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 unprecedented access to 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, covering demanding aerial maneuvers, physical challenges, and emotional pressures.
It showcases the rigorous training involved in earning a slot flying the Navy's most coveted aircraft, including bombing drills, dogfights, and perilous carrier landings.
The series premieres September 16 on National Geographic and will be available to stream 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.