The Aerospace Advantage

Episode 149 — Washington Drama, Boosting Defense Production, Spacepower Update, and Replicator: The Rendezvous

Episode Summary:

In Episode 149 of the Aerospace Advantage, Washington Drama, Boosting Defense Production, Spacepower Update, and Replicator: The Rendezvous, Mitchell Institute’s Doug Birkey chats with Lt Gen Dave Deptula, USAF (Ret.), spacepower expert Charles Galbreath, plus Washington insiders Anthony Lazarski and Todd Harmer about the latest developments in the beltway and the broader national security community.

We discuss the national security realities created by a continuing resolution and the looming potential of a government shut down, plus Secretary Kendall’s call for a Department of the Air Force reorganization and the latest developments in spacepower. We consider variables involved in Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment LaPlante’s call for increased defense production and cover Deputy Secretary of Defense Hicks’ initiative termed “replicator,” followed by an update on developments in Ukraine.  It has been a busy fall so far, so please join us for a very thought-provoking episode.

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 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

Links:

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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #rendezvous

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Episode 148 — Understanding Hostilities in Space Short of War: Harnessing an Irregular Warfare Model on Orbit

Episode Summary:

In Episode 148 of the Aerospace Advantage, Understanding Hostilities in Space Short of War: Harnessing an Irregular Warfare Model on Orbit, Mitchell Institute’s Tim Ryan chats with Commander John ‘Patsy’ Klein, USN (Ret), a noted spacepower expert; Colonel El Gardner, Director Space Strategy, Policy, and Plans HQ USSF; and Henry Heren about what it means to successfully engage in an era of enduring competition in space.

The conversation focuses on the findings of Klein’s latest book, 'Fight for the Final Frontier: Irregular Warfare in Space.'  Klein argues that hostile actions on orbit normally fall outside the definition of armed conflict, with actions short of overt war as the norm for adversaries seeking to disrupt our ability to engage in this domain. The net effects yield distinct similarities to what we’ve seen in irregular warfare. This discussion opens the aperture for applying lessons learned.

Credits:

Host: Tim Ryan, Senior Fellow for Spacepower Studies, The Mitchell Institute Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence (MI-SPACE)

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: Henry Heren, Senior Fellow for Spacepower Studies, MI-SPACE

Guest: CDR John "Patsy" Kline, USN (Ret.), Senior Fellow, Falcon Research, Inc.

Guest: Col El Gardner, Director, Space Strategy, Policy, and Plans, HQ USSF

Links:

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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #a8 #budget

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Episode 147 — No Bucks, No Buck Rogers: Leadership Conversation with Lt Gen Rick Moore

Episode Summary:

In Episode 147 of the Aerospace Advantage, No Bucks, No Buck Rogers: Leadership Conversation with Lt Gen Rick Moore, Mitchell’s Maj Gen Larry Stutzriem, USAF (Ret.) explores the fiscal realities facing the USAF. As the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs at Headquarters Air Force, Lt Gen Rick Moore oversees building the budgets that are ultimately submitted to top Department of the Air Force leaders, DoD, and the Hill.

We frequently talk about hardware like aircraft and munitions, plus the operating concepts and strategies governing their use. But making that happen all comes down to resources and General Moore is the key figure in that realm. Join us to learn more about how he sees the priorities stack, the tough choices that must be made given finite resources, and what this means for the future of the service.

Credits:

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

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: Lt Gen Richard G. Moore, Jr., Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Headquarters USAF

Links:

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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #a8 #budget

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Episode 146 — Regaining the Spectrum Warfare Advantage: Industry Conversation

Episode Summary:

In Episode 146 of the Aerospace Advantage, Innovating the Spectrum Warfare Edge: Industry Conversation, Mitchell’s Doug Birkey continues our focus on this topic with Josh Niedzwiecki, vice president and general manager of electronic combat solutions at BAE.

As we discussed last week with 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing commander Col Joshua Koslov, this technology, the associated conops, and tactics are crucial for success in modern warfare. The nation has taken too much risk in this area since the end of the Cold War, and now it’s time for the U.S. military to reset. Success demands the recruitment of industry talent who can innovate and produce the tools required to empower this mission—a complex endeavor that should not be taken for granted. The talent needed to help meet these requirements takes years, even decades, to cultivate. The same holds true for the facilities and tools needed for production. This week’s episode covers these essential industry-side factors of the spectrum warfare equation.

Credits:

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

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: Joshua Niedzwiecki, Vice President & General Manager, Electronic Combat Solutions, BAE Systems

Links:

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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #spectrum #ew #bae

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Episode 145 — Regaining the Spectrum Warfare Advantage: Leadership Conversation

Episode Summary:

In Episode 145 of the Aerospace Advantage, Regaining the Spectrum Warfare Advantage: Leadership Conversation, Doug Birkey chats with the commander of the 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing, Col Joshua Koslov to discuss the current state of this mission area, explain challenges and opportunities, define key concepts, and provide insights on future vectors.

Spectrum warfare is a crucial element of overall warfighting effectiveness.  At its core, it comes down to securing an information advantage, which facilitates more effective decision-making at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels. Spectrum warfare lies at the heart of concepts like JADC2 and ABMS—empowering data gathering, exchange, processing, and collaboration between various team members in the battlespace. It’s also a competitive realm: our adversaries seek to deny us this capability, and our forces seek to deny the same to our opponents.

Credits:

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

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: Col Joshua Koslov, Commander, 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing

Links:

Subscribe to our Youtube Channel: https://bit.ly/3GbA5Of

Website: https://mitchellaerospacepower.org/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MitchellStudies

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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #spectrum #ew

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Episode 144 — Commander Conversation: Royal Canadian Air Force Spacepower

Episode Summary:

In Episode 144 of the Aerospace Advantage, Commander Conversation: Royal Canadian Air Force Spacepower, Doug Birkey chats with Brigadier General Mike Adamson, Commander of 3 Canadian Space Division (3 CSD); Brigadier General Chris McKenna, Director General Air and Space Force Development; and Brigadier General Kyle Paul Deputy Commanding General, Transformation, U.S. Space Operations Command.

The Royal Canadian Air Force organizes, trains, operates, and equips for a broad range of air and space missions. Building off an earlier podcast episode with Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force Lt Gen Eric Kenny, this episode seeks to further explore current RCAF activities through the spacepower lens.  We discuss challenges and opportunities facing the RCAF in orbit; how Canada sees spacepower missions evolving when it comes to interoperability, protocols, and equipment equity; and how the RCAF can effectively secure desired mission effects given an increasingly contested domain and extend deterrence to space.

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 Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence

Guest: BGen G. Michael Adamson, 3 Canadian Space Division Commander

Guest: BGen Chris McKenna, Director, General Air and Space Force Development

Guest: BGen Kyle Paul Deputy, Commanding General, Transformation, U.S. Space Operations Command

Links:

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Website: https://mitchellaerospacepower.org/

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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #space #canada

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Episode 143 — Decoding China’s AI Ambitions: The Rise of Informationized and Intelligentized Warfare

Episode Summary:

In Episode 143 of the Aerospace Advantage, Decoding China's AI Ambitions: The Rise of Informationized and Intelligentized Warfare, John “Slick” Baum chats with Daniel Rice, China Expert at the Brute Krulak Center for Innovation and Future Warfare at Marine Corps University, and Dennis Murphy, who researches the implications emerging technologies will have on international security at Georgia Tech.

This discussion takes a deep dive into China’s most cutting-edge concepts that are shaping its vision of future warfare—ideas known as informationization and intelligentization. These concepts represent a shift from the past convention of attrition warfare toward a more dynamic, algorithm-driven model of engagement that leverages the information battlespace and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and autonomous systems. Said another way, the U.S. military is not alone in focusing on the role information will play in future conflicts. So while concepts like JADC2 and ABMS are shaping the future of the U.S. military, it’s crucial to recognize that China is pursuing similar vectors and that the PLA's evolution is not just about amassing new hardware and weapons platforms. This episode explores these concepts, and our guests explain what they reveal about China's ambitions to become a world-class military.

Note: Daniel Rice is the China Political and Military Subject Matter Expert at Marine Corps University's Brute Krulak Center for Innovation & Future Warfare. The views and opinions expressed in this interview are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, the U.S. Marine Corps, or the Marine Corp University.

Credits:

Host: 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 & Future Warfare, Marine Corps University

Guest: Dennis Murphy, PhD Student, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, Georgia Institute of Technology

Links:

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Website: https://mitchellaerospacepower.org/

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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #china

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Episode 142 — A Conversation with Air Marshal Harvey Smyth: Allied Perspective

Episode Summary:

In Episode 142 of the Aerospace Advantage, A Conversation with Air Marshal Harvey Smyth: Allied Perspective, John “Slick” Baum, Lt Gen Dave Deptula, USAF (Ret), and Gen Kevin Chilton, USAF (Ret) chat with Air Marshal Harvey Smyth, the Royal Air Force’s Air and Space Commander.

It’s hard to think about a single time in history when our nation fought alone. It’s no secret why: allies and partners are the key to success as America seeks to engage around the world. It takes a team to win—especially in the modern security environment. Working together with other service branches and international operational commanders, Air Marshal Smyth oversees the generation and employment of airpower for the United Kingdom. During this episode, the Mitchell team explores with Air Marshal Smyth how he sees the global security environment and where the RAF stands from a capabilities perspective. They also discuss future operating concepts and RAF spacepower objectives. Join us for this incredibly insightful dialogue.

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: Gen Kevin Chilton, USAF (Ret.), Explorer Chair, The Mitchell Institute Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence (MI-SPACE)

Guest: Air Mshl Harvey Smyth, CB, OBE, DFC, Air & Space Commander, Royal Air Force

Links:

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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #allies #uk #raf

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Episode 141 — Building Counterspace Capabilities: Smart Spacepower

Episode Summary:

In Episode 141 of the Aerospace Advantage, Building Counterspace Capabilities: Smart Spacepower, John “Slick” Baum chats with Col Eric Felt, USSF Director of Architecture; Matt Fetrow of the Space Rapid Capabilities Office; Arnie Streland of Northrop Grumman; and Charles Galbreath, Mitchell Institute Senior Fellow for Space Studies, about how the Space Force and industry are responding to the growing threat environment on orbit.  

Significant improvements and investments are required for nearly every aspect of the military space architecture as the nation works to field defensive and offensive counterspace capabilities. It comes down to addressing the realities of space as a warfighting domain—an imperative that drove the establishment of the Space Force. This podcast brings together expert perspectives from the communities responsible for the building, acquiring, and operating our national security space architecture. The shift to a more resilient hybrid space architecture that leverages proliferated Low Earth Orbit constellations, plus satellites in other orbits, is a critical first step. Additional efforts to improve domain awareness with threat sensors and assure contact with satellites are priorities as well. Above all, we must continue to integrate commercial and international capabilities. Join us for an insightful conversation with some of the top thought leaders in the field.

Credits:

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

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

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

Guest: Col Eric Felt, Director of Space Architecture, USSF

Guest: Matt Fetrow, Communications Director, Space Force Rapid Capabilities Office

Guest: Arnie Streland, Corporate Lead Executive, Northrop Grumman

Links:

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Website: https://mitchellaerospacepower.org/

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#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #space #counterspace

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Episode 140 — Congressional Defense Priorities, Allies Boost Modernization, China Realities, and Spacepower Perspectives: The Rendezvous

Episode Summary:

In Episode 140 of the Aerospace Advantage, Congressional Defense Priorities, Allies Boost Modernization, China Realities, and Spacepower Perspectives: The Rendezvous, John “Slick” Baum chats with Lt Gen David Deptula, USAF (Ret.), Washington experts Todd Harmer and Anthony Lazarski, plus Mitchell Senior Fellow for Space Studies Tim Ryan about some of the latest national security developments.

The last few weeks have been busy, with Congress continuing to advance the defense bills and the looming potential for a government shutdown in the coming months. We’re also seeing a generational wave of modernization with our allies and partners—we discuss what it means for the U.S. from an operational and industrial base set of perspectives. Our experts also assess recent threat developments as Russia continues its war in Ukraine, and as China maintains its assertive stance in the Pacific. On top of all that, we review the latest developments in spacepower—including the Space Command headquarters announcement and how the Space Force continues to evolve meet the threat. Join us for a dynamic, insightful set of conversations.

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: Tim Ryan, 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

Links:

Subscribe to our Youtube Channel: https://bit.ly/3GbA5Of

Website: https://mitchellaerospacepower.org/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MitchellStudies

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LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nzBisb

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mitchellstudies/

#MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #rendezvous

Thank you for your continued support!