AERIAL WARFARE. A HISTORY

When the Wright Brothers made the first powered flight in 1903, they hoped the airplane would be an instrument of peace. Instead, it changed the way wars were waged – forever. Reconnaissance, Attack, Defense, Transport: The primary functions of military aviation remain unchanged. But new technologies and tactics continue to reshape battlefields and reset limits. While drones and AI continue to redefine aerial warfare, wars are not won through technology alone. By reflecting on past – and current – conflicts, this series opens a new understanding of the future.  

Over a dozen current and former pilots bring us into the cockpits of iconic warplanes and into the heart of legendary battles. Drawn from different nations, their service spans from the dogfights of WWI to the front lines in Ukraine. Some are household names. Others had to keep their activities — and even identities – secret. Some broke barriers and blazed trails. All have compelling stories to tell. They fly everything from wooden and canvas biplanes to record-setting stealth jets to drones. They share with us what it feels like to fly in a top-secret spy plane at the edge of space, to train to drop a nuclear bomb, to fire on an enemy while themselves under fire, to fly into a war zone and turn dirt field into an air hub, to tell the difference between a civilian and an armed combatant with lives on the line, to become a soldier when the enemy brings the fight to your doorstep. 

Their experiences are placed in context by world-class historians and security experts. New footage shot in some of the world’s most prestigious aviation museums brings famous aerial weapons close enough to reach out and touch. Archival footage – including exclusive footage shot by our pilots – put the viewer in the centre of the action. A series of animations makes the technology accessible to all. 

Through all these elements, we explore the technological marvels of military aviation… without ever losing sight of the human cost of war. In every episode, we hear from survivors of deadly aerial attacks, from Guernica to Hiroshima to Mariupol. We interrogate the concepts of “collateral damage” and “clean war”. We examine the evolution of tactics, international law, and public opinion. And we grapple with what role aerial weapons play – and will play in the world. 

Picture: affaire populaire / Bianca Domula