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

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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #CollaborativeCombatAircraft #CCA #Leadership

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

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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #ElectronicAttack #EMSO #Leadership

Episode Summary:

Join us to learn more about the latest developments in Chinese airpower and spacepower developments. Heather Penney and Mike "JDAM" Dahm discuss a wide range of topics, including an update on China’s 6th generation fighters and recent PLA exercises in the Taiwan Strait. They discuss what is happening with more missing PLA generals and dynamics between Xi Jinping and Vladamir Putin. The INDOPACOM Commander Admiral Paparo just testified on the Hill about China’s military and the PLA just released a new national security white paper. We also explore Chinese fighter performance in the recent conflict between Pakistan and India.

Credits:

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

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: J. Michael "JDAM" Dahm, Senior Resident Fellow for Aerospace and China Studies, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #China #Russia

Episode Summary:

Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) stand forth as one of the most important airpower developments of the twenty-first century. We learn more about CCA by talking to two of the people involved with developing and building them: Mike Atwood from General Atomics and Andrew “Scar” Van Timmeren of Anduril.

CCA’s ability to harness the traditional attributes of range, speed, survivability, and a broad range of mission effects with the power of autonomy, artificial intelligence, and manned-unmanned teaming will yield an incredibly powerful tool for airmen and the broader joint military enterprise. We explain this technological journey, explore where the program currently stands, and discuss the pathway for production, test, and initial operational fielding.

Credits:

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

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: Michael Atwood, Vice President, Advanced Programs, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems

Guest: Andrew "Scar" Van Timmeren, Senior Director - Air Dominance Systems, Anduril Industries

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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #CCA #Autonomy

Episode Summary:

In this Rendezvous episode, we discuss top Air Force and Space Force developments in Washington, D.C., and beyond.

Topics include the latest defense budget plus-up via reconciliation and what this means for air and space power. We also discuss INDOPACOM Commander Admiral Paparo’s testimony regarding airpower gaps in the Pacific and Lockheed’s new vision for the F-35 in the wake of Boeing winning the F-47 competition. The team explores two of the Space Force’s new foundational documents: Space Force Doctrine Document 1 and Space Warfighting, a Framework for Planners. The conversation also explains why it’s so consequential that Michigan is going to see the F-15EX, the importance of a new electronic warfare squadron that opened at Eglin AFB, and why it’s a big deal that a new weather capability is now operational in space. Join us to learn more about these topics and more.

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: Jennifer "Boots" Reeves, Senior Resident Fellow for Space Studies, The Mitchell Institute Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence (MI-SPACE)

Guest: Todd “Sledge” Harmer, Senior Vice President, American Defense International

Guest: Guest: Jeff "Rowli" Rowlison, VP, Space & Intel Programs, American Defense International

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

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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #Rendezvous #Politics

Episode Summary:

France is America’s oldest ally. We’ve been through a lot: the American Revolution over 250 years ago, two World Wars, and ongoing worldwide military operations. Our two nations have stood side by side when it mattered most. This connection endures.

These days, it’s more important than ever, considering China’s rise, Russia’s aggression in Europe, and other elements of instability we see around the globe. A key component of this security relationship depends on robust aerospace power. Modern military operations don’t work without mastering these domains. Our adversaries know this, and that’s why they’re working hard to challenge us in these realms. Heather Penney discusses these variables with Brig Gen Nicolas Chambaz, the leader charged with overseeing international relations for the French Air and Space Force headquarters. He’s a career pilot with over 4,000 flight hours under his belt, including 50 combat operations. In particular, we explore the French Air & Space Force’s latest Strategic Vision, The Sky as a Battlefield.

Credits:

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

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: Brig Gen Houston "Slider" Cantwell, USAF (Ret.), The Air & Space Forces Association

Guest: Brig Gen Nicolas Chambaz, General Officer "International Relations" of the Air and Space Force

Read:

The Sky as a Battlefield Document

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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #Vietnam #POW #History

Episode Summary:

This week, The Aerospace Advantage takes a break for Easter, but that doesn't mean our listeners need to take a pause. In this week's episode we reach back to a previously recorded conversation where the Mitchell team reflects on the air war over Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War and speaks with combat pilot and POW Lt Col Gene Smith, USAF (Ret). Not only did Lt Col Smith fly and fight in some of the most heavily defended airspace in the history of aerial warfare, but he also spent over five years as a POW—facing conditions that pushed him to the brink. Despite these challenges, Lt Col Smith and his fellow POWs prevailed.

The Air Force lost 1,737 aircraft over Vietnam. That’s roughly 80% of the Air Force’s current fighter inventory. Those losses are hard to imagine today given the relatively permissive conditions that our airmen have operated in since the end of the Cold War. Tomorrow’s conflicts, however, promise to be far more costly, which is why it's important to reflect on our history and learn from the past in order to properly leverage the effects of American airpower.

Credits:

Host: John "Slick" Baum, Non-resident Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: Maj Gen Larry "Stutz" Stutzriem, USAF (Ret.), Executive Vice President, The Air & Space Forces Association

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

Guest: Lt Col Richard “Gene” Smith, USAF (Ret.)

Guest: Rob Collings, President & Financial Director, The American Heritage Museum

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