maximum afterburner

 "Danger Close: Don’t Fucking Miss.”

A sign hung above the door of the deployed F-15E ops building at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan.

Since childhood, Paul ‘Roscoe’ White dreamed of becoming a fighter pilot, surfing clouds and shooting down MiGs against a deep blue sky.

From enlisting as an F-15 crew chief to his first white-knuckled flights in the F-15E Strike Eagle, and then to an unlikely assignment as an F-16 Viper Weapons Systems Officer (WSO), Roscoe takes us on a 9-G ride in this behind-the-scenes look at what it’s really like to fly fighter jets in the Air Force — hard work, dedication, sacrifice, a drive to be the best, and a bit of luck.

The extraordinary turns ordinary during Operation ENDURING FREEDOM Close Air Support missions. Counterinsurgency operations and moonless night sorties using terrain-following radar become routine. Managing dozens of assets in complex missions and employing weapons from miles away with pinpoint accuracy are the standard, all while navigating the complexities of joint warfare, the relentless pace of deployments, and the invisible emotional weight of a family back home.

With lives at risk and the nation's defense on the line, each day in a fighter squadron requires maximum effort. With gripping stories, near-misses, cockpit banter, and moments of reflection at 30,000 feet, MAXIMUM AFTERBURNER offers a rare glance at the unforgiving demands of fighter aviation and the cost of excellence.