The Aerospace Advantage

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)

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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

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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

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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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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #drones #ukraine

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Episode 122 – Air and Space in the FY24 Defense Budget, China and Russia Update, and Fighters on the Brink: The Rendezvous

Episode Summary:

In Episode 122 of the Aerospace Advantage, Air and Space in the FY24 Defense Budget, China and Russia Update, and Fighters on the Brink: The Rendezvous, Douglas Birkey chats with Lt Gen David Deptula, USAF (Ret.), Lt Gen Joseph Guastella, USAF (Ret.), Todd Harmer, Anthony Lazarski, and Tim Ryan about some of the latest developments in the national security realm. Our conversation begins with a discussion about Congress’ reaction to the FY24 defense budget submission, with a special focus on air and space power. We then explore China and Russia’s increasing alignment, plus the latest developments in Ukraine. We round out the conversation discussing key trends with the Air Force’s fighter inventories, along with hot button topics that will garner significant attention on Capitol Hill this year, like engine options for the F-35 and future tanker plans. Join us for unique aerospace insights on the issues you’ve seen in the headlines.

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

Guest: Lt Gen (Ret.) Joseph Guastella, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute

Guest: Col (Ret.) Todd "Sledge" Harmer, Senior Vice President, American Defense International

Guest: Col (Ret.) Anthony "Lazer" Lazarski, Principal at Cornerstone Government Affairs

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

Links:

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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #rendezvous #thehill

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Episode 121 – China’s Diplomatic Ascent: Key Observations

Episode Summary:

In Episode 121 of the Aerospace Advantage, China’s Diplomatic Ascent: Key Observations, John “Slick” Baum talks with China expert Daniel Rice about how the Asian superpower is gaining increased influence around the globe. Much of this ties to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI),  a large-scale infrastructure and investment project first put forward by Xi Jinping in 2013. Since then, it has served as a center piece of Chinese foreign policy. This episode explores how China is using BRI to spread its influence abroad and how BRI has evolved over time. We also discuss China’s strategic partnership and support of Russia, including how China is leveraging BRI to further this engagement.

Credits:

Host: Lt Col (Ret.) John “Slick” Baum, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: Dan Rice, China Expert, Brute Krulak Center for Innovation and Future Warfare, Marine Corps University

Links:

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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #china 

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Episode 120 – Space Security Imperative: Issue Update

Episode Summary:

In Episode 120 of the Aerospace Advantage, Space Security Imperative: Issue Update, John “Slick” Baum talks to Tim Ryan, Henry Heren, and Charles Galbreath of the Mitchell Institute Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence (MI-SPACE) about the latest spacepower topics you’ve seen in the headlines. There’s a lot to track: adversary threats in orbit, spacepower lessons learned from the conflict in Ukraine, the potential for a Space National Guard, commercial industry’s role in spacepower, and General Saltzman’s lines of effort for the Space Force. Each of these issues promises to be exceedingly impactful. So, if you want to get up to speed on what matters in all things military spacepower, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

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 Fellow for Space Studies, The Mitchell Institute

Guest: Henry "Blue" Heren, Senior Fellow for Space Studies, The Mitchell Institute

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

Links:

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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #space #spacepower

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Episode 119 – Air Combat Survivability Imperative: Through a POW’s Experience

Episode Summary:

In Episode 119 of the Aerospace Advantage, Air Combat Survivability Imperative: Through a POW’s Experience, John “Slick” Baum, Maj Gen Larry “Stutz” Stutzriem, USAF (Ret.), and Heather “Lucky” Penney interview Lt Col Gene Smith, USAF (Ret.) about what it was like to get shot down in his F-105 over downtown Hanoi on October 25, 1967. This was just one of the 1,737 USAF aircraft lost to hostile action over Vietnam. That number equates to roughly 80% of the Air Force’s fighter inventory today. Members of the Mitchell team also discuss steps the Air Force should consider as it prepares for an increasingly hostile future threat environment and speak to a museum leader who is helping educate future generations about this history. As Smith’s story reminds us, effective airpower demands that aircrew fly into harm’s way, execute their missions, and return to base—and then do it all over again to sustain broader air campaign objectives. If attrition grows too high, then sorties cannot be sustained. These sorts of casualty rates are hard to imagine today given that we’ve become used to combat operations in relatively low threat conditions. Tomorrow’s conflicts promise to be far more lethal.

Credits:

Host: Lt Col (Ret.) John “Slick” Baum, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

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

Guest: Heather Penney, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute

Guest: Lt Col (Ret.) Richard "Gene" Smith

Guest: Rob Collings, President, The American Heritage Museum

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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #vietnam #pow #survivor

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Episode 118 – China Update, FY24 Defense Budget, and Russia’s Intentions: The Rendezvous

Episode Summary:

In Episode 118 of the Aerospace Advantage, China Update, FY24 Defense Budget, and Russia’s Intentions: The Rendezvous, Douglas Birkey chats with Lt Gen David Deptula, USAF (Ret.), Lt Gen Joseph Guastella, USAF (Ret.), Todd Harmer, Anthony Lazarski, and Daniel Rice about some of the latest developments in the national security realm. Our conversation begins with a discussion regarding the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. We then explore China and Russia’s increasing alignment, plus Russia’s decision to suspend its participation in New START. We round out the conversation discussing FY24 defense budget expectations and consider the long-term implications for homeland defense given the Chinese surveillance balloon. Join us for unique aerospace insights on the issues you’ve seen in the headlines.

Credits:

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

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

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

Guest: Lt Gen (Ret.) Joseph Guastella, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute

Guest: Col (Ret.) Todd "Sledge" Harmer, Senior Vice President, American Defense International

Guest: Col (Ret.) Anthony "Lazer" Lazarski, Principal at Cornerstone Government Affairs

Guest: Dan Rice, China Expert, Brute Krulak Center for Innovation and Future Warfare, Marine Corps University

Links:

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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #rendezvous #china #russia

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