A Nation Must Think Before it Acts
Top Gun at 40
A nation must think before it acts.
Top Gun at 40
July 16, 2026 | 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm | National Security Program
About the Event
For four decades, Top Gun has lived in the imaginations of audiences around the world as the vision of US naval aviation. In the year of the 40th anniversary of its release, FPRI Senior Fellow Dr. Emma Salisbury will be joined by a panel of naval aviation experts including Dr. Sebastian Bruns, Dr. Ryan Wadle, and Commander Ned Breen to discuss its impact, then and now, and its legacy for the years to come.
FPRI is happy to provide this event free of charge thanks to the generous support of our members, partners, and event attendees. If you are not currently a member, the suggested donation is $50.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our events coordinator, Christine Datesman at cdatesman@fpri.org
Speakers
Timothy Breen - Ned Breen is a US Naval Officer whose career spans carrier aviation, defense diplomacy, and strategic military education.
Sebastian Bruns - Sebastian Bruns is an internationally acclaimed naval strategy and maritime security expert, a former Distinguished Visiting Professor at the US Naval Academy, and a fellow of the Royal Swedish Society for Naval Sciences.
Ryan Wadle - Professor Ryan Wadle, PhD, is an associate professor in the John B. Hattendorf Center for Maritime Historical Research.
Emma Salisbury - Dr. Emma Salisbury is a Non-Resident Senior Fellow in the Foreign Policy Research Institute’s National Security Program, an Associate Fellow at the Royal Navy Strategic Studies Centre, and a Contributing Editor at War on the Rocks. ; Moderator
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