBusiness > Startups > Aviation Technology
InnovationBusiness > Startups > Aviation Technology > Defense Industry
Career PathsSociety > Military Culture > Veteran Experiences
Personal DevelopmentSociety > Military Culture > Veteran Experiences > Career Paths
Interoperability StandardsGovernment > Defense > Military Strategy > Aviation Policy
StartupsBusiness

Decades in the A-10 & Life Choices4:58 – 9:43

T

Tucker HamiltonHost

4:58

So how long did you fly the A-10 for?

Steve JacobsenGuest

5:01

A couple decades.

T

Tucker HamiltonHost

5:02

Yeah.

Steve JacobsenGuest

5:03

Active duty and the Air National Guard.

Steve JacobsenGuest

5:05

My time in the reserves was once I was out of the cockpit.

T

Tucker HamiltonHost

5:08

Oh, okay.

T

Tucker HamiltonHost

5:09

You flew with the Massachusetts Air National Guard?

Steve JacobsenGuest

5:11

Connecticut Air National Guard.

T

Tucker HamiltonHost

5:12

Okay.

Steve JacobsenGuest

5:13

Yeah.

T

Tucker HamiltonHost

5:13

All right.

Steve JacobsenGuest

5:14

I did get to spend a couple years, you know, one of my roles out in California as a test guy, it happened to be the depot for A-10s.

Steve JacobsenGuest

5:22

So in addition to flying a lot of the qualitative and some DTD, so a lot of the QTD and some DTD sorties, was also the FCF depot.

Steve JacobsenGuest

5:34

So I do have the distinct pleasure of flying the most number of A-10s than anyone in history because at the time, the entire A-10 fleet was being upgraded to Lastly, and I had to fly all of those aircraft as they came through the depot to get modified.

Steve JacobsenGuest

5:49

So I think I've flown more than 70% of all the tails ever built-

T

Tucker HamiltonHost

5:56

Wow

Steve JacobsenGuest

5:56

...

Steve JacobsenGuest

5:56

in the A-10 that were still flying at the time.

T

Tucker HamiltonHost

5:59

Did you ever get time in the A-10D?

Steve JacobsenGuest

6:00

A-10D?No.

Steve JacobsenGuest

6:03

However, the A 10C is what we kind of-- So if by the D you mean the two C.

T

Tucker HamiltonHost

6:08

Yeah.

T

Tucker HamiltonHost

6:08

Maybe it was the B.

T

Tucker HamiltonHost

6:09

Whatever it was.

Steve JacobsenGuest

6:10

Yeah.

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