The Mitchell Institute’s Aerospace Nation Podcast

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.

Join Lt Gen Dale White, a leader in Air Force acquisition, Maj Gen Joseph D. Kunkel, a force design expert, Chris Flynn from Pratt & Whitney, and Renee Pasman of Lockheed Martin for an engaging discussion on the future of airpower. They delve into the critical need for innovation in military capabilities to counter new threats, the evolution of military propulsion technologies, and the importance of agility in defense operations. The conversation also touches on collaboration between the defense sector and government for optimizing war readiness.

Col Timothy M. Helfrich, a Senior Materiel Leader for the Air Force, discusses advancements in the CCA program and innovative design challenges. Mike Shortsleeve from General Atomics highlights the hurdles of integrating autonomy into aircraft. Diem Salmon of Anduril shares insights on collaborative approaches to CCA development, while Mike Benitez from Shield AI emphasizes mission autonomy integration. Robert Winkler from Kratos outlines the importance of effective schedule management for military tech. The guests explore future prospects for CCA and the continued evolution of military capabilities.

Lt. Gen. David A. Harris, Deputy Chief of Staff for Air Force Futures, shares his insights on the future of military operations. He discusses the essential balance in military force design and the integration of technologies to meet evolving threats. The conversation delves into aircraft survivability, highlighting diverse technologies and collaborative combat. Modularity in military capabilities emerges as a crucial theme, with real-world examples showing its impact. Harris emphasizes adaptive thinking and tailored training for airmen to tackle contemporary challenges effectively.

Larry Fenner, Commander of the 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing, leads a discussion on the vital role of electromagnetic spectrum operations in modern military strategies. Alongside Chris Moeller from BAE Systems, Nick Bucci of General Atomics, and Paul DeLia from L3Harris, they delve into how the Ukraine conflict informs current practices and the need for rapid adaptability in response to new threats. The conversation also covers the evolution of directed energy weapons, challenges in electronic warfare training, and strategies to counter emerging threats from Russia and China.

Join Lt Gen Michael Koscheski, Deputy Commander of the Air Combat Command, Maj Gen Jason Armagost, Commander of the 8th Air Force, Doug Young from Northrop Grumman, and Billy Ray Thompson of RTX as they delve into the future of air power. They discuss the shift from traditional air dominance to modern strategies, the evolution of the B21 program, and the importance of unmanned systems. The conversation also highlights advancements in targeting complexities and the necessity for adaptive munitions in an era of great power competition.

General David W. Allvin, the 23rd Chief of Staff of the Air Force, shares insights on the evolution of the Air Force in tackling global threats. He discusses the shift towards unified training to enhance readiness for high-stakes conflicts, emphasizing strategic foresight and adaptability. Agility and speed in military operations are highlighted as key factors for maintaining a competitive edge. Allvin advocates for integrated capabilities to tackle emerging challenges, ensuring the Air Force remains prepared for future airpower needs.

Mark Gunzinger, a retired Air Force Colonel and aerospace strategy expert, discusses the urgent crises facing the U.S. Air Force and Space Force. With budget constraints leading to the oldest aircraft inventory ever, Gunzinger emphasizes the need for at least $45 billion annually to modernize capabilities. He outlines the risks of declining nuclear readiness and personnel shortages, advocating for strategic investments and transparency in defense spending. The conversation focuses on adapting to rising global threats, particularly from China, and promoting efficient resource allocation for national security.

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