The Mitchell Institute’s Aerospace Nation Podcast

Ask any pilot about what makes or breaks an aircraft, and they'll say propulsion. A jet engine is literally the heart of an aircraft. It doesn't matter how good the airframe's design is if it doesn't have the power and thrust to be able to exploit that design. America enjoys a fundamental advantage when it comes to military jet engine technology. That didn't just happen though, it's been earned generation after generation by developing the strategy, innovating the technology, and investing in the resources necessary to keep advancing the state of the art. That also means producing it in quantity because we need to see these aircraft operational to understand how to improve that next generation. In this event, we're going to talk with Steve Russell, Vice President & General Manager, Edison Works at GE Aerospace about America's propulsion advantage. How we achieved it, where does it stand today, and where do we need to go tomorrow?

The Air Force's commitment to generating a highly lethal force that is technologically superior, numerically sufficient, and flown by the most well-trained airmen in the world is the bedrock of deterring aggression in times of peace and prevailing in war. However, today's United States Air Force is the oldest, smallest, and least ready in its history. Facing the severely challenging global threat environment for the next decade and beyond, these shortfalls set the conditions for an existential national security crisis. Moreover, projected underfunding of the Air Force within the future years defense plan (FYDP) will exacerbate the service's decline. The service's FY 2025 budget request sought to divest 250 aircraft, while only procuring 91. The FY 2026 request seeks to divest 340 aircraft, while only acquiring 76. Anemic funding for operations and maintenance will only advance the downward trajectory of force readiness, taking already historic lows to levels once thought unfathomable. It is essential that the Trump administration and Congress reverse the service's decline in a capacity, capability, and readiness. The solution demands increasing the Air Force budget, while also shifting internal service funds from Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) into both procurement and operations and maintenance (O&M) accounts specifically aimed at re-establishing readiness to prevail in peer conflict. The Air Force's innovative capabilities are only relevant if procured in operationally significant quantities and flown by an exceptionally well-trained force. If the declines in the U.S. Air Force are excused or ignored, the human and material losses we will suffer in the next major conflict risk being significant. Defeat is a very real possibility. That is a price the nation cannot afford.

Authored by Brig. Gen. Houston Cantwell, USAF (Ret.), Senior Resident Fellow for Airpower Studies Russia and China have spent the past three decades developing and fielding advanced weapons capable of striking the U.S. homeland—this includes nuclear and non-nuclear missiles. Military and civilian targets are more vulnerable to aerial attack than ever before. This is a major driver behind Golden Dome. A Russian aircraft launching a hypersonic missile could strike New York or Washington D.C. in less than 60 minutes. Advanced cruise missiles—which are available in high numbers and at a low cost—can transit thousands of miles, evade existing radars, fly unpredictable flight paths, and deliver disastrous effects. The current devastation of major Ukrainian cities serves as a warning of what the United States could face in a future conflict. Nowhere is the country's exposure to attack more acute than from its Arctic approaches—the most direct corridor through which both Russia and China could strike the United States.  America has dealt with similar threats before. The Cold War saw the United States install and operate extensive arrays of early warning systems to ensure advanced detection of Soviet bomber aircraft across the Arctic region. However, those systems have aged out. U.S. Arctic domain awareness capabilities and capacity are woefully insufficient to meet today's threats. A modern, effective enterprise must detect, track, and analyze military movements and other activities in real-time by using a variety of air, surface, and space sensors that collect and share information from multiple domains. It is time for the nation to rebuild its northern tier defenses.

It's no secret that China is America's national security pacing threat. Join us to learn more about airpower and the Pacific theater with Gen. Kevin Schneider, Commander, Pacific Air Forces; and Air Component Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. He and his team are responsible for Air Force activities spread over half the globe in a command that supports more than 46,000 Airmen serving principally in Japan, South Korea, Hawaii, Alaska and Guam. The challenges he and his team work every day are hugely consequential.

Authored by J. Michael Dahm, Senior Fellow for Aerospace and China Studies China's informationized warfighting strategies are specifically designed to counter America's networked approach to warfare. This includes breaking long-range kill chains and denying penetrating strikes their highly networked reach-back connectivity. Given these vulnerabilities, it is crucial that the Air Force pursue disaggregated collaborative air operations (DCAO) as an operational concept that sidesteps these adversary strategies to dominate the battlespace information environment. DCAO centers upon combat air forces that operate as locally networked formations, that can operate even when disconnected from broader networks. The concept relies upon a force of fifth- and sixth-generation aircraft, plus collaborative combat aircraft, that can penetrate adversary air defenses, independently sense, coordinate, and execute individual actions at the tactical edge of the battlespace. This builds upon the proven U.S. Air Force employment of effects-based operations (EBO) and parallel warfare. Just as precision weapons and stealth aircraft enabled effects-based operations in numerous conflicts following the Cold War, fifth-generation and beyond aircraft provide battlespace information dominance capabilities to enable new warfighting concepts that can achieve decisive effects forward in highly contested areas.

The Mitchell Institute is pleased to feature Lt. Gen. Andrew J. Gebara as its next Aerospace Nation guest. He is the Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration for the United States Air Force. While nuclear deterrence is always important, the current threat environment heightens the critical nature of this mission. Added to this is the reality that the U.S is in the midst of recapitalizing all three legs of its nuclear triad, plus NC3. In this position, Lt Gen Gebara is responsible for strategic deterrence policy, nuclear oversight, arms control and the Department of Defense foreign clearance program, as well as providing focus on the nuclear deterrence and countering weapons of mass destruction missions for the Air Force. Join us for what will be a most interesting conversation.

The Eighth Air Force is a storied unit with a warfighting history that dates back to the contested skies over Europe in World War II. Today, circumstances and technologies may be a bit different, but the Mighty Eighth's mission is largely the same: to deter conventional and nuclear threats, and provide national leadership with the means to strike any target around the globe at any time. Maj Gen Jason Armagost is a life-long combat pilot. He began his career in the F-16 and then transitioned to flying B-2s and eventually B-52s. In his current role, he leads the Air Force's bomber and airborne nuclear command and control forces. He is also commander of the Joint-Global Strike Operations Center, which serves as the central command and control node for all operations within Air Force Global Strike Command, orchestrating warfighting and readiness activities for the Commander, Air Forces Strategic. Bombers flying long-range strike missions are one of the most important capabilities in America's arsenal. It's a powerful motivator to deter adversaries in times of peace, and it nets powerful results when we're at war. Only the Air Force possesses these aircraft, they don't exist in other U.S. or allied service branches. Add refueling tankers, air superiority fighters, and powerful electronic warfare planes, and we're talking about an incredible force mix that manifests the attributes of true global reach and power.

Listen to the dynamic discussion with Lieutenant General DeAnna Burt, Chief Operations Officer of the United States Space Force, as we explore how the Space Force is driving innovation and integration to stay ahead in today's contested space domain. From weaving cyber into space architectures and advancing Moving Target Indication (MTI), to sustaining weapon systems, supporting combatant commands, and deepening collaboration with allies and partners – this conversation will highlight how the Space Force is preparing for the future fight.

Integrating space capabilities across Europe and Africa present unique and growing challenges in two complex regions. As Commander of U.S. Space Forces Europe and Africa, Brig. Gen. Jacob Middleton has the lead role in supporting both U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command with space capabilities ranging from intelligence to navigation and communications to space electronic warfare. Join the Mitchell Institute for this important conversation with a Space Force warfighter on the leading edge.

The most important element of any military organization is its people. Within the Space Force, the responsible to train and prepare Guardians rests on Space Training and Readiness Command. To learn more about the STARCOM efforts to prepare Guardians for the warfighting domain of space, the Mitchell Institute is excited to host an in-depth discussion with the STARCOM leadership team, Maj Gen Tim Sejba and Chief Master Sergeant Karmann-Monique Pogue. Together, they are shaping the education, training, doctrine, and testing vital to ensuring Guardians have the skills and equipment to overcome any threat.

As the United States faces increasingly sophisticated threats, the importance of resilient, persistent space sensing has never been greater. Remote sensing, including detecting and tracking missile launches and monitoring weather and the EM spectrum comprises a $23 billion portfolio. Leading this critical mission is Brigadier General (S) Robert Davis, the Program Executive Officer of the Space Sensing Directorate at Space Systems Command. Join the Mitchell Institute for an important discussion on this critical portfolio.

America's warfighting advantage depends on an innovation edge. Defense Advanced Research Projects  Agency (DARPA) is a key leader in that realm. Created in response to the launch of Sputnik in 1957, DARPA works to ensure America never again faces a strategic technical surprise. Their programs focus on the fundamental research required to establish proof of concept. This work is especially important given the scale and scope of the technology we face in an era defined by peer competition. Join us as we chat with DARPA Deputy Director Rob McHenry to learn more about his team's current focus areas and key trends they see in the current security environment.

Join us for a conversation with Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE). As a Member of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Bacon chairs the subcommittee on Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation, while also serving on the Tactical Air and Land Forces and the Strategic Forces subcommittees. Rep. Bacon is a retired Air Force brigadier general who served 29 years in assignments including Director of ISR Strategy, Plans, Doctrine and Force Development; command of 55th Wing and the 435th Air Base Wing; Chief of Special Operations and Intelligence Information, Multi-National Force, Iraq; and Commander, 55th Electronic Combat Group. This will be an incredibly informative conversation focusing on defense through a Congressional lens.

We are pleased to welcome Dr. Kelly D. Hammett to the Schriever Spacepower Series. The ability to rapidly develop and field new capabilities is essential to maintaining our nation's strategic advantage. As head of one of the Space Force's three acquisition organizations, Dr. Hammett leads the critical mission of delivering groundbreaking operational space capabilities that protect assets on orbit, while also defending joint and allied operations from space-enabled attack.

Join Mitchell Institute's Schriever Spacepower Series with Lt. Gen. Shawn N. Bratton for a conversation about the newly released Space Warfighting Framework. We will explore specific areas from the framework and how they will shape future Space Force priorities and enhance the understanding of what it takes to secure the space domain.

Join us as we rollout our newest research study, authored by the Mitchell Institute's Col. Mark A. Gunzinger, USAF (Ret.), Director of Future Concepts and Capability Assessments. The event will feature guest speaker Maj. Gen. Joseph D. Kunkel, Director of Force Design, Integration, and Wargaming, Deputy Chief of Staff for Air Force Futures. The U.S. Air Force is fielding a future counterair force that is sized and shaped to achieve the degree of air superiority required to defeat China in a Pacific conflict. The Air Force is developing collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) as part of that force to achieve its counterair mission requirements. This will require the Air Force and its industry partners to continue to mature technologies that are key to developing CCA that can operate in a highly collaborative fashion with other aircraft. CCA will act as force multipliers that complement—but do not replace—the service's F-22s, F-35s, and future F-47s. This collaborative combination will pose a diverse threat that is more difficult for adversaries to accurately characterize and counter in highly dynamic, time-compressed operational environments. For these advantages to be realized, they'll require adequate personnel, fuel, theater airlift, etc. Logistics are a key requirement to inform key performance parameters, including the mix of CCA the Air Force acquires and how they are employed. This report summarizes insights from the third in a series of Mitchell Institute exercises that explored the potential for CCA with autonomous technologies to perform as counterair force multipliers. Its recommendations are derived from the assessments of teams of Air Force and industry planners, operational experts, and technologists on potential CCA use cases and logistics required to generate CCA sorties during a major Pacific conflict.

United States Space Command stands on the front line of operations in, from, and to space. By providing joint and combined effects to deter, and if necessary, defeat aggression around the world and in space, USSPACECOM has rapidly grown to be one of the most critical organizations in our nation's defense. The Mitchell Institute is pleased to welcome to the Schriever Spacepower Series LTG Tom James, Deputy Commander for United States Space Command. His unique and distinguished background will offer valuable insights on space superiority, space fires, Golden Dome, and the continued delivery of unparalleled spacepower advantage.

Launch and the assured access to space are foundational to space superiority and leveraging the unique benefits of the space domain. Brig. Gen. Kristin Panzenhagen leads the Space Force team that is charged with providing assured access to space. This is an incredibly dynamic mission area—with new entrants, evolving requirements, and threat realities changing the scale and scope of space launch and range operations. Join us to hear Brig. Gen. Panzenhagen as she shares her insights on this crucial mission.

Central to the fight for space superiority is the need to preserve access to critical space services such as communications and positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT). These foundational capabilities enable all military operations and are essential to our nation's nuclear deterrence. The Mitchell Institute is thrilled to welcome to the Schriever Spacepower Series Mr. Cordell DeLaPena, the Program Executive Officer responsible for military communications and PNT. Mr. DeLaPena has a long history of excellence in acquisition and the delivery of unmatched space systems. He will provide deep insight on status and plans of his $22 billion communication and PNT portfolio and provide perspectives on the evolving space acquisition landscape.

Former U.S. Strategic Command commanders, Gen Kevin P. Chilton, USAF (Ret.), Gen. Robert Kehler USAF (Ret.) and Adm. Charles A. Richard USN (Ret.) set the record straight on nuclear deterrence. Given Russia's nuclear saber rattling, China's nuclear break-out, and America's nuclear triad reset, this conversation is more important than ever. Today, a plethora of misinformation, falsehoods, and deliberate distortions concerning nuclear deterrence are espoused as “truth” in public forums. They are written in editorial pages, spoken on the news, and even touted by some members of Congress and their staffs. Left unchallenged, these statements run the risk of becoming accepted as factual by the American public. We must never underestimate the importance of the nuclear deterrent; it is the bedrock on which every element of U.S. national security depends.     Read Original Policy Paper Here: https://www.mitchellaerospacepower.org/on-u-s-nuclear-deterrence/ Read Follow-On Policy Paper Here: https://www.mitchellaerospacepower.org/defending-the-record-on-u-s-nuclear-deterrence/ 

The Mitchell Institute is excited to welcome Chief of Space Operations General Chance Saltzman to the next Schriever Spacepower Series. Please join us for this insightful look at the latest Space Force priorities and initiatives. Our discussion will center on the criticality of space superiority and review the progress the Space Force is making to ensure it has the capabilities and combat-ready Guardians to achieve it.

Panelists: • Lt Gen Dale White, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force • Maj Gen Joseph D. Kunkel, Air Force Futures  • Brig Gen Ryan Keeney, Air Force Futures • Chris Flynn, Pratt & Whitney • Renee Pasman, Lockheed Martin

Panelists: • Col Timothy M. Helfrich, Senior Materiel Leader, Advanced Aircraft Division, Air Force Materiel Command • Mike Shortsleeve, Vice President, Strategy Business Development, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems • Diem Salmon, Vice President for Air Dominance & Strike, Anduril Industries • Mike Benitez, Senior Director of Strategic Product Development, Shield AI • Robert Winkler, Vice President, Corporate Development and National Security Programs, Kratos Defense and Security Solutions

Lieutenant General David A. Harris, Deputy Chief of Staff for Air Force Futures, was the lunch keynote speaker at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies' inaugural Airpower Futures Forum. Lt. Gen. Harris and the Air Force Futures team are working to ensure that the US has the right mix of new technologies, capabilities, and personnel to address whatever the future may hold.

Speakers: Col Larry Fenner, 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing Nick Bucci, General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems Paul DeLia, L3Harris Chris Moeller, BAE Systems

Speakers: Lt Gen Michael Koscheski, Air Combat Command Maj Gen Jason Armagost, 8th Air Force Doug Young, Northrop Grumman Aeronautic Systems   Billy Ray Thompson, RTX

General David W. Allvin, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, was the opening keynote speaker at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies' inaugural Airpower Futures Forum. Gen. Allvin brings a depth of both experience and thoughtful leadership to his position as the 23rd Chief of Staff of the Air Force.

The Department of the Air Force faces a crisis. Decades' worth of insufficient budgets has slowed essential modernization, necessary capacity and key personnel investments. Air Force and Space Force leaders have warned of these risks for years. However, resource decisions were largely out of their control. As a result, the U.S. Air Force now operates the oldest and smallest aircraft inventory in its history. Combined with a lack of spare parts, an enduring pilot shortage, and falling pilot experience levels, the Air Force finds itself in a precarious condition that portends a national security disaster. The U.S. Space Force, meanwhile, is struggling to meet growing demand for the essential capabilities it provides. One of the biggest challenges: scale. The Space Force is constrained by its size and must grow as rapidly as possible. The cost to recover the Air Force's decline and adequately fund the growth of the Space Force will require an increase of at least $45 billion annually for at least the next five years. The Department of the Air Force underpins and enables warfare in every domain, not just air and space. Prioritizing these capabilities can help the Trump defense team achieve its objective of “pursue peace through strength” but doing so requires a new way of doing business and in particular not the conventional stove-piped, “salami slice” budget cutting approach. Using cost-per-effect assessments to make optimal decisions, the new administration can achieve the best use of the nation's resources. There is no time left to delay reversing the Department of the Air Force's current course. The fixes must start now, or the United States risks losing the next major war.

The Mitchell Institute's Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence (MI-SPACE) convened its inaugural space workshop in October 2024. The workshop assembled 55 subject matter experts from across the national security space landscape to examine the Chief of Space Operations' theory of Competitive Endurance against a set of potential challenges over the next 25 years of competition. The Space Endurance Workshop provided participants with a venue to define the actions, conditions, and effects necessary for the United States, our allies, and partners to preserve U.S. and Coalition leadership in space.   The Space Force must proactively lead cooperative efforts with Allies and international and commercial Partners to fully integrate and synchronize capability development and operations in a deliberate manner to ensure the most effective and efficient use of resources for all Over a protracted competition with China, the ability of the U.S. Space Force, U.S. Space Command, Allies, and Partners to have a spacepower advantage hinges on maintaining popular support and national will To gain support and sustain national will, the Space Force must actively and continually articulate why it exists and what it does to Congress, the American people, and even to Guardians Given existing policy, budget, and personnel realities, the Space Force's Theory of Competitive Endurance provides a stable way forward but may create unintended consequences that undermine a warfighting mentality and Guardian identity Systemic issues exist within the Space Force and Department of Defense threatening the success of the Space Force in a long-term competition with China, e.g., proper authorities and resources, a lack of clearly defined and understood roles & missions, and a warfighting ethos Workshop findings reinforced that existing Space Force lines of effort, such as improved domain awareness, architecture resilience, and security classification reform, are critical and must be expanded to overcome a range of challenges that the United States might face throughout an extended competition For the Space Force to succeed as a military service, defensive and offensive counterspace operations must be normalized with warfighting operations to gain superiority like those in all other domains performed by the Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marine Corps

Bottom line, the U.S. Air Force does not have enough pilots to sustain a credible combat force in peacetime, much less during a prolonged high-intensity conflict. History demonstrates that without depth of experienced aircrew, air forces collapse in major conflicts because they cannot continue operations as losses mount. While this crisis extends across the entire pilot force, the shortfall in fighter pilots is especially dire. Solving these challenges will require the Air Force to grow the size of both its aircraft inventory and pilot force, while simultaneously increasing the experience levels of its combat pilots across its Total Force.

Hostile actions by Russia, Iran, and China clearly show that the United States is struggling when it comes to shaping the national security environment and deterring adversaries. The U.S. military no longer has the capability and capacity to defend the rules-based international order that has long been the cornerstone of its foreign policy. Absent a reset, this failure of deterrence could very well lead to a war between the United States and China. Deficiencies of the 1986 Goldwater-Nichols Reform Act severely restrict the ability on the services to prioritize long-term strategic threats in favor of the immediate, non-combat demands of the combatant commands and civilian defense bureaucracy. Too often, long-term defense procurement strategies and requirements are neglected given these dynamics. The resulting failure of U.S. forces to prudently modernize and recapitalize have emboldened America's adversaries to use violence to pursue their expansionist goals, setting the United States on a path toward a great power war. To prevent this and retain the current rules-based world order, it is time for a new vector.

Whether discussing Operational Imperatives, advancing new technologies like Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), launching Re-Optimization for Great Power Competition, or overseeing dramatic advancement in Space Force capabilities, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall's tenure will continue to shape the Air Force and Space Force for decades into the future. Hear from the Secretary as he reflects upon his accomplishments, while also exploring what challenges require continued attention.

There's no question about it: the Indo-Pacific is one of the most impactful theaters around the globe today. Threats posed by adversaries like China and North Korea, challenges and opportunities involved with allies and partners, plus unique factors involved with projecting airpower across a region so large combine to make this area of responsibility incredibly unique. Listen to learn more about airpower and the Indo-Pacific as we chat with Gen Kevin B. Schneider, Commander of Pacific Air Forces; and Air Component Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.

Global Strike Command uniquely embodies the notion of combat power anytime, anywhere. In command of two legs of the nuclear triad, as well as conventional long-range strike capabilities, Global Strike Command provides decisive combat effects that are foundational to the U.S. for deterrence strategy.

After 5 years as a service, the U.S. Space Force continues to evolve not only its operations, but also its personnel management strategies. First-of-a-kind legislation has all eyes on the Space Force as it merges part-time and Active-duty military members. As the smallest and newest service, the Space Force is on the cutting edge of multiple personnel initiatives. Ms. Katharine Kelley, the Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Human Capital, walks us through the challenges and opportunities in the people realm of standing up a new military branch.

The Space Development Agency (SDA) is at the forefront of revolutionizing how the Department of Defense acquires, develops, and deploys next-generation space capabilities. SDA is a key element of a space architecture that is more agile and resilient than any before. Dr. Derek Tournear, the Director of the Space Development Agency, provides updates on SDA's progress and future plans.

As our youngest military branch, the U.S. Space Force is still rapidly evolving to meet the challenges of an increasingly contested space domain. At the heart of this evolution is the newly established U.S. Space Forces – Space (S4S), which serves as the Space Force service component to U.S. Space Command, the newest combatant command.  Listen to our conversation with Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Schiess, the inaugural commander of S4S, as he takes us through the journey of its stand-up, its make-up, and a look to its future.

The Indo-Pacific region encompasses over half the world's population, accounting for 60% of global GDP. China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, India, and Taiwan are all key players in the region—and the world. But destabilizing behavior by China and North Korea threaten a free and open Indo-Pacific. U.S. Space Forces Indo-Pacific was established two years ago to ensure commanders in the region have access to the space capabilities they need. As a component of INDOPACOM, its job is to ensure space capabilities and effects are integrated into joint and combined military operations with allies and partners. Listen to our in-depth discussion with Brig. Gen. Anthony Mastalir, commander of U.S. Space Forces Indo-Pacific.

Since 1960, the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) has developed, acquired, launched, and operated our nation's eyes and ears in space. Maintaining a spacepower advantage requires the NRO and Space Force to work closely together. This not only helps address the increasing threats posed to defense and intelligence satellites but is also essential as critical U.S. warfighting functions, such as ground-moving target indication, transition to the space domain. Join us for an insightful discussion with Dr. Troy Meink, Deputy Director of the NRO, as we examine the NRO's relationship with the Space Force and learn more about how the NRO is changing to meet emerging challenges in the space domain.

Strong alliances and robust space capabilities underpin global stability. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and its growing emphasis on the importance of the space domain exemplify both facts. For the past 75 years, NATO has been the pinnacle alliance for the United States and the front line of deterrence against Russia. Now, as we see Russia and China cooperating militarily and weapons around the globe can threaten the space capabilities critical to NATO, the challenges NATO faces are greater than ever. Join us for an in-depth discussion with Maj. Gen. Devin R. Pepper to learn how NATO is responding to the rapidly evolving and complex global security environment.

Celebrating from Peterson Space Force Base, we dive into an in-depth discussion with a panel of senior USSPACECOM leaders, including Gen Whiting, Commander; RADM Pennington, Chief of Staff; and Air Commodore Whiteley, the Deputy J5 to learn more about the progress the Command has made, current priorities, and future objectives. ​​​​​

Operational Imperatives, re-optimizing for great power competition, and a security environment experiencing massive change—these are just a portion of the challenges Dr. Grayson has focused on over the past few years. Given his time at DARPA, the Intelligence Community, and the technology world, Dr. Grayson brings an incredibly unique perspective. With the scale and scope of his portfolio, he is shaping future vectors for air and space power that will be felt for decades. Join us for an insightful discussion with Dr. Grayson to better understand where the Department of the Air Force is headed and why.

The airmen at U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa are charged with addressing some of the most complex security challenges on the globe. Russia's aggression in Ukraine has dramatically altered the security calculus in the region and beyond. At the same time, in Africa, the U.S. is facing a complex mix of challenges: everything from violent extremism to the increasing influence of both China and Russia. Airpower is vital to empower smart policy options and strategies in both regions.

The Air Force is at the epicenter of generational transformation. The security environment is posing severe risks the likes of which have not been seen in decades; the force is in the middle of a massive modernization cycle—including two legs of the nuclear triad and NC3; the information age is radically redefining elements of how missions are executed; and the attributes required for individual Airmen to meet mission objectives continue to evolve. All of this is occurring at a time of extreme budget pressure, high COCOM demand, and challenges tied to recruiting and retention. This is a no-fail era for the Air Force. The decisions made in the coming years will radically impact options available to future leaders for decades.

Key Takeaways: - SmallSats will be an essential element to deliver space superiority within the construct of Competitive Endurance - Improvements in space domain awareness and responsible counterspace operations are possible with SmallSats - The low cost, rapid development timelines, and versatility of SmallSats can keep the Space Force ahead of competitors and adversaries - Changes to space acquisition, operations, and sustainment will enable the full adoption of SmallSats into the space architecture ​​​​​

With China engaged in a nuclear break-out, Russia upgrading its nuclear capabilities, plus Iran and North Korea aggressively pursuing their nuclear ambitions—a credible, capable, and safe U.S. nuclear deterrent is more important than ever. The imperatives are clear: to deter adversaries, reassure allies, and provide national leaders with key options whether in peacetime or war. That is why it is so important the U.S. pursue modernization for all three legs of its nuclear triad, including command and control. While present capabilities remain viable, their advanced age and the evolution of the threat environment demand new solutions. This is especially true for the Air Force's intercontinental ballistic missile and bomber legs of the triad. Lt Gen Gebara is a key defense leader in this effort.

Brig Gen Michael “Jekyll” Winkler, USAF (Ret.), the Deputy Director for Air and Cyberspace Operations of the Pacific Air Forces, and Mitchell's J. Michael Dahm explore how the Department of Defense and Congress can and must prepare the Air Force to fight from their forward air bases to generate combat effects while under attack. Link to the report

The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies invites you to enjoy our Aerospace Nation with Gen Kenneth S. Wilsbach, Commander, Air Combat Command. Whether discussing missions like air superiority, air battle management, electromagnetic spectrum operations, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, or combat search and rescue—the airmen of ACC execute missions that are foundational to modern warfare. Ask any combatant commander and they want more ACC airpower. However, years of budget pressures and non-stop operational deployments have yielded a force that is stretched thin. This decade marks a major wave of modernization to reset units throughout ACC, with many of these investments combining long standing tenets of air warfare with new realities of the information age. Pair those realities with a burgeoning threat environment and it is clear General Wilsbach and his team are looking at a distinct number of challenges and opportunities. What's beyond certainty is that ACC will be an essential actor in any operation today and tomorrow. Listen to our thought-provoking conversation with one of America's top air commanders to learn where ACC is today and where it's going in the future.

The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies invites you to enjoy our Schriever Spacepower Series with Lt Gen David N. Miller, Jr., Commander, Space Operations Command, United States Space Force. As part of Great Power Competition, the United States today confronts numerous threats to our space capabilities and infrastructure. China has demonstrated the ability to strike ground sites, command and control networks, and satellites in orbit. Ensuring the Space Force is postured for this operational reality is the responsibility of the Space Operations Command (SpOC) under the command of Lt Gen David “Rock” Miller, Jr. Listen to our event audio for an insightful discussion with Lt Gen Miller about SpOC priorities and current efforts to meet and overcome emerging challenges to our space superiority.

It's no secret: whether considering the relative scale of Russia's military power or confining rules of engagement, Ukraine's fight to reclaim territory is challenging. Lt Gen David A. Deptula, USAF (Ret.), Dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, and co-author Dr. Christopher Bowie released a new solution-oriented report on the conflict that includes a comprehensive, integrated approach for Ukraine to achieve air superiority. As part of this discussion, Gen Philip M. Breedlove, USAF (Ret.), the 17th Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO Allied Command Operations; Gen Tod Wolters, USAF (Ret.), the 19th Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO Allied Command Operations; and Gen Jeffrey Harrigian, USAF (Ret.), former Commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and U.S. Air Forces Africa, also offered their perspectives.. The report is informed by a recent trip Lt Gen Deptula took to Ukraine to help advise members of their military leadership team. Topics discussed center around strategy and concepts of operation, especially through an airpower lens. A largely ground-centric approach to the conflict has yielded a brutal attrition fight—one that numerically favors Russia. Airpower could provide Ukraine with the edge it needs to gain an advantage over the Russians, break through their front lines, and change the course of the war. Given what is at stake in this fight—especially with China watching—it is crucial to consider alternate courses of action. With their combined decades of experience and given their unique perspectives on Ukraine, the conversation between Lt Gen Deptula, Gen Breedlove, Gen Harrigian, and Dr. Bowie was incredibly thought-provoking, insightful, and direct. Bottom line, it is time to start focusing on what it looks like to win, and not just avoid losing day-by-day.

The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies invites you to enjoy our Schriever Spacepower Series with Gen Stephen N. Whiting, Commander, United States Space Command, United States Space Force. Space capabilities, services, and effects are now an indispensable part of daily life and foundational to the structure and operation of the U.S. military. United States Space Command is the Combatant Command charged with ensuring that the American people, and American warfighters in particular, never experience a day without space. That responsibility is more important and more challenging than ever. Increasing threats, growing congestion, and expanding opportunities in the domain add complexity and criticality to Space Command's mission. Listen to this in-depth discussion with Gen Whiting to learn more about the mission of the newest Combatant Command, its interactions with the Space Force and other services, and how it is leading the way in space.