The Aerospace Advantage

Episode Summary: In this episode, Heather “Lucky” Penney talks to Lt. Gen. David Deptula, USAF (Ret.), Charles Galbreath, Todd “Sledge” Harmer, Anthony “Lazer” Lazarski, JV Venable, and Brig. Gen. Houston Cantwell, USAF (Ret.) about the top defense issues this month in Washington, D.C. and beyond. Our team digs into what a new Chief of Staff of the Air Force will mean for the service and the broader defense environment. They also discuss the CCA’s first flight, plus Gen. Adrian Spain’s call for an increased focus on readiness in his new capacity as commander of Air Combat Command. We look at a broad array of spacepower developments—everything from the most recent Starship launch to the X-37B mission and NTS-3.  Added to that, there are also a lot of issues going on with our partners and allies—quite a few are boosting their defense budgets, but some are calling into question buying U.S. systems. What does this mean for the defense ecosystem? We wrap looking at where the Sentinel Program is headed these days and consider the latest with B-21 and B-52 modernization efforts. 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 A. Deptula, USAF (Ret.), Dean, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Guest: Brig. Gen. Houston "Slider" Cantwell, Senior Fellow for Airpower Studies, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Guest: John "JV" Venable, Senior Fellow for Airpower Studies, 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: Todd “Sledge” Harmer, Senior Vice President, American Defense International Guest: Anthony “Lazer” Lazarski, Principal, Cornerstone Government Affairs 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 #rendezvous

Join JV Venable, an expert in air force readiness, Lt. Gen. David Deptula, a strategic mind in air power, and Robert 'Otis' Winkler, a national security pro, as they dissect America’s air force challenges. They unveil alarming facts about diminishing aircraft numbers and the urgent need for modernization to face global threats, especially from China. The trio emphasizes the critical importance of robust training, strategic funding, and readiness in a multipolar world, making a compelling case for immediate action to restore air superiority.

Episode Summary: This week we’re talking about what it’ll take to project airpower into the heart of the fight in a conflict with China. Most of the time we think about enemy fighter planes, surface-to-air missiles, and AAA, but the biggest challenge might come down to electromagnetic spectrum operations. China has long-studied US warfighting constructs and they know that our forces are highly reliant on networked operations. Whether thinking about command and control, teaming mission assets real-time, or taking advantage of connectivity to space… the American way of war, especially airpower, requires a lot of connectivity. They’ve focused a tremendous amount of energy to degrade and deny this communication. That has huge implications for our forces. It’s exactly what Mike Dahm investigated in his latest report—Disconnected by Design—Fifth and Sixth Generation Aircraft in Disaggregated Collaborative Air Operations. The concept relies upon a force of fifth and sixth-generation aircraft, plus CCA, that can penetrate adversary air defenses, sensing, coordinating, and executing individual actions at the tactical edge of the battlespace. Credits: Host: Douglas Birkey, Executive Director, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Producer: Shane Thin  Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey Guest: J. Michael "JDAM" Dahm, Senior Fellow for Aerospace and China Studies, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Guest: Col. Russell "Big" Badowski, Assistant Professor, Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, National Defense University 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 #China #fifthgenerationaircraft

Episode Summary: During the Cold War, all eyes faced north anticipating a Soviet attack across the North Pole. The U.S. Air Force was front and center operating air defense radars and sitting alert. Decades later, America finds itself coming full circle. Modern airborne threats like cruise and hypersonic missiles, plus long-range drones threaten the homeland. Maj. Gen. Pete Fesler, USAF (Ret.), Maj. Gen. Larry Stutzriem, USAF (Ret.), and Brig. Gen. Houston Cantwell, USAF (Ret.) discuss how to ensure we’re prepared for these threats. Credits: Host: Heather "Lucky" Penney, Director of Research, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Producer: Shane Thin  Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey Guest: Maj. Gen. Larry Stutzriem, USAF (Ret.), Executive Vice President, Air & Space Forces Association Guest: Brig. Gen. Houston Cantwell, USAF (Ret.), Senior Resident Fellow for Airpower Studies at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Guest: Maj. Gen. Pete Fesler, Deputy Director of Operations, Headquarters North American Aerospace Defense Command 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/ Image Credit: U.S. Department of Defense #MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #ArcticDomain #ColdWar #AirDefense

Episode Summary: America is running short on munitions. With so many conflicts ongoing, our consumption is outpacing what we can build, and we are digging into their stockpiles to sustain current operations. And to be clear…if America is in a fight, we can’t stop until we win. This episode explores this the munitions gap and what folks are doing to try and fix it. And we’re doing this through a case study approach by speaking with Nick Bucci, vice president of defense systems and technologies at General Atomic EMS. They recently partnered with Rafael to build their Bullseye missile here in the United States. This is important because it’s rapidly adding more domestic munitions production capacity, while also on-ramping in some new capabilities that are important for the modern combat environment. Credits: Host: Douglas Birkey, Executive Director, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Producer: Shane Thin  Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey Guest: Nick Bucci, Vice President, Defense Systems & Technologies, General Atomic Electromagnetic 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 #EMS #AirForce #DefenseIndustry

This session features David Deptula, a retired Air Force lieutenant general and Dean of the Mitchell Institute, Jennifer Reeves, a space studies expert, and Anthony Lazarski, a defense policy insider. They delve into critical defense funding challenges and the implications of leadership changes within the Air Force and Space Force. Exciting discussions include fighter recapitalization efforts, Trump’s fresh perspective on Ukraine, and the notable advancements from the X-37B mission, highlighting emerging space technologies and strategies for future conflicts.

Episode Summary: Spacepower is fundamentally reliant on the cyber domain—it is the backbone of connectivity for constellations on orbit, their ground stations, and connectivity to warfighters. Point blank: every bit of data and every command sent to space systems transits the cyber domain. Tackling the challenges of leading cyber and data efforts of the Space Force falls on the small, but mighty team of the S6. From administrative to mission networks and data repositories, ensuring Guardians have reliable, capable, and secure cyber connectivity underpins our nation’s ability to achieve space superiority. Join Heather Penney as she explores this fascinating topic with Col. Nathan “Crazy” Iven, the acting Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Cyber and Data; and Seth Whitworth, the Associate Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Cyber and Data. Credits: Host: Heather "Lucky" Penney, Director of Research, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Producer: Shane Thin  Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey Guest: Charles Galbreath, Senior Resident Fellow for Space Studies, The Mitchell Institute Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence (MI-SPACE) Guest: Jennifer "Boots" Reeves, Senior Resident Fellow for Space Studies, The Mitchell Institute Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence (MI-SPACE) Guest: Col. Nathan “Crazy” Iven, acting Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Cyber and Data, USSF Guest: Seth Whitworth, Acting Deputy S6 (DCSO for Cyber & Data), USSF 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 #SpaceForce #Space

Episode Summary: As America’s interests in space grow and humanity ventures further from Earth, the need to have Guardians in space to secure and protect U.S. interests will likely stand as an emerging requirement. We’ve seen this with every form of exploration: human presence will be interlinked with national standing, economic expansion, setting norms, and guarding security interests. That said, there’s a lot on the Space Force’s plate and they don’t have the resources to cover down on all their currently assigned missions. Balancing future investments against current demands is a perennial challenge. Partnerships with commercial organizations may help unravel this Gordian Knot. Join Heather Penney as she explores this fascinating topic with Max Haot, Chief Executive Officer for Vast, a private U.S. company building next-generation space stations, and John “Slick” Baum. Credits: Host: Heather "Lucky" Penney, Director of Research, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Producer: Shane Thin  Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey Guest: Max Haot, Chief Executive Officer, Vast Guest: John "Slick" Baum, Vice President of Business Development, Vast 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 #IndoPacom #MiddleEast

Episode Summary: The Air Force increasingly needs a broader set of munitions to achieve mission effects in the modern age. Combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq required a specific range of capabilities. Tomorrow’s fights will be different. We need to ensure that we evolve our munitions toolkit to cover these new mission demands. This is especially true when looking at missions in the Indo Pacific—where the threat environment, factors involving range, weather, and mission performance are going to demand a broader range of technical solutions. Join Heather Penney as she speaks with Raytheon’s Maj. Gen. Jon Norman, USAF (Ret.) about how he and his team are responding to this new paradigm. Credits: Host: Heather "Lucky" Penney, Director of Research, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Producer: Shane Thin  Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey Guest: Maj. Gen. John Norman, USAF (Ret.), VP, USAF Air Power Requirements & Capability, Raytheon Missiles & Defense 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 #IndoPacom #MiddleEast

Episode Summary: In this episode, Heather “Lucky” Penney talks to Lt. Gen. David Deptula, USAF (Ret.), Charles Galbreath, Todd “Sledge” Harmer, Anthony “Lazer” Lazarski, JV Venable, and Jeff Rowlison about the top defense issues this month in Washington, D.C. and beyond. Our team digs into newly released FY26 budget details. There are some key issues to track for both the Air Force and Space Force. Seeking to retire 340 aircraft, while only procuring 76 is a high-risk strategy. Will Congress buy into it? Putting so much of the Space Force’s budget in reconciliation is proving contentious. They also explore comments by DARPA leadership regarding the future of stealth and discuss whether it’s smart to kill the E-7. We wrap with an extensive conversation regarding readiness: the numbers are bleak. 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 A. Deptula, USAF (Ret.), Dean, 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: 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 Read: 1. A spectacular airstrike on Iran — and a sobering warning 2. Why Airpower Plays A Key Role In Israel’s Military Campaign 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 #TheHill #Rendezvous #Budget