Above The Neck: Cognitive Load in the F-22 with Major Michael Broch

In this conversation, Noah sits down with Major Michael Broch — callsign "Mach" — an F-22 Raptor pilot currently at the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base. Mach walks through the cognitive reality of flying a fifth-generation fighter: how sensor fusion shifts the pilot's workload from data processing to high-speed strategic decision-making, and why more-capable technology doesn't mean lower cognitive demand.The conversation traces Mach's progression from wingman to weapons school graduate, with an honest account of the four-ship flight lead upgrade that nearly broke his trajectory, not because of a capability gap, but because of unmanaged psychological pressure. He describes discovering Stoicism, building a daily meditation practice within the pressure cooker of weapons school, and eventually pursuing a master's in psychophysiology and biofeedback training through the BCIA.Mach also shares what he's observed in younger pilots, why sim time remains the single best investment in cognitive readiness, and how he introduced evidence-based mental performance practices to students upon returning to the weapons school as an instructor.