The Aerospace Advantage

In episode 201 of the Aerospace Advantage, Shoot to Kill: The Day America Launched an ASAT, members of the Mitchell Institute team chat with Maj Gen Doug Pearson, USAF (Ret.), the pilot who took “the shot” and directed the F-15 Anti-Satellite Combined Test Force, and Col Jack Anthony, USAF (Ret.), the Operations Officer at Cheyenne Mountain about this incredibly historic mission. At the height of the Cold War, the United States Air Force demonstrated the ability to shoot down a satellite in Low Earth Orbit from an F-15 fighter aircraft. While this did not result in a fielded capability, the lessons related to technology, planning, coordination, and operational execution offer valuable insight into future cross-domain operations. Plus, the context of the Cold War has remarkable parallels to the challenges the United States and its allies must confront in Great Power Competition. In this conversation, we explore this key history with two figures integral to the program's success. Credits: Host: Douglas Birkey, Executive Director, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Producer: Shane Thin Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey Guest: Maj Gen Doug Pearson, USAF (Ret.) Guest: Col Jack Anthony, USAF (Ret.) Guest: Charles Galbreath, Senior Fellow for Spacepower Studies, The Mitchell Institute Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence (MI-SPACE) Guest: Jennifer Reeves, Senior Fellow for Spacepower Studies, The Mitchell Institute Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence (MI-SPACE)

Episode Summary: In episode 200 of the Aerospace Advantage, Spacepower Roles and Missions Debate, Washington Update, and EA-37B Hits the Ramp: The Rendezvous, Heather “Lucky” Penney chats with members of the Mitchell Institute team about the latest defense news from the Beltway and the broader national security community. It’s September and D.C. is back in action. We explore what’s next for the defense bills in Congress, a debate that is playing out regarding spacepower roles and missions between the services, and the Secretary of the Air Force’s direct appeal for more Space Force funding. We also discuss why it’s such a big deal that the Air Force just accepted its first EA-37B Compass Call aircraft and whether there will be any long-term ripple effects given the F-16 loss in Ukraine. We wrap by discussing Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen David Allvin’s frank remarks about the need for increased attention for airbase defense and we also consider what the results of the Presidential election might mean for defense spending. These are significant issues, so join us to learn more! Credits: Host: Heather “Lucky” Penney, Senior Resident Fellow, 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 Fellow for Spacepower Studies, The Mitchell Institute Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence (MI-SPACE) Guest: Todd “Sledge” Harmer, Senior Vice President, American Defense International Guest: Jeff Rowlison, VP, Space & Intel Programs, 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 #aerospace #air #space #rendezvous #Army #AirForce #SpaceForce Thank you for your continued support!

Episode Summary: In episode 199 of the Aerospace Advantage, Winning Tomorrow’s Fight: Airpower Must Maximize Electronic Attack, Heather “Lucky” Penney chats with long-time F-35 pilot and 188th Wing commander Col Jay Spohn, Josh Niedzwiecki of BAE, and 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing commander Col Larry Fenner Jr. about this key aspect of warfighting.  For too long, individuals regarded electronic attack as a bolt-on effect—an afterthought. Traditional forms of kinetic combat airpower—things like missiles and bombs— dominated capability development, integration, and execution efforts. However, given the nature of the modern threat environment, it is clear that electronic attack will be crucial for both projecting power and helping ensure the survival of the force. This requires a holistic approach to integrating electronic magnetic spectrum operations (EMSO) with traditional airpower assets like fighters and bombers The F-35, as a 5th generation information-centric aircraft, stands uniquely situated in this realm. It was designed from day one to maximize EMSO functions. Its sensors, processing capability, ability to integrate offboard inputs, and ability to derive electronic attack effects from a number of onboard technologies that will help U.S pilots meet the challenges of tomorrow’s battlespace. But maximizing the potential designed in the F-35 demands approaching EMSO in a whole new way. We explore this topic with leaders who develop the technology, innovate on the warfighting edge, and execute the missions. Credits: Host: Heather “Lucky” Penney, Senior Resident Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Producer: Shane Thin Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey Guest: Col Larry Fenner Jr., Commander, 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing Guest: Joshua Niedzwiecki, Vice President & General Manager, Electronic Combat Solutions, BAE Systems Guest: Col Jay "Evil" Spohn, Commander, 188th Wing 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 #aerospace #air #space #multidomain #AirForce #SpaceForce Thank you for your continued support!

Heather "Lucky" Penney, a key aerospace thinker, is joined by Robert Lightfoot, president of Lockheed Martin Space; Greg Ulmer, president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics; and Charles Galbreath from the Mitchell Institute. They discuss the strategic shift from airborne to space-based intelligence and reconnaissance, emphasizing the need for integrated air and space operations to maintain military effectiveness against modern threats. The conversation covers historical advancements, autonomous technologies, and the importance of resilient, multi-domain strategies in ensuring mission success.

Episode Summary: In episode 197 of the Aerospace Advantage, Mission Command: Leveraging the American Cognitive Advantage, Heather “Lucky” Penney chats with Lt Col Fritz “Plugger” Glojek, recent fellow at the Mitchell Institute, and Lt Col Nicholas “Badger” Underwood of Air University’s LeMay Center about how we can best empower Airmen to fly and fight. Conflict in the Western Pacific will challenge US Command and Control. Despite significant effort and progress with efforts like Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control and the Advanced Battle Management System, China will exploit the electromagnetic spectrum to contest, degrade, and deny communication. Mission Command—a philosophy of leadership that empowers Airmen to operate in uncertain, complex, and rapidly changing environments through trust, shared awareness, and an understanding of commander’s intent—offers resilience to the physical command and control structure. Without a numerical advantage or a technological advantage, Americans will need to exploit their cognitive advantage and continue to make decisions when temporarily disconnected from their leaders. We discuss the necessity of mission command in a complex, dispersed, multi-domain fight in the Western Pacific. Credits: Host: Heather “Lucky” Penney, Senior Resident Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Producer: Shane Thin Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey Guest: Lt Col Fritz “Plugger” Glojek, Air Force Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Guest: Lt Col Nicholas “Badger” Underwood, LeMay Center for Doctrine Development and Education, Air 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 #aerospace #leadership #AirForce Thank you for your continued support!

Heather "Lucky" Penney, an expert on Air Force programs, dives into the recent pause of the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) initiative. The discussion reveals how this decision affects air superiority and national security. With insights on integrating uncrewed aircraft and the importance of long-range strike capabilities, Penney and her fellow experts emphasize the urgent need for modernization in military strategy. They layout potential risks from adversaries like China and Russia, stressing that future air operations must adapt to ensure effective responses in evolving threats.

Heather "Lucky" Penney, an expert in defense news and national security, shares insights into key developments in defense. She discusses the crucial role of the E-7 aircraft in modern combat and the challenges facing the Sentinel missile program amid geopolitical pressures. The F-35 deliveries have resumed despite criticism, and there's an urgent need to maintain air superiority with upgraded fleets. The conversation also highlights integration efforts within the Space Force and the importance of international partnerships, particularly with SpaceX, for enhanced capabilities.

Episode Summary: In episode 194 of the Aerospace Advantage, Battlespace Connectivity: Key to 21st Century Warfighting, host Heather “Lucky” Penney and Mitchell Senior Fellow J.V. Venable explore the topic of tactical networking with Galt Aerospace CEO John Kohut. Bottom line: information sharing and data exchange are the key to combat success in future conflicts. Whether discussing concepts like Combined Joint All Domain Command and Control (CJADC2) or collaborative combat aircraft (CCA), there is a fundamental drive toward a far more connected force. The net effect will see individual assets in different geographic locations and domains collaborating to yield a net effect greater than their individual parts. But for that work, a variety of systems need to be able to talk. In this episode we discuss the underlying concepts of operation that demand connectivity, explain the evolution of the associated technology, and discuss where we need to go from both a technical and operational set of perspectives. We talk about things like long-range kill chains all the time—join us in the episode to learn from experts with the operational and technical expertise to figure out how these systems-of-systems actually work and why they matter. Credits: Host: Heather “Lucky” Penney, Senior Resident Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Producer: Shane Thin Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey Guest: John Kohut, CEO, Galt Aerospace Guest: J.V. Venable, Senior Resident Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies 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 #aerospace #connectivity Thank you for your continued support!

Heather Penney, Gary Glojek, and Matthew Jensen discuss maximizing airpower sorties and the importance of high tempo operations for victory in a conflict. They emphasize the need for Collaborative Combat Aircraft to enhance airpower capacity, and how to generate mass airpower at a higher tempo with a higher level of risk. Insights are shared on overcoming challenges and optimizing airpower generation for future conflicts.

Episode Summary: In episode 192 of the Aerospace Advantage, Want to Win? You’ll Need Digital Engineering, Heather “Lucky” Penney explores this technology and its application with Air Force Research Lab AI lead Dr. Amanda Bullock and Mitchell Institute Visiting Senior Fellow Brian Morra. The speed and complexity of modern warfare is increasing at an unprecedented pace. To maintain our competitive edge, the Department of Defense must be able to rapidly develop, field, and sustain advanced capabilities. Digital engineering represents a paradigm shift in how we approach the entire lifecycle of defense systems. Engineers have been using computer-aided design and modeling programs since the 1990s, but today’s IT infrastructure and processing is completely changing not just how we engineer weapon systems, but how we manage that engineering. This has the potential to streamline, de-risk, and accelerate very nearly everything about the design process. That can payoff throughout the lifecycle of a system, from production and sustainment to training. But what exactly is digital engineering? How has it evolved from traditional engineering practices? What are the key technologies enabling this transformation? And what challenges must be overcome to fully realize its potential? This episode tackles these challenges with top experts. Credits: Host: Heather “Lucky” Penney, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Producer: Shane Thin Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey Guest: Dr. Amanda Bullock, AI Research Lead, Air Force Research Lab Guest: Brian J. Morra, Visiting Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies 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 Thank you for your continued support!