The Aerospace Advantage

Episode 132 — Humans Are More Important Than Hardware: SOF Truth #1

Episode Summary:

In Episode 132 of the Aerospace Advantage, Humans Are More Important Than Hardware: SOF Truth #1, John “Slick” Baum chats with longtime AFSOC pilot Col Sarah Brehm, veteran defense leader Mr. Jim “Hondo” Geurts, and AFSOC Special Tactics Officer Lt Col Steve Cooper about the United States Special Operations Command’s core values, what they call SOF Truths.

These tenets have defined the culture of SOCOM since 1987, which means they’ve connected special operators across different service components for generations—and this includes Air Force Special Operations. The first SOF Truth declares that “humans are more important than hardware.” However, given that technology permeates today’s battlefields more than ever, what does this really mean? To this point, how does the Department of Defense emphasize the importance of our human capital when the budget is geared toward the procurement of new hardware? We also explore how this ideal applies to the broader conventional force.

Credits:

Host: John "Slick" Baum, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: Col Sarah Brehm, Air Force Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Guest: James "Hondo" Geurts, Former Acquisition Executive for the Navy, USMC, and USSOCOM; Distinguished Fellow, Business Executives for National Security

Guest: Lt Col Steve Cooper, Special Tactics Officer, National Security Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs

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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #sof #usaf

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Episode 131 — Defense and the Budget Deal, Hill Update, ANG Fighters, and Space Trends: The Rendezvous

Episode Summary:

In Episode 131 of the Aerospace Advantage, Defense and the Budget Deal, Hill Update, ANG Fighters, and Space Trends: The Rendezvous, John “Slick” Baum chats with Lt Gen David Deptula, USAF (Ret.), Doug Birkey, Todd Harmer, Anthony Lazarski, and Charles Galbreath about some of the latest national security developments.

Our conversation begins by exploring the new budget deal and its implications for defense. How will these new spending levels affect the Air Force and Space Force? Next, we talk about how Air Force and Space Force requests are faring on The Hill as the defense committees advance their annual authorization and appropriations bills. Our panelists also assess the legislation that was introduced by Rep Bacon (R-NE) regarding ANG fighter capacity and provide an update about the latest developments in Ukraine. We wrap with an update regarding national security space issues. Join us for unique aerospace insights on the issues you’ve seen in the headlines.

Credits:

Host: 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: Douglas Birkey, Executive Director, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Guest: Charles Galbreath, Senior Fellow for Spacepower Studies, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Guest: Todd "Sledge" Harmer, Senior Vice President, American Defense International

Guest: Anthony "Lazer" Lazarski, Principal, Cornerstone Government Affairs

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Episode 130 — F-16s and Beyond: What’s Next for Ukraine?

Episode Summary:

In Episode 130 of the Aerospace Advantage, F-16s and Beyond: What’s Next for Ukraine?, John Baum chats with Mitchell Institute’s Lt Gen Dave Deptula, USAF (Ret.), Maj Gen Larry Stutzriem, USAF (Ret.), and Doug Birkey about building out Ukrainian airpower.

It all comes down to breaking out of the land-centric war of attrition by striking key battlefield targets, gaining situational awareness to better employ forces, and fighting for control of the sky. The Biden administration’s decision to authorize the transfer of F-16s to Ukraine, plus related efforts to train pilots, is the long-awaited breakthrough moment necessary to empower this possibility. That said, airplanes alone do not manifest effective airpower. It takes the right mix of strategy, tactics, capabilities, and technology to net desired effects. These missions will be incredibly dangerous, but the Russian air defense network does have vulnerabilities that can be exploited. It’s time to lean into sustaining the fight.

Credits:

Host: 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: Maj Gen Larry Stutzriem, USAF (Ret.), Director of Research, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Guest: Douglas Birkey, Executive Director, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Guest: Charles Galbreath, Senior Fellow for Spacepower Studies, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #f16 #ukraine

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Episode 129 — Kill Chains: From 5th Gen to JADC2

Episode Summary:

In Episode 129 of the Aerospace Advantage, Kill Chains: From 5th Gen to JADC2, John Baum chats with Mitchell Institute’s Heather “Lucky” Penney about what it means to secure battlespace effects in the 21st century.

Combat aircraft don’t fly sorties for the sake of getting time in the air. It’s all about empowering the broader strategy. That might involve ensuring a munition hits the right aim point—or launching a non-kinetic operation, like electronic attack. Regardless of the means, netting battlespace effects with combat aircraft depends on our kill chains, the systems and processes to Find, Fix, Track, Target, Engage, and Assess adversary targets. The U.S. military has long relied upon its superior ability to rapidly close kill chains, but this advantage is now at risk. China has developed countermeasures to obstruct or even collapse U.S. kill chains, which could lead to combat operational failures that have devastating, long-term consequences. To overcome these challenges, the Air Force must increase the scale, scope, speed, and survivability of its kill chains. That will entail harnessing information age advantages and doubling down on the time-tested effectiveness of fielding highly capable mission aircraft in combat-relevant quantities.

Credits:

Host: John "Slick" Baum, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: Heather Penney, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Links:

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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #killchain

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Episode 128 — The B-21 Imperative: America’s Deterrence Bomber

Episode Summary:

In Episode 128 of the Aerospace Advantage, The B-21 Imperative: America’s Deterrence Bomber, John Baum chats with Maj Gen Larry Stutzriem, USAF (Ret.) and Col Mark Gunzinger, USAF (Ret.) about the USAF’s newest combat aircraft.

The ability to conduct long-range strikes anywhere, anytime in large numbers has been a decisive U.S. military advantage for more than 70 years. Today, this dominance is severely diminished given capacity cuts and deferred modernization. Today’s inventory of aging B-1s, B-2s, and B-52s is a third of the size of the nation’s 1989 bomber force. This inventory is simply too small and lacks the attributes necessary to fly against modern threats. The good news is the Air Force will soon field the B-21 Raider, the world’s most advanced stealthy bomber. The continuing challenge will be to ensure the B-21 program is resourced to rapidly acquire an inventory that meets operational demands. We can’t repeat the same kind of budget-driven decisions that cut nearly all the service’s advanced combat aircraft purchases since the Cold War. Join us to learn about what it will take to make B-21 succeed.

Credits:

Host: John "Slick" Baum, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: Maj Gen Larry Stutzriem, USAF (Ret.), Director of Research, The Mitchell Institute

Guest: Mark Gunzinger, Director of Future Concepts and Capability Assessments, The Mitchell Institute

Links:

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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #b-21 #bomber #report

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Episode 127 — A Conversation with Rep Rob Wittman (R-VA): Congressional Insights

Episode Summary:

In Episode 127 of the Aerospace Advantage, A Conversation with Rep Rob Wittman (R-VA): Congressional Insights, John Baum and Lt Gen Dave Deptula, USAF (Ret.), chat with one of the leading national authorities on defense.

After three decades of sole superpower status, the United States finds itself stretched thin as it struggles to deal with the rapid rise of an assertive China and an increasingly aggressive Russia, along with a nuclear weapons ambitious Iran and North Korea. While not existential threats, non-state aggressors in the Middle East, Africa, and beyond demand attention too. This scope of concurrent security demands, ranging the full spectrum of the threat envelope, places an extremely heavy burden on the U.S. defense establishment. Decisions made by Congress are critical to addressing these factors—whether from a policy, budget, or oversight vantage. This episode will explore these challenges through the eyes of Rep Rob Wittman (R-VA), the Chairman of the House Armed Services subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces and a member of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee. These two committees collectively cover Air Force fighters, bombers, UAVs, airlifters, cargo aircraft, munitions, and much of the R&D portfolio.

Credits:

Host: 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

Guest: Representative Rob Wittman (R-01)

Links:

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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #rendezvous #congress

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Episode 126 – F-35 Update: Test Flight Perspective

Episode Summary:

In Episode 126 of the Aerospace Advantage, F-35 Update: Test Flight Perspective, John Baum discusses what happens when an F-35 rolls off the production line and executes its first flights with Lockheed Martin F-35 test pilot Tony “Brick” Wilson and J.R. McDonald, Vice President for F-35 Business Development.

Back in December, the Mitchell Institute met with the key folks who are building America’s newest fighter, the F-35. We learned about how one factory in Texas is revolutionizing what it means to produce cutting-edge 5th generation combat aircraft at a build rate we haven’t seen since the Cold War. Given the threats facing our nation and the imperative to refresh the Air Force fighter inventory, we need to get these planes on the flightline fast. So do the Marine Corps, Navy, and our allies. Today, we’re going to circle back on this topic to talk about the other half of the equation: what happens to the jets when they first take to the sky, and what do we need to consider when it comes to flight operations?

Credits:

Host: John "Slick" Baum, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: Tony "Brick" Wilson, Chief of Fighter Flight Operations, Lockheed Martin

Guest: J.R. McDonald, Vice President, F-35 Business Development, Lockheed Martin

Links:

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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #lmco #f35 #jets #ftworth

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Episode 125 – Fighters on the Brink: ANG Flightline Perspective

Episode Summary:

In Episode 125 of the Aerospace Advantage, Fighters on the Brink: ANG Flightline Perspective, Doug Birkey discusses a looming capacity cliff with Maj Gen Paul Rogers, the Adjutant General of the Michigan National Guard; Brig Gen Tim Donnellan, Commander of the Idaho Air National Guard; along with Lt Gen Dave Deptula, USAF (Ret.) and Heather Penney of the Mitchell Institute.

The Air Force needs new fighters, and it needs them fast. When the Cold War ended, defense leaders cut the Air Force’s fighter inventory by half. Service officials were willing to assume this risk because they were expecting to procure a new generation of highly capable fighters in the form of the F-22 and F-35. The problem is that this plan fell apart. We never bought enough F-22s, and F-35 production hasn’t hit the levels required to reset the inventory. Remember those F-15s that were pulled from Kadena last year—because they were worn out—without a direct replacement? That was a powerful indicator about the scale of the current capacity challenge. The Air Force’s fighter enterprise is literally collapsing, and even though the service is planning on buying 72 jets this year, inventories are so strained that this number falls short. This is a total force problem impacting active duty, reserve, and the Air National Guard.

Credits:

Host: Douglas Birkey, Executive Director, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: Lt Gen David Deptula, USAF (Ret.), Dean, The Mitchell Institute

Guest: Heather Penney, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute 

Guest: Maj Gen Paul Rogers, Adjutant General, Michigan National Guard

Guest: Brig Gen Timothy Donnellan, Commander, Idaho Air National Guard

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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #nationalguard #airpower

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Episode 124 – Spacepower Security Forum: Key Takeaways

See our Spacepower Security Forum coverage here!

Episode Summary:

In Episode 124 of the Aerospace Advantage, Spacepower Security Forum: Key Takeaways, Doug Birkey chats with Tim Ryan and Charles Galbreath of Mitchell Institute’s Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence about our second annual Spacepower Security Forum. This event provided one-stop shopping of key space topics by space leaders. From the Chief of Space Operations, Gen B. Chance Saltzman, talking about “Competitive Endurance” and Lt Gen Burt on the critical missile warning and tracking missions, to Maj Gen Miller discussing how to protect and defend space capabilities. If that wasn’t enough, we had the SDA Director, CTIO and key acquisition leaders as well. Tim, Charles, and Doug discuss what the speakers had to say and why it matters.

Credits:

Host: Douglas Birkey, Executive Director, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: Tim Ryan, Senior Fellow for Spacepower Studies, The Mitchell Institute

Guest: Charles Galbreath, Senior Fellow for Spacepower Studies, The Mitchell Institute

Links:

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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #space #spaceday #spaceforce

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Episode 123 – The Air Battle for Taiwan: Lessons Learned from Ukraine’s Drone Operations

Episode Summary:

In Episode 123 of the Aerospace Advantage, The Air Battle for Taiwan: Lessons Learned from Ukraine’s Drone Operations, John Baum chats with drone experts Sam Bendett of the Center for Naval Analysis and Mitchell Institute’s own Dr. Caitlin Lee. The war in Ukraine has turned the world’s attention to the game-changing potential of networked, autonomous drone technologies. But to what extent are the lessons learned from Ukraine relevant to the Indo-Pacific theater? It’s too early to say definitively because the conflict is still ongoing. But this question deserves careful analysis because DOD and the military services are all looking at drones to rapidly increase the capability and capacity of their forces in the Indo-Pacific. In this episode, we’ll discuss the range of drone technologies and concepts that have been employed by both Russia and Ukraine and share some thoughts on how these observations should shape our thinking about the capabilities, forces and postures necessary for drones to make a difference in a US-China 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: Dr. Caitlin Lee, Senior Fellow for UAV Studies, The Mitchell Institute

Guest: Samuel Bendett, Russia Studies Expert, The Center for Naval Analysis

Links:

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