Episode Summary:

In this episode, Heather "Lucky" Penney talks to Lt. Gen. David Deptula, USAF (Ret.), Charles Galbreath, and Anthony "Lazer" Lazarski about the top defense issues this month in Washington, D.C. and beyond.

They unpack how the FY26 defense budget is unfolding—what is good and where is it falling short? The factors involving reconciliation versus the standard budget are throwing in some unpredictable factors to consider. They also discuss Golden Dome from a challenges and opportunities perspective. Past that, news coverage suggests that E-7 might be on the chopping block. Are we ready for a set of capabilities that are entirely space-based? Our experts also discuss a broad range of spacepower developments, plus they evaluate Ukraine’s novel strike on Russian bombers. Join us to learn about the latest when it comes to air and space power!

Credits:

Host: Heather "Lucky" Penney, Director of Research, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: Douglas Birkey, Executive Director, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Guest: Charles Galbreath, Senior Resident Fellow for Space Studies, The Mitchell Institute Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence (MI-SPACE)

Guest: Anthony “Lazer” Lazarski, Principal, Cornerstone Government Affairs

Read:

1. Air Force and Space Force Vectors for the Incoming Trump Defense Team

2. Want Combat Airpower? Then Fix the Air Force Pilot Crisis

3. Air Force Reserve faces steep fighter cuts, uncertain future

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Episode Summary: With threats surging around the world, the Air Force must figure out how to reset and do it fast. They can’t just buy more of what the service fielded in past decades. Fighting and winning tomorrow will require new operational concepts and technologies that’ll give airmen an edge.

That’s where CCA come into the mix. They’re designed to bring new capabilities, more capacity, and empower new ways of fighting. But just like the rest of the Air Force aircraft inventory, just buying CCA won’t be enough. Credible, sustainable combat air forces require logistics—personnel, fuel, munitions, ground handling equipment, and other materiel—to generate sorties at scale. Mitchell Institute executed a major exercise in 2024 looking at logistical requirements for CCA—to assess challenges and opportunities. This involved operators, industry, planners, and logisticians. We recently released the report. Join us as we hear from report author Col Mark Gunzinger along with workshop participants Robert “Otis” Winkler of Kratos, Andrew “Scar” VanTimmeren of Anduril, and Scott “Fug” Gilloon of General Atomics.

Credits:

Host: Douglas Birkey, Executive Director, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: Mark Gunzinger, Director of Future Concepts and Capability Assessments, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Guest: Robert “Otis” Winkler, Vice President, Corporate Development and National Security Programs, Kratos

Guest: Andrew “Scar” VanTimmeren, Director of Air Dominance Systems, Anduril

Guest: Scott “Fug” Gilloon, Sector Vice President of Air Force Strategic Development and Capability Assessments, General Atomics

Links:

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Website: https://mitchellaerospacepower.org/

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Episode Summary:

Fighting and winning in the twenty first century requires next gen electronic attack capabilities. Designing that technology and developing effective concepts of operation demands operational analysis. Heather Penney discusses this reality with Lt Gen David “Kooler” Krumm, USAF (Ret.) of BAE Systems.

It comes down to empowering strategists, operational leaders, and technology experts to better understand how these functions can best empower overarching tactics, techniques, procedures, and investment decisions. Electronic attack is an incredibly complex, multi-dimensional capability. It’s not binary—like a light switch that’s on or off. Instead, there are incredibly nuanced effects in play, especially if various mission systems are brought together in a collaborative fashion. Major shortfalls exist in this area and it’s time to lean into developing the operational analysis required to ensure the U.S. maintains its electronic attack advantage.

Credits:

Host: Heather "Lucky" Penney, Director of Research, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: Lt Gen David "Kooler" Krumm, USAF (Ret.), Vice President, Mission Integration, BAE Systems

Links:

Subscribe to our Youtube Channel: https://bit.ly/3GbA5Of

Website: https://mitchellaerospacepower.org/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MitchellStudies

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mitchell.Institute.Aerospace

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nzBisb

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mitchellstudies/

#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #ElectronicAttack #EMSO #Leadership