The Aerospace Advantage

Episode Summary:

In episode 193 of the Aerospace Advantage, Ready to Fight All Night: High-Tempo Airpower Generation, Heather “Lucky” Penney discusses  how to maximize airpower sorties with Mitchell Institute Fellow Lt Col Gary “Plugger” Glojek, and Lt Col Matthew “Doubled” Jensen, the director of the experimental operations unit responsible for advancing Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) sortie generation and employment concepts.

If a conflict erupts in the Pacific, airpower capacity is going to be stretched to the limit. That’s why the Air Force needs to regain a numerical edge. Sustaining high tempo operations is going to be the key to victory. CCAs promise to be a large part of manifesting this vision, but buying these new aircraft at scale is only half the solution. The Air Force also needs to assess how it can maximize the number of sorties they fly.  This demands a departure from historical fighter force generation, with a new plan assessing how to generate mass airpower at a higher tempo and with a higher acceptable level of risk. Hear important insights from two airmen who are actively in the mix working on this key challenge.

Credits:

Host: Heather “Lucky” Penney, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: Lt Col Gary "Plugger" Glojek, Air Force Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Guest: Lt Col Matthew “Doubled” Jensen, EOU Director, 53 TEG/EOU

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Episode Summary:

In episode 192 of the Aerospace Advantage, Want to Win? You’ll Need Digital Engineering, Heather “Lucky” Penney explores this technology and its application with Air Force Research Lab AI lead Dr. Amanda Bullock and Mitchell Institute Visiting Senior Fellow Brian Morra.

Credits:

Host: Heather “Lucky” Penney, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: Dr. Amanda Bullock, AI Research Lead, Air Force Research Lab

Guest: Brian J. Morra, Visiting Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

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Episode Summary:

In episode 191 of the Aerospace Advantage, Chinese Spacepower, NGAD Turbulence, and Congressional Update: The Rendezvous, Heather “Lucky” Penney chats with members of the Mitchell Institute team about the latest defense news from the Beltway and the broader national security community.

Credits:

Host: Heather “Lucky” Penney, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: Lt Gen David A. Deptula, USAF (Ret.), Dean, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Guest: Charles Galbreath, Senior Fellow for Spacepower Studies, The Mitchell Institute Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence (MI-SPACE)

Guest: John “JV” Venable, Senior Fellow for Airpower Studies, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Guest: Todd “Sledge” Harmer, Senior Vice President, American Defense International

Guest: Jeff Rowlison, VP, Space & Intel Programs, American Defense International

Guest: Anthony “Lazer” Lazarski, Principal, Cornerstone Government Affairs

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Episode Summary:

In episode 190 of the Aerospace Advantage, Orbital Warfare: Train Like You Fight, Heather “Lucky” Penney chats with Lt Col Jessica “Thumper” Getrost, Commander of the 57th Space Aggressor Squadron; Lt Col Matt “BC” Bejcek, former Commander of the 98th Space Range Squadron; and Mitchell Institute Senior Fellow Charles Galbreath about threats facing our satellites and the importance of preparing Guardians for warfighting.

There’s no question about it: adversaries will seek to hold our space capabilities at risk in future conflicts. That’s why it’s crucial to provide Guardians experience when it comes to tactics, techniques, and procedures regarding how to manage these challenges. Replicating threats and exercising our capabilities in a safe, yet realistic, training environment is essential. Just like the Nellis Range seasons our pilots for air combat, the Space Range prepares our Guardians for Orbital Warfare. Hear from two Space Force commanders about how they develop Guardians for to face these new realities.

Credits:

Host: Heather “Lucky” Penney, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: Lt Col Jessica “Thumper” Getrost, Commander, 57th Space Aggressor Squadron

Guest: Lt Col Matt “BC” Bejcek, former Commander, 98th Space Range Squadron; Student, Army War College

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Episode Summary:

In episode 189 of the Aerospace Advantage, Fighting the Air Base: Decisive Combat Sortie Generation Under Fire, Heather “Lucky” Penney chats with Mitchell Institute experts Mike Dahm and Mark Gunzinger about a key aspect of modern operations in an era of peer competition.

U.S. Air Force commanders must be prepared to fight their frontline air bases like any other weapon system to generate the combat airpower critical to the success of future joint force operations. Air Force air bases must have the capabilities and capacity to counter complex integrated air and missile attacks, rapidly reconstitute their operational capabilities when damaged by strikes, and continue to generate combat effects while under fire. This is a tough challenge given too many years of underinvestment in this area.  However, failure is not an option. Mission demands require that the Air Force continue to project power as an “inside” force capable of fighting alongside America’s allies and partners to defeat adversaries when the chips are down.

Credits:

Host: Heather “Lucky” Penney, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: J. Michael Dahm, Senior Resident Fellow for Aerospace and China Studies, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Guest: Mark "Gonzo" Gunzinger, Director of Future Concepts and Capability Assessments, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

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Episode Summary:

In episode 188 of the Aerospace Advantage, Front Line Air Mobility Revolution: 317th Airlift Wing Conversation, Heather “Lucky” Penney chats with 317th Airlift Wing Commander Col Thomas Lankford.

Based at Dyess AFB and equipped with C-130Js, the men and women of the 317th are executing their missions in one of the most transformational eras regarding air mobility. After three decades of operating in relatively permissive environments, much of it in regionally focused theaters, new mission demands in the Pacific and beyond require airmen to develop new tactics, techniques, and procedures to ensure necessary personnel, equipment, and supplies get to the point of need. Lethal threats, directed both at aircraft in the sky and forward operating bases, are radically reshaping mobility requirements. So too are the vast distances of the Pacific. New operating concepts like agile combat employment and the need to flow vast quantities of materials necessary to sustain a full-fledged major theater conflict are also posing distinct challenges. This episode will explore these variables from a cutting edge flightline perspective.

Credits:

Host: Heather “Lucky” Penney, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: Col Thomas Lankford, Commander, 317th Airlift Wing, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas

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Episode Summary:

In episode 187 of the Aerospace Advantage, Spectrum Warfare: Freedom to Attack, Maneuver, and Defend, Heather “Lucky” Penney chats with 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing commander Col Joshua Koslov.

Electromagnetic spectrum operations are critical to the success of any modern combat mission. With the growth of sensors, processing power, and connectivity—a tremendous range of effects can be netted through this realm. This includes attack, protection, and support functions. At its core, electromagnetic spectrum operations come down to securing an information advantage, which facilitates more effective decision making at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels. Electromagnetic spectrum warfare lies at the heart of concepts like JADC2 and ABMS—empowering data gathering, exchange, processing, and collaboration between various team members in the battlespace. It’s also a competitive realm, with our adversaries seeking to deny us this capability and our forces seeking to do the same to our opponents. This episode explores how this mission area has evolved and where it is headed in the future.

Credits:

Host: Heather “Lucky” Penney, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: Col Joshua Koslov, Wing Commander, 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing

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Episode Summary:

In episode 186 of the Aerospace Advantage, Congressional Update, Triad Questioned, Space Guard Debate: The Rendezvous, Heather “Lucky” Penney chats with members of the Mitchell Institute team about the latest defense news from the beltway and the broader national security community.

The conversation begins with a review of where defense issues stand on The Hill. There have been a lot of hearings related to the FY25 Defense Budget request and the House Armed Services Committee just marked up their version of the National Defense Authorization Act—with major potential implications for the F-35 and other elements of the Air Force’s aircraft inventory. We also discuss how the space equities in the Guard are being handled—will these responsibilities or absorbed into the Space Force or a new Space National Guard? Team members also discuss Space Force organizational changes. Lt Gen Deptula, USAF (Ret.) wraps with a discussion regarding his recent visit to Ukraine. This is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

Credits:

Host: Heather “Lucky” Penney, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: Lt Gen David A. Deptula, USAF (Ret.), Dean, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Guest: Jennifer "Boots" Reeves, Senior Fellow for Spacepower Studies, The Mitchell Institute Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence

Guest: Todd “Sledge” Harmer, Senior Vice President, American Defense International

Guest: Jeff Rowlison, VP, Space & Intel Programs, American Defense International

Guest: Anthony “Lazer” Lazarski, Principal, Cornerstone Government Affairs

Guest: James Schenck, CEO & President, Pentagon Federal Credit Union

Related Reading:

Lift The Constraints On Ukraine And Reverse The Deterrence Calculus

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Episode Summary:

In episode 185 of the Aerospace Advantage, Tomorrow’s F-35: Cooling is Key, host Heather “Lucky” Penney and Doug Birkey chat with Matt Pess, Chief Engineer on the Enhanced Power and Cooling System (EPACS) program at Collins Aerospace, about a key technology to sustain the F-35's future capability growth.

The fighter’s powerful sensor suite, computing power, and avionics set it apart as a hugely capable twenty-first century combat aircraft. Operating these technologies demands robust cooling via a key aircraft subsystem known as power thermal management system (PTMS), especially as new systems are fielded on subsequent versions of the aircraft. The Joint Program Office (JPO) recently launched an effort to explore a new generation of PTMS systems. EPACS is one of the options. Big picture, this is a good news story because it means the F-35 is radically expanding what it can deliver in the battlespace. Realizing these gains will demand innovation. We discuss these factors with a key expert. This episode will explore this evolution and how the Collins team is focused on a potential solution. 

Credits:

Host: Heather “Lucky” Penney, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: Douglas Birkey, Executive Director, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Guest: Matt Pess, Chief Engineer, Enhanced Power and Cooling System (EPACS) Program, Collins Aerospace

Related Reading:

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

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Episode Summary:

In episode 184 of the Aerospace Advantage, New NATO Voices: Conversation with Maj Gen Jonas Wikman, Chief of the Swedish Air Force, host Heather “Lucky” Penney and Lt Gen Dave Deptula, USAF (Ret) chat with NATO’s newest airpower leader. Given recent events, the time for this conversation couldn’t be better. Our Air Forces have been strong partners for years, but Sweden’s membership in NATO will tighten the relationship even further. When you look at a map and think about current security challenges—Sweden holds a key position. Closely situated to Russia and vital sea lanes, Sweden not only serves as a key player in NATO, but their arctic position ties directly to our own homeland defense given northern tier approaches. Past that, Sweden has served shoulder-to-shoulder in recent years in numerous operations with our own airmen including Afghanistan.

Credits:

Host: Heather “Lucky” Penney, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: Lt Gen David A. Deptula, USAF (Ret.), Dean, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Guest: MajGen Olof Jonas Wikman, Chief of Air Force, Swedish Air Force

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