National Geographic Goes Inside the Real ‘Top Gun’

Get an unprecedented look at the U.S. Navy’s elite fighter pilot training in a new six-part series.

Wednesday, August 20, 2025 at 09:00 AM ET

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A new National Geographic series shows viewers what it takes to become a Naval aviator. [Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

National Geographic's new six-part series, "Top Guns: The Next Generation," offers an exclusive look into the U.S. Navy's elite Top Gun school.
The series follows Navy and Marine Corps aviators through six months of intense strike fighter training, detailing the physical, emotional, and aerial challenges they face.
With "unprecedented access" and in-cockpit cameras, it showcases demanding maneuvers such as bombing drills, dogfights, and perilous aircraft carrier landings.
Premiering September 16th on National Geographic, the episodes will also be available for streaming the next day on Disney and Hulu+.

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If you have ever wondered what it’s really like to take part in the U.S. Navy’s elite “Top Gun” school, you will want to watch National Geographic’s new six-part series: Top Guns: The Next Generation.

The cameras follow a class of Navy and Marine Corps aviators as they enter the final and most “unforgiving phase of elite strike fighter training.” These “nuggets” endure six months of aerial training, physical demands, and emotional reckoning as they work to earn a slot flying the Navy’s most coveted aircraft.

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.