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The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies is proud to present The Aerospace Advantage, with former Air Force weapons school instructor and Thunderbird Lt Col (ret) John “Slick” Baum as the host. Every week, Slick will take listeners into the world of aerospace power and help the audience understand what it takes to fly and fight in the sky, while also protecting America’s interests in space. Whether talking to top generals, standing on a flight line full of combat aircraft, looking at a rocket being prepared for launch, or hearing from those who have laid it all on the line in defense of the nation—this podcast will afford unprecedented access and insight into where the combat aerospace community is going and why.
Episodes
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Saturday Jan 25, 2025
Episode 220 — Airpower Perspectives | Advice for President Trump’s Defense Team
Saturday Jan 25, 2025
Saturday Jan 25, 2025
Episode Summary:
In this episode, Doug Birkey chats with Lt. Gen. David Deptula, USAF (Ret.); Maj. Gen. Larry Stutzriem, USAF (Ret.); Mark Gunzinger; and JV Venable about key considerations that President Trump’s defense team, especially the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Air Force, should be thinking about when it comes to airpower.
It's clear that the Air Force needs to modernize faster so it can grow its combat capability and capacity. More cannot be done with less any longer. The Mitchell team also discusses the need to improve readiness. For many years, defense officials defended the mantra of divesting to invest in future capabilities. That approach, however, left the Air Force as the smallest, oldest, and least ready than at any other point in its history. This is a recipe for disaster. The Trump Administration and Congress must resource the Air Force sufficiently so it can reverse that decline and rebuild the service to meet its requirements laid out by the National Defense Strategy. Without adequate airpower, the nation risks losing future conflicts. We also explore core factors tied to Air Force identity and how service leaders can best articulate the value that airpower presents to the nation. There’s a lot to discuss, and this is an episode you won’t want to miss!
Credits:
Host: Douglas Birkey, Executive Director, 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: Maj. Gen. Larry "Stutz" Stutzriem, USAF (Ret.), Director of Research, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Guest: Mark "Gonzo" Gunzinger, Director of Future Concepts and Capability Assessments, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Guest: John "JV" Venable, Senior Resident Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
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