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.
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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Featured
Space
Space Power Forum: Gen David Thompson | July 28, 2021 | 10:00 am
The Mitchell Institute will host a virtual Spacepower Forum event with General DT Thompson, Vice Chief of Space Operations for the U.S. Space Force, on Wednesday, July 28 at 10:00 AM ET. General Thompson will discuss the continued buildout of the U.S. Space Force, including how the Space Force is preparing to defend against adversary advancements in counterspace technologies, ongoing efforts to consolidate space acquisition, and the service’s role in supporting DOD’s JADC2 strategy. Maj Gen (Ret.) Larry
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Issues
Airpower
No matter the mission, from air superiority and long range strike to air mobility and command and control, a broad range of missions executed in the air provide vital options at the strategic, operational, and tactical realms.
Space
National security space activities are essential facets of any military operation, while also creating conditions essential for the civilian economy.
Acquisition
Empowering actors at all levels with a smart set of options at the right time and place demands procuring the most effective, efficient, and resilient set of tools.
Strategy
Meeting nationals security requirements today and tomorrow requires insightful, creative approaches that prioritize America’s strengths, while not projecting undue vulnerability.
Budgeting
Resource investment must prioritize investments that will yield best value for the Air Force, Space Force, and national security establishment as a whole.
Nuclear
Strategic deterrence is the bedrock of the national security enterprise thanks to the virtues and value of the triad.
In the News and Commentary
All News
Biggest threat to Air Force modernization is funding misrepresentation, says national security expert
Government Matters | July 19, 2021 | Lt Gen (Ret.) Dave Deptula | Gen. David Deptula (USAF, ret.), dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, said the false notion that the Department of the Air Force is receiving funds commensurate with the Army and Navy departments is standing in the way of needed modernization.
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US military must avoid a ‘Kasserine Pass’ failure for space power
Defense News | July 19, 2021 | Hon Matt Donovan| The congressional defense committees should closely monitor the continued development of the U.S. Space Force for adherence to their original legislative intent, and exercise the necessary oversight and budgetary responsibilities to make needed course corrections.
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Why America Could Lose Its Next War
Defense News | July 9, 2021 | Mark Gunzinger | The result of 30 years of “building down to build up” is a military that lacks the capacity to fight a single peer aggressor plus defend the U.S. homeland and deter nuclear attacks. Since defense leaders seem reluctant to be forthright and sound the alarm, Congress must step in.
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Maneuver Warfare in Space: The Strategic Imperative for Nuclear Thermal Propulsion
Defense News | July 8, 2021 | Chris Stone | Traditional chemical propellants used in current satellite designs are only designed to last for a limited life span, increasing the likelihood an adversary could “run them dry” by forcing more defensive maneuvers than their energy stores can sustain. Thanks to advances in technology, nuclear thermal propulsion would provide a solution to this challenge. Even though it sounds straight out of science fiction, advances in materials,
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Misleading Budget Accounting in the Department Of Defense Needs Correction
Forbes | July 6, 2021 | Lt Gen (ret) Dave Deptula | The Air Force budget is burdened by $39 billion dollars in non-Air Force spending over which the Secretary of the Air Force has no control. These funds—which account for 18 percent of the total Air Force Department budget—go directly to other DOD agencies, passing through the Air Force untouched.
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What’s All the Fuss Over the Air Force’s “Pass-Through” Funding?
The Hill | July 2, 2021 | Hon Matt Donovan | For decades, a significant portion of the Department of the Air Force’s budget has been appropriated as a “pass-through” — that is, the money is passed through the Air Force to be spent by other government agencies. The Air Force has no control over these funds to fulfill its “organize, train and equip” military responsibilities, even though the money is counted toward its total
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Press Release: Italian Air Force Vice Air Chief Visits AFA’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
ARLINGTON, VA | June 24, 2021 AFA’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies hosted Italian Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Lt Gen Luca Goretti and Italian Air Defense Attaché Maj Gen Stefano Cont to share their views and priorities regarding resourcing the Italian Air Force (IAF) on June 24. As a NATO member and international partner with the United States on the F-35 fighter program, the Italian Air Force is a critical U.S. ally. Generals
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Platinum Nighthawk Speech: Commemoration of the First Flight of the F-117A
20 years ago at the 20th anniversary gala commemorating the first flight of the F-117A, then-Maj Gen Dave Deptula delivered remarks that still prove relevant today—and are worth a read. Platinum Nighthawk Speech Commemoration of the First Flight of the F-117A 18 June 1981 – 18 June 2001 Speaker: David A. Deptula, Maj Gen, USAF22 Jun 01, Palmdale, CA It is a real treat is to be here with all of you on this very
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Publications
All Publications
Speed is Life: Accelerating the Air Force’s Ability to Adapt and Win
Arlington, VA (July 20, 2021) — The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies is pleased to announce a new entry in its Policy Paper series, Speed is Life: Accelerating the Air Force’s Ability to Adapt and Win by Lt Gen (Ret.) David A. Deptula, Dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, and Heather Penney, Senior Resident Fellow at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. Success in tomorrow’s conflicts will largely depend on how warfighters are
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A “Check Engine” Light to Accelerate Change: 21st Century Approaches for Assessing Cost-Effectiveness
ARLINGTON, VA | June 30, 2021 — The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies is pleased to announce a new entry in its Mitchell Forum short paper series, A “Check Engine” Light to Accelerate Change: 21st Century Approaches for Assessing Cost-Effectiveness by Major Stefan Katz, USAF. The Air Force and Space Force are aggressively striving to be more agile and affordable. This is a tough feat, since “agility” and “affordability” are not usually synonymous. The concept
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Building a Force That Wins: Recommendations for the 2022 National Defense Strategy
ARLINGTON, VA (June 15, 2021) | The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies is pleased to announce the release of a new research study, Building a Force That Wins: Recommendations for the 2022 National Defense Strategy, by Mark Gunzinger, Director of Future Concepts and Capability Assessments at the Mitchell Institute; and Lukas Autenried, Senior Analyst at the Mitchell Institute. Every four years, each administration must evaluate the global threat picture and develop an overarching framework known
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Command and Control Imperatives for the 21st Century: The Next Areas of Growth for ABMS and JADC2
Arlington, VA | May 26, 2021 — The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies is pleased to announce a new entry in its Policy Paper series, Command and Control Imperatives for the 21st Century: The Next Areas of Growth for ABMS and JADC2 by Doug Birkey, Executive Director of the Mitchell Institute. The Air Force is at a major juncture in the development of command and control (C2) capabilities. Under the aegis of the Advanced Battle Management System
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Building an Agile Force
ARLINGTON, VA (May 18, 2021) | The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies is pleased to announce a new Research Study, Building and Agile Force: The Imperative for Speed and Adaptation in the U.S. Aerospace Industrial Base, by Lt Gen David A. Deptula, USAF (Ret.), Dean; and Heather R. Penney, Senior Resident Fellow at the Mitchell Institute. The U.S. Air Force is the only service that can “meet our nation’s adversaries with mass, speed, agility, and
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Accelerating Change for Rapid Global Mobility: Delivering Joint Force Success in the High-End Fight
ARLINGTON, VA | March 27, 2021 — The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies is pleased to announce a new entry in its Mitchell Forum short paper series, “Accelerating Change for Rapid Global Mobility: Delivering Joint Force Success in the High-End Fight” by General Jacqueline D. Van Ovost, USAF, Commander, Air Mobility Command. Rapid Global Mobility underpins joint force global power projection. It is integral to joint force success across the competition continuum. Without a credible,
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Understanding the Long-Range Strike Debate
Arlington, VA (April 22, 2021) — The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies in partnership with the Hudson Institute is pleased to announce a new entry in its Policy Paper series, Understanding the Long-Range Strike Debate by Mark Gunzinger, Director of Future Concepts and Capability Assessments at the Mitchell Institute; Lukas Autenried, Senior Analyst at the Mitchell Institute; and Bryan Clark, Senior Fellow and Director of the Center for Defense Concepts and Technology at the Hudson
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Airpower Against the Islamic State: A Diagnostic Assessment of Operation Inherent Resolve
ARLINGTON, VA (April 6, 2021) — The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies is pleased to announce a new entry in its Mitchell Forum short paper series, “Airpower against the Islamic State: A Diagnostic Assessment of Operation Inherent Resolve” by Benjamin S. Lambeth. Viewed in hindsight, the more than four-year-long effort against ISIS that CENTCOM launched in August 2014 turned out to have been another success story enabled largely by U.S.-led airpower, which was the deciding
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1,763
Air Force F-35 Procurement Requirement to Outpace Advancing Threats
Flying & Fighting
in the Modern Age
Employing successful modern combat aerospace power today and in the future demands questioning long-standing assumptions and seeking smarter ways of achieving desired mission goals.
270
The Number of Bombers Required to Meet Real-World Demand
Future Trends
Individuals engaging in tomorrow’s aerospace domain, whether at the tactical, operational, or strategic levels, will face a future far different than what they experienced in the past. The last century saw aerospace power ascend in the industrial age, when the state of the art was governed by mechanical prowess.
29.2
Average Age of an Aircraft in the Air Force Inventory
Dollars & Sense
The US Air Force is embarking upon a crucial modernization cycle. Presently, airmen are flying combat missions in aircraft that average over a quarter of a century in age. Said another way, many pilots are younger than the aircraft in which they are taking into the sky.
386
The Number of Operational Squadrons Required by the US Air Force
Analysis
Learn more from our additional resources of studies, policy papers, forums, and other featured news articles.