Aerospace Advantage

In the wake of this historic failure, it’s also important to look at what happened from a strategic perspective. The dedication to duty at the individual and unit level during this conflict was second to none, but the strategic decisions made over the past twenty years often fell short. It will take years to understand what happened and why, but this conversation marks the start of that assessment.

John Baum engages with Lt Col Mike Benitez, Director of Staff at the 53rd Wing; Dr. Jimmy “Rev” Jones, a fighter pilot-PhD; and Heather Penney of the Mitchell Institute to discuss a topic few of us consider—the “ones and zeros” of software that actually operate the jet.

John Baum and Mitchell Institute dean Lt Gen Dave Deptula, USAF (Ret.) discuss what it will take to sustain tomorrow’s military with Air Force Air Mobility Command Commander General Jackie Van Ovost.

19th Air Force commander Maj Gen Craig Wills, the leader who oversees the majority of Air Force pilot training, and members of the Mitchell team, discuss what it takes to produce an Air Force pilot—what elements are timeless and areas where new approaches and technology are offering areas for progress.

In this Rendezvous episode, the Mitchell Institute team discusses the latest developments from Capitol Hill regarding the Air Force and Space Force's modernization, operations, and fiscal challenges during this year's compressed budget process.

We mark the 100th anniversary of Brigadier General Billy Mitchell and the Air Service’s First Provisional Air Brigade sinking the captured German battleship Ostfriesland. While that accomplishment is incredibly significant unto itself, this anniversary also gives us an opportunity to consider Mitchell’s accomplishments with a broader lens and think about what it all means today.

Hear from Squadron Leader Stewart Campbell of the Royal Air Force, Lt Col Maurizio “Driver” De Guida of the Italian Air Force, and Lt Col Gert Barend “Razor” Van Woerden of the Royal Netherlands Air Force about what it’s like to bring 5th generation combat aviation to their respective air forces.

Things are simply too classified. How we protect highly classified information for the sake of national security limits Space Force's access to a vast global market of talent and technology, impedes effective communications with Congress and the public, and ultimately constrains the growth of the nation's spacepower.

In this Rendezvous episode, we discuss how Congress is responding to the Air Force and Space Force budget submissions, with funding decisions ultimately determined by Congressional defense committees. The episode covers a wide range of topics, including specific programs like the F-35 and GBSD, Space Force priorities, readiness issues, and individual member perspectives.

John Baum speaks to combat aviators and technical experts about how the game of finding and striking air-to-air targets is rapidly evolving. This episode explores a key technology: infrared search and track, or IRST for short.

Major Alex Wallis explores why the information advantage is crucial at the tactical edge of the battle space. It’s all about understanding how to maximize a relative position to best achieve the mission, while avoiding or minimizing threats.

Heather Penney discusses how the Air Force can rejuvenate the aerospace industrial base to achieve a force that can innovatively outpace peer adversaries.

In this episode of The Rendezvous (Previously The Merge), the Mitchell Institute team discusses the implications of the FY2022 defense budget submission, highlighting the challenges of balancing next-generation air and space technologies with capacity, while addressing the demands of establishing the Space Force. Experts assess the strengths and weaknesses of the budget and its impact on the future of the Air Force and Space Force.

John “Slick” Baum sits down with Maj Chris Olsen to discuss air and space power innovation. Learn how the Air Force identifies challenges, explores how technology can be part of the solution, and then invents what was previously the impossible.

B-1 pilot Lt Col Mark “Moses” Kimball discussed what it’s like to strap into an iconic bomber, roar down the runway, and execute a combat mission.