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I know that non-fighter aircraft have a PTT button on the yoke for when the pilots need to transmit via radio. However, commercial aircraft usually have 2-handed yokes while jet fighters usually just has a "stick" which I imagine would make transmitting easier in commercial planes. Not to mention that commercial planes, under normal circumstances, also do not need to maneuver like fighters during combat maneuvers.

So, do fighter jets have a PTT button on the stick, or do the pilots wear something like a microphone that automatically picks up audio then transmits, or is it something else?

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    $\begingroup$ The commercial plane yoke/stick comparison isn’t as straightforward- Airbus, roughly half the passenger plane market, uses sticks. $\endgroup$
    – 300D7309EF17
    Commented Sep 5 at 4:31

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The PTT mic switch on a fighter aircraft is typically on the throttle(s), actuated with the pilot's left thumb. The control stick has plenty of buttons and switches, but they're typically used to control radar & other sensors, weapons delivery, and such things -- things that might need to be actuated at about the same time that a radio transmission needs to happen. So the usual convention is that the mic switch is about the only thing that the thumb of the left hand, on the throttle/s, is needed for.

Wikipedia provides this diagram of the switches on an F-16's stick and throttle:

Wikipedia's diagram of switches on F-16 stick and throttle

In this case, the pilot's left thumb has a couple other controls it can manipulate, but they're sufficiently non-time-sensitive that it's not a problem being unable to manipulate them at the same instant as keying the mic. Also, on this setup, the PTT works in two directions, pushing forward to talk on the VHF radio (perhaps to forces on the ground or to other aircraft in formation) and pushing the same switch backwards to talk on the UHF radio (perhaps to an AWACS or tanker aircraft). (The diagram also shows "In" and "Out" positions, pushing that switch to the right or left. I'm not sure where those transmissions would go.)

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  • $\begingroup$ this is a great answer! can you reco some links for further reading? $\endgroup$
    – ajthealchemist
    Commented Sep 5 at 8:29
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    $\begingroup$ Wikipedia has a well-labeled diagram of the switches for an F-16; I'll see if others are better & edit something into the answer. $\endgroup$
    – Ralph J ♦
    Commented Sep 5 at 13:31

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