UFC referee Mark Smith reveals what it's like to be a fighter pilot

Joe Rogan recently had UFC referee Mark Smith as a guest on his popular podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience. Rogan inquired Smith about his career as a fighter pilot and whether he was ever assigned to Area 51 during his stint.

Mark Smith talked about working at the Nellis Airforce Base as an aggressor to help out in missions. Although Smith was a part of the United States Air Force Thunderbirds, he was never assigned to Area 51.

Mark Smith revealed his admiration for the F-22 Raptor. The internal avionics and stealth capability of this aircraft are unmatchable, according to Smith. Smith also lauded the maneuverability of this aircraft and stated that F-22 is on the top of the food chain when it came to air superiority.

"I retired about 8 years ago... The first time I fought on the range against the F-22 Raptor, and I have fought against everything else in the world, there is no better plane than that. F-22 has primarily air superiority. So air-to-air, dog fighting, long range, short range missiles... Is that a plane or a helicopter with some of the stuff it does."

On the podcast, Joe Rogan described his experience of flying in a fighter jet. He stated that enduring the G-Force was a challenge in itself. Mark Smith elaborated on the importance of wearing a G-suit while flying in planes that can change elevation at the drop of a dime.

Most fighter planes have a G capability [G-Force] of 9Gs. We wore the G-suits on the abdomen and down on the legs. As you pull Gs you're going against gravity. Blood starts to drain from the brain down into your lower extremities. The G-suit is just there to help counter this force. It's a tightening restriction of your muscles.

Check out Joe Rogan and Mark Smith on episode 1605 of The Joe Rogan Experience!@joerogan #JRE #TheSaucerCompany pic.twitter.com/0mLUuWximl

— SAUCER® (@SAUCERCO) February 2, 2021

Which aircraft did Mark Smith compare to a UFO?

Joe Rogan's fascination with alien life and UFOs is well-known. He questioned Mark Smith about his thoughts on the resemblance of the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit to a UFO. Mark Smith agreed with Joe Rogan and elaborated on aircrafts such as the B-2 Stealth Bomber.

When I was at the Thunderbirds, I was asked to fly straight in level for five minutes. There was supposed to be an aircraft off my nose and I needed to diverge to the right. I looked up and it was a B2 [aircraft]. I looked at it for the first time and thought, 'There are aliens out here!'... I had somebody at my back yelling,'Oh my god, what is that thing?'

SUPER BOWL FLYOVER! The Air Force calls the plan a "first-of-its-kind trifecta" flyover in Tampa for the Super Bowl, featuring a B-52 Stratofortress, a B-1B Lancer, and a B-2 Spirit – more commonly known as the ‘stealth’ bomber. https://t.co/pwD9Qy77W9

— FOX 35 Orlando (@fox35orlando) January 26, 2021