The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies is proud to present The Aerospace Advantage, with Heather ”Lucky” Penney as the host. Every week, Lucky takes 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
Saturday Jun 05, 2021
Saturday Jun 05, 2021
Episode 25 – The Rendezvous: The FY22 Defense Budget Request
Episode Summary:
In episode 25 of the Aerospace Advantage: The Rendezvous the Mitchell Institute team discusses their initial impressions of the FY2022 defense budget submission to Congress, which has significant implications for the future of the Air Force and Space Force. Demands around the globe are calling for a new generation of air and space capabilities. While next generation technologies are important, so too is capacity. This leaves leaders striving to achieve a delicate balance. Add the demands of standing up a new service in the form of the Space Force, and this is a challenging endeavor. Hear our experts assess the strengths and weaknesses of this budget and what it will ultimately mean for tomorrow’s airmen and guardians.
Credits:
Host: Lt Col John “Slick” Baum, USAF, ret.
Producer: Daniel C. Rice
Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey
Guest: The Honorable Matt Donovan, Director, Mitchell Institute Spacepower Advantage Research Center
Guest: Douglas Birkey, Executive Director, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Guest: Col (ret.) Mark “Gonzo” Gunzinger, Director of Future Concepts and Capabilities Assessments, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Guest: Maj (ret.) Heather “Lucky” Penney, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Guest: Chris Stone, Senior Fellow, Mitchell Institute Spacepower Advantage Research Center
Links:
Website: https://mitchellaerospacepower.org/
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Friday May 28, 2021
Friday May 28, 2021
Episode 24 – Engineering the Future: Air Force S&T
Episode Summary:
In episode 24 of the Aerospace Advantage podcast: Engineering the Future: Air Force S&T, host John “Slick” Baum sits down with Maj Chris Olsen to discuss air and space power innovation.
As an Air Force engineer, Maj Olsen has worked on some of the most sophisticated programs in the service’s science and technology portfolio—including manned-unmanned teaming and autonomy. It’s no secret that the history of aerospace power is full of technological competitions. Miss a step on the technological ladder and you could find yourself on the losing side of a war.
Learn how the Air Force identifies challenges, explores how technology can be part of the solution, and then invents what was previously the impossible. It all comes down to people with the right insights, drive, and determination.
Maj Chris Olsen is a U.S. Air Force military fellow at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. The views expressed in this interview are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the U.S. Air Force, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.
Credits:
Host: Lt Col John “Slick” Baum, USAF, ret.
Producer: Daniel C. Rice
Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey
Guest: Maj Chris Olsen, USAF
Links:
Website: https://mitchellaerospacepower.org/
Subscribe to our Youtube channel: https://bit.ly/3HIZWyD
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LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nzBisb
#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage
Thank you for your continued support!
Saturday May 22, 2021
Saturday May 22, 2021
Episode 23 – B-1 Flight Ops: Bad to the Bone
Episode Summary:
In episode 23 of the Aerospace Advantage podcast: B-1 Flight Ops: Bad to the Bone, Host John “Slick” Baum sits down with B-1 pilot Lt Col Mark “Moses” Kimball to discuss what it’s like to strap into an iconic bomber, roar down the runway, and execute a combat mission. No aircraft can match the record of the workhorse B-1, which has fought and flown non-stop over the past 20 years. In the wake of the attacks of September 11th, when America and its allies launched Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, this aircraft was at the forefront of the action. The reason for this was simple: we had few regional bases in the area. The B-1’s range and payload allowed it to conduct missions few other aircraft could match. This was especially important given how stretched thin tankers were at the time, making the attributes of the B-1 invaluable. As the conflict evolved, the demand for the B-1 never declined. The kickoff of Operation Iraqi Freedom grew the aircraft’s popularity even more. This meant the B-1 community was flying combat operations on a non-stop basis for nearly two decades. This was far from easy, but the aircrews and maintainers answered the call.
Lt Col Kimball is a U.S. Air Force military fellow at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. The views expressed in this interview are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the U.S. Air Force, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.
Credits:
Host: Lt Col John “Slick” Baum, USAF, ret.
Producer: Daniel C. Rice
Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey
Guest: Lt Col Mark “Moses” Kimball, USAF
Links:
Website: https://mitchellaerospacepower.org/
Subscribe to our Youtube channel: https://bit.ly/3HIZWyD
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheMitchellInstituteforAerospaceStudies
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MitchellStudies
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LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nzBisb
#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage
Thank you for your continued support!
Saturday May 15, 2021
Saturday May 15, 2021
Episode 22 – Building the Force to Win: Advice for the Biden Defense Team
Episode Summary:
In episode 22 of the Aerospace Advantage podcast: “Building the Force to Win: Advice for the Biden Defense Team,” Mitchell Institute experts Mark Gunzinger and Lukas Autenried explore the military attributes that are required to meet tomorrow’s national security challenges. Every four years, as prescribed by Congress, each administration must evaluate the global threat picture and chart a corresponding forward vector. This is an exceedingly important process that must focus on the challenges as they are, not what might be convenient to believe. This overarching framework, known as the National Defense Strategy, is what drives a broad range of decisions, ranging from strategy and operational concepts, to buying new weapons systems to sizing force structure. This episode explores this process, with Gunzinger and Autenried offering their recommendations for what it will take to prevail.
Credits:
Host: Lt Col John “Slick” Baum, USAF, ret.
Guest host: Douglas Birkey, Executive Director, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Producer: Daniel C. Rice
Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey
Guest: Col (ret.) Mark “Gonzo” Gunzinger, Director of Future Concepts and Capability Assessments, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Guest: Lukas Autenried, Senior Analyst, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Links:
Website: https://mitchellaerospacepower.org/
Subscribe to our Youtube channel: https://bit.ly/3HIZWyD
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheMitchellInstituteforAerospaceStudies
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MitchellStudies
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themitchellinstituteforaero/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mitchell.Institute.Aerospace
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nzBisb
#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage
Thank you for your continued support!
Saturday May 01, 2021
Saturday May 01, 2021
Episode 21 – The Merge: National Security Space and the Future of Air-to-Ground Munitions
Episode Summary:
Join the Mitchell Institute experts for the third installment of “The Merge.” This is your opportunity to hear from leading experts in the air and space community regarding top issues that are in today’s national security debate. This episode introduces Matt Donovan, Mitchell Institute’s new lead for its Spacepower Advantage Research Center and explores his take on the challenges and opportunities facing Space Force and Space Command. Mr. Donovan joins Mitchell after serving as the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, the Under Secretary of the Air Force, and as a staff member on the Senate Armed Services Committee. The Mitchell team also explores new trends that are emerging in the air-to-ground munition realm—a very dynamic field given the return of peer competition.
Full Topic Guide
This week we introduce a new voice to “The Merge”, Matt Donovan, former Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, and Under Secretary of the Air Force who has joined the Mitchell Institute as the Director of the new Mitchell Institute Spacepower Advantage Research Center (MI-SPARC).
Host John “Slick” Baum introduces Mr. Donovan and the members of the roundtable ask Mr. Donovan his take on some of the key issues facing Space Force and Space Command. Mr. Donovan also describes what his top issue priorities for the MI-SPARC issue agenda.
The team then discusses a key issue facing the Air Force: developing the next generation of air-to-ground munitions that will meet a broad range of emerging requirements. Many of the Air Force’s current air-to-ground munitions are decades’ old. They were designed for a problem set that no longer stacks up with the new requirements unfolding in an renewed era of peer competition. Mitchell experts discuss the attributes that will be increasingly important for these new tools.
Credits:
Host: Lt Col John “Slick” Baum, USAF, ret.
Producer: Daniel C. Rice
Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey
Guest: Lt Gen (ret.) David Deptula, Dean, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Guest: The Honorable Matt Donovan, Director, The Mitchell Institute Spacepower Advantage Research Center
Guest: Douglas Birkey, Executive Director, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Guest: Col (ret.) Mark “Gonzo” Gunzinger, Director of Future Concepts and Capability Assessments, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Guest: Maj (ret.) Heather Penney, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Links:
Website: https://mitchellaerospacepower.org/
Subscribe to our Youtube channel: https://bit.ly/3HIZWyD
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheMitchellInstituteforAerospaceStudies
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MitchellStudies
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themitchellinstituteforaero/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mitchell.Institute.Aerospace
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nzBisb
#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage
Thank you for your continued support!
Saturday Apr 24, 2021
Saturday Apr 24, 2021
Episode 20 – Command Perspective: The Royal Air Force
Episode Summary:
In episode 20 of the Aerospace Advantage podcast: “Command Perspective: The Royal Air Force.” Air Chief Marshall Sir Mike Wigston, the head of the Royal Air Force, sits down with Mitchell Institute dean Lt Gen (ret) Dave Deptula and executive director Doug Birkey for an in-depth conversation regarding key opportunities and challenges facing his service. This is an incredibly encompassing dialogue, exploring everything from new aircraft investment decisions and national security space perspectives, to NATO’s future vector and the global threat environment from a UK perspective. In an era where no air force flies or fights alone, these insights are especially relevant to the security debate.
Credits:
Host: Lt Col John “Slick” Baum, USAF, ret.
Producer: Daniel C. Rice
Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey
Guest: Lt Gen (ret.) David Deptula, Dean, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Guest: Douglas Birkey, Executive Director, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Guest: Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Wigston, Chief of the Air Staff, The Royal Air Force
Links:
Website: https://mitchellaerospacepower.org/
Subscribe to our Youtube channel: https://bit.ly/3HIZWyD
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheMitchellInstituteforAerospaceStudies
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MitchellStudies
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LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nzBisb
#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage
Thank you for your continued support!
Sunday Apr 18, 2021
Sunday Apr 18, 2021
Episode 19 – From the F-4 to the F-35: Decision Making at the Speed of Sound
Episode Summary:
The Mitchell Institute is pleased to release episode 19 of its Aerospace Advantage podcast: From the F-4 to the F-35: Decision Making at the Speed of Sound. From the earliest days of air combat, success demanded extreme situational awareness. Whether detecting enemy fighters first and maneuvering for the first shot, first kill advantage, or understanding how to maneuver through the threat environment to successfully net desired mission results—flying and fighting comes down to a simple reality: information advantage is life. In World War I and World War II, much of that process relied on the basics of eyesight and mental cognition. Today, it involves an array of complex, hugely powerful sensors, processing power, and teamed connectivity between mission assets. Although various generations of combat aircraft may share some resemblance, their respective ability to harness the information advantage is vastly different. Join Maj Gen (ret) Larry "Stutz" Stutzriem, Heather "Lucky" Penney, and Justin "Hasard" Lee as they discuss this evolution from their personal perspectives via the F-4, F-16, and F-35.
Justin "Hasard" Lee's The Professionals Playbook Podcast: https://www.professionalsplaybook.com/
Credits:
Host: Lt Col John “Slick” Baum, USAF, ret.
Producer: Daniel C. Rice
Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey
Guest: Maj Gen (ret.) Lawrence "Stutz" Stutzriem, USAF, Director of Research, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Guest: Maj (ret.) Heather "Lucky" Penney, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Guest: Maj Justin “Hasard” Lee, USAF
Links:
Website: https://mitchellaerospacepower.org/
Subscribe to our Youtube channel: https://bit.ly/3HIZWyD
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheMitchellInstituteforAerospaceStudies
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MitchellStudies
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themitchellinstituteforaero/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mitchell.Institute.Aerospace
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nzBisb
#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage
Thank you for your continued support!
Sunday Apr 11, 2021
Sunday Apr 11, 2021
Episode 18 – Flying and Fighting in the B-2: America’s Stealth Bomber
Episode Summary:
The Mitchell Institute is pleased to release episode 18 of its Aerospace Advantage podcast: Flying and Fighting in the B-2: America’s Stealth Bomber. Join us for an in-depth conversation with seasoned B-2 pilots Col. Keith Butler, Commander of the 509th Operations Group, and Lt. Col. Christopher Conant, Commander of the 393d Bomb Squadron of the 509th Bomb Wing. Ever since it took flight, the B-2 stands as one of the most lethal, combat capable, and technologically advanced aircraft ever invented. It can span the globe, penetrate into the most defended airspace, strike upwards of eighty independent targets, and return home safe. This is an incredible opportunity to hear from two B-2 pilots who know what it’s like to strap into the jet and fly into harm’s way. This is an episode you won’t want to miss.
Full Topic Guide
This week host John “Slick” Baum is joined by seasoned B-2 pilots Col Keith “Ghost” Butler, Commander of the 509th Operations Group, and Lt Col Christopher “Crank” Conant, Commander of the 393th Bomb Squadron of the 509th bomb wing to discuss what it is like to train, fly and fight in the B-2 bomber.
B-2 bombers are iconic for their wing-like design, but their performance capabilities are what set them apart. Not only are these airplanes stealthy, but they can carry upwards of eighty precision-guided weapons and span the globe on a single mission. They also fill two roles: conventional strike and as a component of the nuclear triad.
This podcast will afford a “flight line perspective” from two airmen who have deep experience within the B-2 community—both as pilots and as commanders. Learn what it’s like to fly this incredible aircraft, about the specific missions it undertakes, and where the Air Force is taking long range strike in the future.
Credits:
Host: Lt Col John “Slick” Baum, USAF, ret.
Producer: Daniel C. Rice
Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey
Guest: Col Keith Butler, Commander, 509th Operations Group, USAF
Guest: Lt Col Christopher Conant, Commander, 393rd Bomb Squadron of the 509th Bomb Wing, USAF
Links:
Website: https://mitchellaerospacepower.org/
Subscribe to our Youtube channel: https://bit.ly/3HIZWyD
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheMitchellInstituteforAerospaceStudies
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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage
Thank you for your continued support!
Sunday Apr 04, 2021
Sunday Apr 04, 2021
Episode 17 – The Merge: Bomber Task Force Missions, Jointness Under Attack, and Modernization Choices
Episode Summary:
The Mitchell Institute is pleased to release episode 17 of its Aerospace Advantage podcast: The Merge: Bomber Taskforce Missions, Jointness Under Attack, and Modernization Choices. Join Mitchell Institute experts for a roundtable discussion to explore the impact of Global Strike’s bomber task force missions; a showdown that is emerging between the services regarding the principles underpinning jointness; and whether 2021 will see the Air Force seek to retire more aircraft in a quest to free up resources for modernization. This a chance for you to hear about the key aerospace issues that are making headlines in Washington DC and beyond. Our goal here is to cut past the sound bites and provide you insight regarding the underlying issues at play.
Full Topic Guide
The Merge is back this week, featuring the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies team: Dean David Deptula, Executive Director Doug Birkey, Director of Future Concepts and Capabilities Assessments Mark “Gonzo” Gunzinger, Senior Fellow Heather Penney, and host John “Slick” Baum.
Three topics are on the menu: the impact of Global Strike’s bomber task force missions; a showdown that is emerging between the services regarding the principles underpinning jointness; and whether 2021 will see the Air Force seek to retire more aircraft in a quest to free up resources for modernization.
Join our team for the discussion, and hear from the leading aerospace power experts on these topics that are shaping the debate in Washington D.C.
Timestamps:
1:08 – The team discusses the importance of bomber task force missions and their capabilities across multiple theatres.
9:21 – The roundtable defines what jointness means, how it applies to current operations, and where current interpretations are taking this notion sideways.
25:20 – Modernizing the Air Force: does trading older aircraft for hopes of newer types work?
Credits:
Host: Lt Col John “Slick” Baum, USAF, ret.
Producer: Daniel C. Rice
Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey
Guest: Lt Gen (ret.) David Deptula, Dean, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Guest: Doug Birkey, Executive Director, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Guest: Col (ret.) Mark “Gonzo” Gunzinger, Director of of Future Concepts and Capabilities Assessments, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Guest: Maj (ret.) Heather Penney, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Links:
Website: https://mitchellaerospacepower.org/
Subscribe to our Youtube channel: https://bit.ly/3HIZWyD
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheMitchellInstituteforAerospaceStudies
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LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nzBisb
#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage
Thank you for your continued support!
Thursday Apr 01, 2021
Thursday Apr 01, 2021
Episode 16 – 21st Century Long Range Strike: A Conversation with General Tim Ray, Global Strike Command
Episode Summary:
The Mitchell Institute is pleased to release episode 16 of its Aerospace Advantage podcast: 21st Century Long Range Strike: A Conversation with General Tim Ray, Global Strike Command. The ability to hit any target in the world at any time is a crucial military advantage enjoyed by the United States. It puts our adversaries on notice and it reassures our allies in times of peace and secures decisive results in war. Other services and our allies don’t have this capability, so it all comes down to US Air Force bombers. Learn what it takes to sustain these incredibly complex operations, modernize the aircraft that make it possible, and innovate operational concepts that speak to tomorrow’s challenges through a conversation with the Air Force’s top leader in charge of this key mission.
Full Topic Guide
In Episode 16 – 21st Century Long Range Strike: A Conversation with General Tim Ray, Global Strike Command guest host and Executive Director of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Doug Birkey discusses long range strike with Dean of the Mitchell Institute Lt Gen (ret.) David Deptula and special guest, Commander of Air Force Global Strike Command Gen Tim Ray.
Bombers, whether it be the B-2, B-1B, B-52, or the B-21 provide leaders with unique, valuable options. Whether signaling to our adversaries and reassuring allies during times of peace, or delivering precise kinetic effects in combat, bombers are unique combat aircraft. Next generation technologies will see their role expand thanks to advanced information gathering and networking capabilities.
On this week’s episode of the Aerospace Advantage, Gen Ray, from his vantage as Commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, offers his perspective on the bomber platform, its current and future capabilities, the ongoing debate about who provides best value when it comes to the long range strike mission, and more.
Credits:
Guest Host: Douglas Birkey, Executive Director, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Producer: Daniel C. Rice
Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey
Guest: Lt Gen (ret.) David Deptula, Dean, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Guest: Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command, Gen Tim Ray, USAF
Links:
Website: https://mitchellaerospacepower.org/
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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage
Thank you for your continued support!