The Mitchell Institute’s Aerospace Nation Podcast

Few regions are as strategically significant as the Pacific. The persistent challenges posed by adversaries like China and North Korea, the critical importance of alliances and partnerships, and the sheer scale of projecting airpower across this expansive theater make it one of the most complex and consequential areas of responsibility in the world today. Gen. Schneider is responsible for Air Force activities spread over half the g...

Combat Forces Command is responsible for generating, presenting, and sustaining combat-ready space control, global operations, and combat service support forces capable of defending the nation’s interests in, from, and to space. Lt. Gen. Gagnon’s insights and deep connections with the intelligence community will paint a clear picture of the evolving threat environment and the Space Force’s ability to maintain spac...

Autonomy and AI dominate the defense debate. Whether talking about next generation collaborative combat aircraft, command and control decision making aids, or cyberspace tools–there’s no question that these technologies are reshaping national security.

Frank Kendall will join us to discuss this topic, which he explored in his recently released book “Lethal Autonomy: The Future of Warfare Whether We Like It Or Not....

Lt. Gen. Steve Whitney serves as the Director, Force Structure, Resources and Assessment, J-8. In this position, he oversees the development of capabilities, conducts studies and assessments, and evaluates plans and programs for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He also serves as Secretary of the Joint Requirements Oversight Council and Chairman of the Joint Capabilities Board. Lt. Gen. Whitney plays an important role in e...

Through authorization and appropriation, Congress holds the definitive power to shape military growth and readiness. As the nation’s youngest and smallest service, it is vital for the Space Force to have effective advocacy on the Hill. Leading this effort are Brigadier General Nikki Frankino, Legislative Liaison for the U.S. Space Force and Ms. Melissa Blakesly, the Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional Budge...

Space has become an indispensable element of modern military, economic, and societal functions, yet the character of conflict in the space domain is only just emerging and is not well understood. The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence (MI-SPACE) held a two-day unclassified workshop that sought to clarify how hostile acts in space might be identified, how escalation thresholds could be...

Join us to learn more about current Air Force priorities with Vice Chief of Staff Gen. John Lamontagne. As one of the service’s top leaders, Gen. Lamontagne plays an instrumental role in organizing, training, and equipping Airmen across the force. His insights will be incredibly valuable give this year’s historic defense investments and pressing global security requirements. This is a conversation you won’t&n...

With the Trump Administration requesting a major defense budget boost, it’s now up to Congress to turn this proposal into reality. To discuss this and a wide variety of national security topics, we are pleased to welcome Congressman August Pfluger (R-TX). Before his time in Congress, Congressman Pfluger graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy and served for over two decades as a fighter pilot–including time as a squad...

As the modern space race heats up and more humans venture into orbit and to the Moon, the Space Force will likely need to place Guardians in space to defend American interests. In the latest paper from the Mitchell Institute’s Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence, Col (ret) Kyle “Puma” Pumroy outlines the conditions requiring future human military spaceflight and the steps the Space Force can take to make it ...

The Space Force is on the verge of one of the largest percentage budget increases of any military service in history. Brig. Gen. Christopher “Trigger” Fernengel will have a significant role in shaping what the service will prioritize and how it will manage this growth. As Resourcing Lead, he is responsible for executing U.S. Space Force programs across the Future Years Defense Plan and the Program Objective Memorandum. ...

Gen. Stephen N. Whiting, Commander of U.S. Space Command, is responsible for defending U.S. and allied interests in the space domain, while also providing space-enabled combat effects to joint warfighters around the globe. He exercises combatant command authority over Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Airmen and Guardians operating ground and space-based systems around the world. From growing Multinational Force Operation Olympic De...

Ensuring Guardians and their weapon systems are combat credible demands an innovative, realistic test and training approach. The Operational Test and Training Infrastructure (OTTI) is that approach—combining live and virtual elements to represent the range of threats and operating conditions the Space Force might face.

Join us for an in-depth discussion with Colonel Corey Klopstein, the Program Executive Officer for OTTI...

Mobility is the backbone behind any successful military operation, both in peacetime and war. Whether talking about cargo aircraft, aerial refueling tankers,  or the airmen who empower the logistics enterprise, the Air Force provides fundamental elements of this capability to the nation.  Lt. Gen. Rebecca Sonkiss, Deputy Commander of Air Mobility Command, joins us for a conversation to learn more about current operat...

Whether the U.S. Air Force can succeed in future combat operations will depend on key force design decisions and corresponding modernization choices. The Mitchell Institute assessed these courses of action in its most recent wargame. Join us for the release of our newest report, Rebuilding America’s Air Force: Balancing the Air Force’s Combat Forces for Peer Conflict, to gain insights into what operational concepts and ...

As the newest combatant command, U.S. Space Command must rapidly advance and integrate spacepower into real world operations, and Maj. Gen. Samuel “Bull” Keener is leading the charge to do just that.

He leads efforts with allies and partners to plan, execute, and integrate military spacepower into multi-domain global operations to deter aggression, defend national interests, and when necessary, defeat threats. Join us f...

Allowing adversaries to operate from operational sanctuaries is a losing proposition. A war-winning strategy for the U.S. military must involve applying long-range penetrating airpower to hold targets at risk – anytime, anywhere. This includes an adversary’s ability to launch air and missile salvos that could cripple U.S. operations.

However, decades of force cuts and deferred modernization have reduced the Air Force&rs...

Join the Mitchell Institute as Col. Jen “Boots” Reeves, USAF (Ret.) releases her latest policy paper outlining why space superiority is foundational to America’s ability to fight and win. Achieving this will demand that the other services support the Space Force and Space Command, which is a departure from the traditional notion of spacepower acting to empower terrestrial actions. This necessary evolution has majo...

The National Reconnaissance Office is leading one of the most ambitious architectural transformations in intelligence history. In the last two years, the NRO has deployed more than 200 satellites. This increases both mission performance and architectural resilience in the face of growing threats around the world. As the Deputy Director of the NRO and Commander of the Space Force Element to the NRO, Maj. Gen. Christopher Povak serve...