How Top Gun fighter pilots actually work, according to a Marine pilotNEWS | 01 July 2026Dave Berke served for over 23 years as a USMC fighter pilot, TOPGUN graduate and instructor, and combat veteran.
Berke became the first operational pilot qualified in the F-35B Lightning II. He flew the F/A-18 Hornet, as well as several other fighter jets, served as a forward air controller on the ground in Iraq, and later became an instructor at TOPGUN.
Berke speaks with Business Insider about the realities of operating as a pilot aboard an aircraft carrier, including the demands of carrier life and combat deployments following 9/11.
In 2026 alone, US aircraft carriers participated in combat missions in Venezuela, Iran, and Yemen.
Since retiring as lieutenant colonel from the Marine Corps in 2017, Berke has worked as an instructor and executive at Echelon Front, where he teaches leadership, accountability, and decision-making under pressure.
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