Top Guns: The Next Generation reveals the life-or-death reality of naval training

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You’ll find volleyball, impressive moustaches, and plenty of American flags. There are also motorcycles, pool tables, sunglasses, and flight suits, all set to a synth-filled soundtrack. If you’ve seen it in the Tom Cruise *Top Gun* movies, chances are it’s here at Top Guns: The Next Generation – but this time, it’s happening for real.

National Geographic’s new docuseries offers an unprecedented look at the rigorous training of US Navy and Marine Corps pilots. Over six episodes, the series follows students as they learn to fly and engage in aerial combat, giving viewers a close-up, behind-the-scenes perspective on the lives and challenges of these aspiring aviators.

The show also introduces the instructors, who are responsible for guiding the recruits and explaining the more complex aviation terms to viewers. In 2024, when the series was filmed, Captain Juston Kuch led “Training Wing One” and oversaw the entire program at the Naval Air Station in Meridian, Mississippi.

Kuch, after graduating with an engineering degree and working at Boeing, decided to join the Navy. He arrived at Meridian for training just a week before the September 11th attacks in 2001. Every year, approximately 150 aspiring pilots come to Mississippi, all striving to become top-tier aviators.

According to Kuch, the flight trainees often have impressive backgrounds – many were high school baseball captains, class valedictorians, and top students. However, flight training is based purely on performance. Previous achievements don’t matter. They’ve seen students from prestigious universities struggle, while others from less well-known colleges have thrived. Ultimately, success depends on commitment, a desire to improve, and a strong work ethic.

Being fast isn’t the only thing that makes a great candidate, explains Kuch. Surprisingly, he admits his own reaction time isn’t particularly quick. Instead, he relies on remembering procedures and checklists. He believes this ability to recall established steps is the most important skill at this level of training.

Our understanding of how people learn has changed a lot recently. While tools like flight simulators have improved greatly in the last twenty years, Kuch argues that the biggest breakthroughs have been in recognizing different ways people learn and tailoring teaching to each student. This series focuses on that important, but often less noticeable, academic side of the program – a solid, research-based approach to learning.

As a viewer, I really appreciate that the filmmakers wanted to show us the *process* of becoming a Top Gun pilot, not just the exciting missions. We see the results in the movies, but I’m fascinated by what it actually takes to get there – all the years, even decades, of hard work and training that go into making someone that skilled.

He believes Tom Cruise is so skilled and dedicated that he could actually succeed in their flight training program. While the movies sometimes exaggerate how missions are handled, the actual flying sequences are incredibly realistic and impressive, especially considering Cruise’s existing piloting abilities and commitment to preparation.

Michael FitzMaurice handled the aerial cinematography for Top Gun: Maverick, and was also asked to film footage for a making-of documentary, Top Gun: The Next Generation. His company, XBrand, had experience filming military aviation, having previously worked on documentaries about Black Hawk helicopters and the Blue Angels. However, the level of access granted to FitzMaurice and his pilot and aerial coordinator, Kevin LaRosa II, for Top Gun: Maverick was unprecedented.

Honestly, I don’t think I would have connected with this story nearly as much if we hadn’t been given this unique viewpoint. It’s fantastic to be right there with the character, experiencing things as they do, but being able to step back and see the bigger picture – the overall context – really elevates the storytelling. It gives you a much fuller understanding of what’s happening and why.

Filming at high altitudes can be costly, so the series director, Lana Salah, started by documenting the recruits’ initial ground training. Then, FitzMaurice took over. He explains that his team received a preliminary edit and then filmed the remaining scenes needed to complete the narrative.

The aircraft filming the aerial sequences are just as remarkable as the planes being filmed. Pilot Kevin LaRosa flies a customized Czech L-39 jet, nicknamed the “Cinejet” by the production team. LaRosa explains that older methods used cameras inside the plane with mirrors to film outside, similar to a submarine periscope, but this resulted in blurry images. Instead, they took a highly stabilized camera mount originally designed for helicopters, reinforced it, and adapted it for use on a jet.

About ten years ago, while working on the movie *Jack Reacher: Never Go Back* with Tom Cruise, LaRosa first had the idea for the Cinejet. Cruise casually mentioned they planned to make *Top Gun 2* someday, and that sparked an idea in LaRosa’s mind. It wasn’t until years later that they received the call to work on *Top Gun*, but in the meantime, they had been developing the Cinejet.

The Cinejet was responsible for many of the show’s most exciting camera angles, but the production team also used helicopters for shots needing extra stability. The series also introduced a groundbreaking new tool: the world’s first jet gimbal. This special camera mount used six-axis stabilization to deliver incredibly smooth footage while flying between 6,000 and 12,000 feet, and at speeds up to 460 miles per hour.

According to LaRosa, the director had a very specific vision for the training bomb sequences: she wanted the audience to feel like they were right alongside the bombs as they released from the jets and followed their descent. To achieve this, they positioned the Cinejet camera very close to the wing, filmed the bombs detaching, and then tracked them all the way to the ground. LaRosa described the experience as feeling like a video game, and believes no other camera system could have captured that perspective.

According to FitzMaurice, the team accomplished even more with ‘Top Gun: The Next Generation’ than they did with ‘Top Gun: Maverick.’ This is clearly visible in the final product. The innovation and hard work of the crew are apparent, even when watching on smaller screens. This same level of dedication and coordination is also reflected in the rigorous training the recruits undergo-sometimes spending up to twelve hours preparing for a single hour of flight time.

Captain Micah Nissly, one of the pilots featured in the show, emphasizes that the successful flights are a team effort. He explains that while he’s the one flying a very expensive, $100 million jet, the work of the maintenance crews and ground personnel is far more extensive and absolutely critical. Their teamwork and dedication are what really make everything possible.

Nissly began his career in the Marine Corps and even flew with the Blue Angels before coming to Meridian. That experience with aerial acrobatics was incredibly helpful when he faced the demanding training, challenging flights, and especially the precise landings on aircraft carriers – which were the most exciting parts of his journey. However, these thrilling, visually stunning scenes came at a cost, with pilots routinely experiencing forces exceeding six Gs, pushing their minds and bodies to the limit.

It’s a really grounding experience,” Nissly explains. “You think you’re in great shape, but then you feel those G-forces for the first time. It’s like having a heavy weight on your chest while you try to say the alphabet. Austin Claggett, who was also on the show, compared it to lifting weights – like doing a squat, but someone suddenly adds more weight as you stand up.

I recently got a peek behind the scenes at a group of flight school recruits, and it was fascinating. Along with Nissly and Claggett, we followed Stephanie Harris, Carissa Meinster, and Spenser Neel. Apparently, participating in the documentary series was completely voluntary, but Nissly seemed genuinely glad he did, especially because he formed some strong bonds with his fellow trainees. He put it perfectly – while *Top Gun* is iconic, it doesn’t quite capture the incredible sense of teamwork and support these pilots rely on. It’s not just about individual skill; it’s about getting through it *together*, and that’s what really stood out to me.

Hollywood often makes pilots’ nicknames sound exciting. In the series, real pilots use call signs like “Duster”, “Ghoul”, and “Bambi.” Captain Kuch earned his nickname, “Poker,” after winning a lot of money at a casino while training. However, Nissly, who doesn’t have a call sign yet, explains that most real-life nicknames aren’t as impressive as the ones you see in movies. These nicknames aren’t official – pilots just use them for casual talk while flying.

He chuckles, saying, “‘Maverick’ is a really great call sign – it’s what we all want! But usually, you earn one after making a big mistake.” He describes the career field as fantastic, but admits he worried about encountering arrogance. “I thought everyone would be trying to prove they were the best, but that hasn’t been my experience. I think call signs actually help keep people grounded.”

The series is surprisingly down-to-earth. It showcases incredible skill, both in filmmaking and from the people featured, making it clear you’re seeing the very best. It’s also a stark reminder of the real dangers involved, offering a rare and revealing look into this challenging profession. However, it’s the relatable human moments – like dealing with studies, everyday worries, and the personal meaning behind their call signs – that truly resonate.

Even the most skilled pilots have faced difficult days, says Nissly. It’s crucial to remember that pilots are still human, especially when operating complex aircraft.

Top Guns: The Next Generation airs every Sunday at 9pm on National Geographic until 26th October.

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2025-09-26 09:36