Aerospace Power: An Imperative for National Security

An Imperative for the Nation

The Mitchell Institute is the only aerospace power-focused think tank in the nation’s capital. The Institute informs the national security debate, educates about the essential role of aerospace power, and cultivates aerospace-minded talent.
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Content

In the News & Commentary

The Mitchell Institute’s editorials, media articles featuring Mitchell expertise, and other content.
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Aerospace Nation Interview Series

The Mitchell Institute’s Aerospace Nation Interview Series.
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Publications

Read Mitchell Institute Research Studies, Policy Papers, and the latest entries in the Mitchell Forum Paper series.
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Upcoming Events

Upcoming events feature thoughtful commentary from decisionmakers, thought leaders, and other authoritative voices from the aerospace power community.
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Aerospace Advantage Podcast

The Mitchell Institute’s Aerospace Advantage Podcast.
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References

An Aerospace Power Reading List For National Security Professionals.
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In the News and Commentary

All News

Space Force faces disproportionate impact from a shutdown or CR

Breaking Defense | September 28, 2023 | Charles Galbreath and Tim Ryan
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Why the military is integral to America’s return to the moon

Defense One | September 22, 2023 | Charles Galbreath
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Press Release – J. Michael Dahm joins the Mitchell Institute as Senior Resident Fellow for Aerospace and China Studies

Arlington, Virginia | September 14, 2023 The Mitchell Institute is pleased to announce that J. Michael Dahm has joined the Mitchell Institute as a Senior Resident Fellow. His addition to the Mitchell team reflects the institute’s ongoing drive to confront what Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall has characterized as the most pressing issue facing the United States’ Air and Space Forces: “China, China, China.” Mike Dahm is a retired U.S. Navy intelligence officer
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Press Release – Mitchell Institute Announces the 2022 General Atomics RPA Squadron of the Year

On September 11, the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies was pleased to present the General Atomics RPA trophy for 2022 to the Scorpions of the 2nd Special Operations Squadron from Hurlburt Field, Florida at AFA’s annual Air, Space, & Cyber Conference.
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Interview with Gen Deptula on the Value of Airpower and F-16s to Ukraine

Ukrainian National Television | September 7, 2023 | Daniel Tkiie
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Publications

All Publications

Accelerating 5th Generation Airpower: Bringing Capability and Capacity to the Merge

Arlington, VA | June 29, 2023 — The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies is pleased to announce a new entry in its Policy Paper series, Accelerating 5th Generation Airpower: Bringing Capability and Capacity to the Merge by Lt Gen Joseph Guastella, USAF (Ret.), Senior Fellow at The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies; Douglas Birkey, Executive Director of the Mitchell Institute; and Lt Col Eric Gunzinger, USAF (Ret.). The Air Force faces a severe fighter aircraft
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Building U.S. Space Force Counterspace Capabilities: An Imperative for America’s Defense

Arlington, VA | June 26, 2023 — The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies is pleased to announce a new entry in its Policy Paper series, Building U.S. Space Force Counterspace Capabilities: An Imperative for America’s Defense by Charles Galbreath, Senior Resident Fellow for Space Studies at the Mitchell Institute.  Space is on the front line of America’s strategic competition with China. Capabilities in this domain are essential to the U.S. military’s ability to deter threats
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Bolstering Arctic Domain Awareness to Deter Air & Missile Threats to the Homeland

Arlington, VA | June 22, 2023 — The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies is pleased to announce a new entry in its Policy Paper series, Bolstering Arctic Domain Awareness to Deter Air & Missile Threats to the Homeland by Caitlin Lee, Senior Fellow at the Mitchell Institute.  The Arctic has remained an attractive attack vector for both U.S. and Russian long-range aviation and missiles since the earliest days of the Cold War. The growing Arctic
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Scale, Scope, Speed & Survivability: Winning the Kill Chain Competition

Arlington, VA | May 3, 2023 — The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies is pleased to announce a new entry in its Policy Paper series, Scale, Scope, Speed & Survivability: Winning the Kill Chain Competition by Heather Penney, Senior Resident Fellow at the Mitchell Institute.  In this report, Penney explains how the “kill chain” is an enduring framework for the process of securing battlespace effects. Often, this means putting a bomb or missile on target,
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Collaborative Combat Aircraft Need Data to Train for Combat

Arlington, VA | April 13, 2023 — The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies announces a new entry in its Forum Paper series, Collaborative Combat Aircraft Need Data to Train for Combat, by Lt Col Jesse Breau, USAF; Keeley Erhardt, MIT; and Maj Joshua Reddis, USAF. AI-powered software pilots have the potential to fulfill the U.S. Air Force’s quest for affordable tactical airpower capacity; however, the foundational requirement for data to enable air combat autonomy algorithms
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Back to the Future: Balloons in the Modern Security Paradigm

Arlington, VA | March 17, 2023 — The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies announces a new entry in its Forum Paper series, Back to the Future: Balloons in the Modern Security Paradigm by Dr. Greg Canavan and Dr. John Browne. It is clear from the coverage and commentary on the recently downed Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon that it caught America’s defense establishment on the back foot. These and other of China’s recent activities appear to
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Understanding the B-21 Raider: America’s Deterrence Bomber

Arlington, VA | March 23, 2023 — The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies is pleased to announce a new entry in its Research Studies series, Understanding the B-21 Raider: America’s Deterrence Bomber by Mark Gunzinger, Director of Future Concepts and Capability Assessments at the Mitchell Institute. Today’s U.S. bomber force falls short of having the penetrating strike capacity needed to meet the objectives of the 2022 National Defense Strategy. Thirty years of successive inventory cuts
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C2 Series: Clearing the Fog and Friction of Command and Control

Arlington, VA | January 9, 2023 — The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies is proud to announce three new Forum Papers in a series on command and control (C2) by Col Frederick “Trey” Coleman, the commander of the 505th Command and Control Wing. With an Air Force still pondering how it can accelerate change (or lose), as well as grappling with the requirements to realize a Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) concept, these short
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