The Aerospace Advantage

Episode Summary: In Episode 105 of the Aerospace Advantage podcast, Congressional Update, B-21 Rollout, & CCA Vectors: The Rendezvous, John “Slick” Baum chats with Lt Gen Dave Deptula, USAF (Ret.), Anthony Lazarski, Todd Harmer, and Caitlin Lee to discuss the air and space topics that you’ve seen in the national security headlines. This week, we consider how the Congressional election results will impact defense priorities on The Hill, thoughts regarding the FY24 defense budget submission, latest developments for collaborative combat aircraft (CCA), the latest news regarding Ukraine, and what it will take for the defense bills to cross the finish line this year. We also share our perspectives on long range strike, given the B-21 debut to the public on 2 December. A lot has happened this month and we break it all down in this episode. Credits: Host: Lt Col (Ret.) John “Slick” Baum, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Producer: Shane Thin Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey Guest: Lt Gen (Ret.) David Deptula, Dean, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Guest: Col (Ret.) Todd "Sledge" Harmer, Senior Vice President, American Defense International Guest: Col (Ret.) Anthony "Lazer" Lazarski, Principal at Cornerstone Government Affairs Submit Your Questions: mitchell@afa.org 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 #b21 #bomber #rendezvous #ukraine Thank you for your continued support!

Episode Summary: In episode 104 of the Aerospace Advantage podcast, The Origins of B-21: Understanding the Imperative, John Baum chats with a key set of individuals who were incredibly involved with the decisions that eventually yielded the B-21 program. Gen Kevin Chilton, USAF (Ret.), was the commander of STRATCOM, Lt Gen David Deptula, USAF (Ret.), serving on the Air Staff, Maj Gen Charlie Lyon, USAF (Ret.) was the lead for future Air Force capability requirements in the Pentagon, and Mark Gunzinger was in the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD). The arrival of the B-21 into America’s airpower arsenal stands as a crucially important step in rebuilding long-range strike capabilities and capacity in support of Combatant Commander demands. The B-21’s December 2nd rollout is a critical juncture on the path to realizing this objective. However, this eventuality was not always a certainty. In the 2000s, in the wake of the Next Generation Bomber cancelation, a group of individuals had to build a case explaining why it was important to build a new penetrating bomber. They had to engage with senior leaders in OSD, the Joint Staff, and Combatant Commands to transform a concept into a program of record. This episode will explore this unique window in time with folks who were there. If you want to understand the B-21 that will be unveiled this coming week, you need to listen to this episode. Credits: Host: Lt Col (Ret.) John “Slick” Baum, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Producer: Shane Thin Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey Guest: Lt Gen David Deptula, USAF (Ret.), Dean, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Guest: Gen Kevin Chilton, USAF (Ret.), Explorer Chair, Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Guest: Maj Gen Charles Lyon, USAF (Ret.) Guest: Mark Gunzinger, Director, Future Concepts and Capability Assessments, 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 #B21 #Bomber Thank you for your continued support!

Episode Summary: In episode 103 of the Aerospace Advantage podcast, Hardened Shelters and UCAVs: Understanding the Chinese Threat Facing Taiwan, John Baum chats with China expert Daniel Rice about a set of capabilities the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) may bring to bear in a possible future cross-strait conflict. Based on an independent analysis of unclassified aerial imagery, it looks like the Chinese military may be seeking to harness airfields adjacent to the Taiwan Strait for permanent, sustained operations in the event of an attack. Existing and newly installed hardened aircraft shelters afford secure facilities for maintenance, refueling, and rearmament in the event of surge operations during conflict. These airfields may also be instrumental in a broader PLAAF strategy to conduct large-scale attack drone operations against Taiwan. These are important factors for the U.S., Taiwan, and allies in the region to consider as they assess what it will take to deter, and necessary defeat, such an attack. Credits: Host: Lt Col (Ret.) John “Slick” Baum, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Producer: Shane Thin Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey Guest: Daniel Rice, China Expert, Brute Krulak Center for Innovation and Future Warfare, Marine Corps 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 #UCAVS #strategy Thank you for your continued support!

Episode Summary: In episode 102 of the Aerospace Advantage podcast, Want JADC2?: You’re Going to Need Capabilities In Orbit, John Baum chats with Tim Ryan and Doug Birkey of the Mitchell Institute team about the essential role that capabilities in space will play in realizing the Department of Defense’s vision for Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2). Technologies in orbit possess the unique ability to gather vast quantities of data and move information at the speed, size, and range required for an effective JADC2 architecture. That means if you want a viable set of JADC2 capabilities, you had better invest in space. This architecture must be also be resilient and defendable.  This requires pursuing both passive and active defense features to include the rapid acceleration of offensive and defensive space warfighting concepts and capabilities. This is an incredibly complex topic, but we break it down to the key elements on this episode. Credits: Host: Lt Col (Ret.) John “Slick” Baum, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Producer: Shane Thin Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey Guest: Tim Ryan, Senior Resident Fellow for Space Studies, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Guest: Douglas Birkey, Executive Director, 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 #JADC2 #Space Thank you for your continued support!

Episode Summary: In Episode 101 of the Aerospace Advantage podcast,  B-21 Update, China Assessment, Election Implications for Defense, & F-15s Sunsetting at Kadena: The Rendezvous, John “Slick” Baum chats with Lt Gen Dave Deptula, USAF (Ret.), Anthony Lazarski, Todd Harmer, and Daniel Rice to discuss the air and space topics that you’ve seen in the national security headlines. This week, we assess the newly-released National Defense Strategy, status of the B-21 program as we anticipate the rollout, Heritage Foundation’s 2023 Index of Military Strength, China’s Communist Party Congress, F-15s sunsetting at Okinawa absent a direct replacement, and how the upcoming elections could impact defense issues. We also provide an update regarding the National Defense Authorization Act and where the Defense Appropriations legislation stands. We wrap with a review of Mitchell Institute’s Spacepower Security Forum. This is a ton of news and analysis to pack into an episode, but it all matters a lot. Credits: Host: Lt Col (Ret.) John “Slick” Baum, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Producer: Shane Thin Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey Guest: Lt Gen (Ret.) David Deptula, Dean, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Guest: Col (Ret.) Todd "Sledge" Harmer, Senior Vice President, American Defense International Guest: Col (Ret.) Anthony "Lazer" Lazarski, Principal at Cornerstone Government Affairs Guest: Daniel Rice, China Expert, Brute Krulak Center for Innovation and Future Warfare, Marine Corps University Submit Your Questions: mitchell@afa.org 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 #washington #nds #b21 Thank you for your continued support!

Episode Summary: In episode 100 of the Aerospace Advantage podcast, Collaborative Combat Aircraft: Understanding Next Steps, John Baum chats with Heather Penney of the Mitchell Institute about key factors the Air Force should consider as it works to transform its vision for these next generation UAVs into viable operational assets. The motivation for these new aircraft is clear: gaining capability and capacity necessary to win in a peer fight. Highlighting findings from a recent report she drafted on this topic, Heather discusses why the Air Force is interested in CCAs and not just more manned aircraft, how trust factors into the development and employment of the autonomy technology, and crucial areas of autonomy development that the Air Force must focus on if CCA are to deliver on their promise. This is an important conversation to help understand one of the most dynamic aspects of combat airpower under development today. Credits: Host: Lt Col (Ret.) John “Slick” Baum, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Producer: Shane Thin Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey Guest: Heather Penney, 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 #CCA #autonomy #unmanned Thank you for your continued support!

Episode Summary: In episode 99 of the Aerospace Advantage podcast, Gaining the Maneuver Advantage in Space: An Imperative for Victory, John Baum chats with Maj Gen Larry Stutzriem, USAF (Ret.), and Chris Stone of the Mitchell Institute, along with Dr. Christina Back of General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems. They will explain why it is crucial to pursue next generation propulsion technologies to enhance space maneuvering. Today, America’s national security space enterprise is at an inflection point. Current U.S. Space Force designs are based on constellation architectures with limited maneuverability and few countermeasures. This means assets in orbit are increasingly vulnerable to attack as China and Russia both deploy new anti-satellite weapons and multi-layered counterspace architectures. However, this does not have to be our future. DOD has an opportunity to leverage decades of space nuclear thermal propulsion technology development to create a more agile and defendable space architecture to protect U.S. interests. Creating this new, maneuver-based force design will be a major step toward ensuring the U.S. Space Force has the attributes it needs to gain and maintain our nation’s space superiority in peace and in war. Credits: Host: Lt Col (Ret.) John “Slick” Baum, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Producer: Shane Thin Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey Guest: Lt Gen (Ret.) Larry "Stutz" Stutzriem, Director of Research, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Guest: Chris Stone, Senior Resident Fellow for Space Studies, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Guest: Dr. Christina Back, General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems Group 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 #space #propulsion #maneuvering #force #development Thank you for your continued support!

Episode 98 – Building Aerospace Power: Implications for Tomorrow’s Industrial Base Episode Summary: In episode 98 of the Aerospace Advantage podcast, Building Aerospace Power: Implications for Tomorrow’s Industrial Base, John Baum chats with Kevin Michaels, Richard Aboulafia, and Michael Cisek of the Aerodynamic Advisory Group—a top analyst firm in this sector. America is an aerospace nation that spans innovation, production, sustainment, and consumer markets. Both commercial applications and the national security interests rely on the domains of air and space. This demands a robust industrial enterprise. However, the aerospace sector is facing significant turbulence. Surging demand for military recapitalization after a multi-decade drought, a commercial segment ravaged by COVID, new entrants in the UAV and space sector, and competition for talent from the tech world is making for a very challenging set of dynamics. This episode will assess the health of this sector and steps that can be taken to ensure the long-term viability of this capability and capacity. From a military vantage, it is essential the nation procure types like F-35, B-21, NGAD, KC-46, T-7, next gen CCAs, and a broad array of space capabilities. That demands the ability to innovate and produce. We can’t take that for granted. Credits: Host: Lt Col (Ret.) John “Slick” Baum, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Producer: Shane Thin Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey Guest: Kevin Michaels, Aerodynamic Advisory Group Guest: Richard Aboulafia, Aerodynamic Advisory Group Guest: Michael Cisek, Aerodynamic Advisory Group 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/themitchellinstituteforaero/?hl=en #MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #aerospace #sector #research #development Thank you for your continued support!

Episode 97 – The Oldest, Smallest U.S. Air Force in History: What Happened? Episode Summary: In episode 97 of the Aerospace Advantage podcast, The Oldest, Smallest U.S. Air Force in its 75 Year History: What Happened?, John Baum chats with Mitchell team members Lt Gen Dave Deptula, USAF (Ret.), Lt Gen Joseph Guastella, USAF (Ret.), and Mark Gunzinger to understand why America’s Air Force is stretched to the brink. This is particularly problematic given the scale of threats that define the current national security environment. Without the right mix of modern airpower competencies, core U.S. security strategies simply will not work. Funding is at the heart of the issue. The Air Force’s budget has been less than the Navy and Army’s for the last 30 years in a row. These sorts of realities repeatedly prompted service officials to pursue “divest to invest” modernization strategies that introduced significant risk and failed to effectively balance modernization, force size, and readiness. Resetting the Air Force to meet the national security demands of today and tomorrow is possible, but it will take forceful leadership at the highest levels of the Department of Defense. Without modernizing our geriatric Air Force and building it to the capacity required by our national defense strategy, the U.S. is a great risk of losing its next major conflict. Credits: Host: Lt Col (Ret.) John “Slick” Baum, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Producer: Shane Thin Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey Guest: Lt Gen (Ret.) David Deptula, Dean, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Guest: Lt Gen (Ret.) Joseph Guastella, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Guest: Mark Gunzinger, Director Future Concepts and Capability Assessments, 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/themitchellinstituteforaero/?hl=en #MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #usaf #budget #airpower #modernization Thank you for your continued support!

Episode 96 – ACC on Fighters, a New Air Mobility Manifesto, and the Latest on Ukraine: The Rendezvous Episode Summary: In Episode 96 of the Aerospace Advantage podcast, ACC on Fighters, a New Air Mobility Manifesto, and the Latest on Ukraine: The Rendezvous, Mitchell Institute’s executive director Doug Birkey chats with Lt Gen Dave Deptula, USAF (Ret.), Anthony Lazarski, and Todd Harmer to discuss the air and space topics that you’ve seen in the national security headlines. This week, we cover Air Force and Space Force leader remarks from the Air and Space Force Association’s Air, Space, and Cyber Conference—an event that saw over 16,000 gather to discuss the key national security topics. Of particular interest are comments made by Air Combat Command Commander Gen Mark Kelly about the state of the Air Force’s fighter force and Air Mobility Command Commander Gen Mike Minihan on the need to up the service’s mobility game to meet future demands, especially when facing China. We also talk about the technology trends observed at the conference, the latest regarding the conflict in Ukraine, and what’s set for the Washington agenda this coming month. Join us for an insightful conversation. Credits: Host: Douglas Birkey Producer: Shane Thin Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey Guest: Lt Gen (Ret.) David Deptula, Dean, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Guest: Col (Ret.) Todd "Sledge" Harmer, Senior Vice President, American Defense International Guest: Col (Ret.) Anthony "Lazer" Lazarski, Principal at Cornerstone Government Affairs Submit Your Questions: mitchell@afa.org 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/themitchellinstituteforaero/?hl=en #MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #rendezvous #thehill #ukraine #asc #conference Thank you for your continued support!