Pierre M. Sprey (1937-2021) was a French-born American defense analyst and one of the three co-founders of the Fighter Mafia, along with Boyd and Colonel Everest Riccioni. A Yale-educated mathematician and statistician who worked in systems analysis at the Pentagon, Sprey brought rigorous analytical capabilities and a gift for cutting through bureaucratic obfuscation.
Sprey was instrumental in the development requirements for both the F-16 Fighting Falcon and the A-10 Thunderbolt II close air support aircraft. He advocated fiercely for simple, effective, maintainable weapons over the complex, expensive systems preferred by the defense-industrial establishment.
After leaving government, Sprey became a mentor and board member at the Project On Government Oversight (POGO), continuing the reformist mission. He was also an accomplished audiophile and recording engineer, founding Mapleshade Records.
Sprey died on August 5, 2021. POGO described him as a "Pentagon provocateur and mentor" who spent decades fighting for honest defense analysis and effective weapons.