In Episode 106 of the Aerospace Advantage podcast, We’ve Seen the B-21: What Comes Next?, John “Slick” Baum chats with Lt Gen Dave Deptula, USAF (Ret.), Mark Gunzinger, and Doug Birkey of the Mitchell Institute team about their experiences at the B-21 rollout and what the future will hold for America’s newest bomber. Opening the hanger doors and rolling the aircraft out for public viewing earlier this month marked a key juncture toward rebuilding America’s airpower arsenal. It all comes down to producing the long-range sensor/shooter capabilities in adequate capacity that the nation will need to meet tomorrow’s threats. Combatant commanders simply can’t get enough bombers these days, so we can’t get B-21s on the ramp soon enough. These members of the Mitchell Institute team were part of a select group to see this aircraft during its December 2nd rollout; in this episode, they discuss the event, first impressions of the aircraft, and key factors that will shape the future of the program.
Credits:
Host: Lt Col (Ret.) John “Slick” Baum, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Producer: Shane Thin
Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey
Guest: Lt Gen (Ret.) David Deptula, Dean, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Guest: Mark Gunzinger, Director, Future Concepts and Capability Assessments, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Guest: Douglas Birkey, Executive Director, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies