Mitchell Institute

Pentagon mulling new critical infrastructure defense ops plan: VanHerck

"I think the future of homeland defense looks vastly different than it does today," NORTHCOM/NORAD Commander Gen. Glen VanHerck said Thursday.

Go big: Air Force should double B-21 Raider buy, think tank says

A new report by the Mitchell Institute argues that the Air Force should procure 225 or more of the next-gen stealth bombers to effectively deter adversaries and shore up more cost-effective long-range strike capabilities.

After Ukraine invasion, NATO aligning strategy with ‘regional plans’: Former SACEUR

NATO likely will maintain a "semi-permanent" presence in Eastern Europe for many years to come, said retired Gen. Tod Wolters, former Supreme Allied Commander Europe.

The Air Force we need now can’t be sacrificed for the force we need in the future

"Shortchanging what you can deliver today for a dream sheet regarding the future is a dangerous course given the current fragility of the existing force and scope of demand," writes Doug Birkey.

Ukraine shows the need to change US export rules on unmanned systems

"How does it make sense that American troops would die on the behalf of NATO nations, but Washington doesn’t trust the countries with unmanned systems?" asks Heather Penney of the Mitchell Institute.

Over-Classification in Space Programs Presents Too Great a Risk

In mid-August, Breaking Defense revealed a push inside the Pentagon to take a black anti-satellite system, declassify it and make a public demonstration of its capabilities. Surrounding that issue is a long-running debate about how much of its space capabilities the US should keep secret. In this op-ed, Christopher Stone of the Mitchell Institute argues […]

ACK, STITCHES And The Air Force’s Networking Hopes

"Believe it or not, we found that the primary barriers to being able to field the software tools are bureaucratic, said Heather Penney of the Mitchell Institute.

Aerospace Industrial Base Can’t Handle The Future: Mitchell Institute

The F-35 aside, the report recommends that the Air Force "resist future participation in any joint aircraft procurement or development programs."

Long Range Strike Hot Potato Now In OSD Hands

"It’s ultimately a political decision, and ... this demands a strong and fully staffed OSD," said Mackenzie Eaglen, of the American Enterprise Institute. "That doesn’t seem likely until much later this year."

AMC Eyes Self-Defense For Cargo, Tanker Planes

"We have hardpoints on the C-17; We have hardpoints on the KC-46. It's not a hard stretch to think that we could put one or two missiles on there for self defense," says AMC head Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost.

Air Force Drone Plan May Rile MQ-9 Champions

"This is a new effort, as the expanded mission now goes beyond a strict MQ-9 replacement," an AFLCMC spokesperson said. "This endeavor serves to explore concepts that address capability gaps of legacy platforms against increasingly sophisticated threats in denied, contested, and highly contested environments."

AFRL’s Golden Horde To Test Swarming Munitions In Digital ‘Colosseum’

The new simulation environment will use 'digital twins' to rapidly test and iterate "collaborative autonomous networked technologies," AFRL explains.

AFRL Pushes Laser “SHiELD” Flight Test Back, Again

CSIS's Todd Harrison said he believes that  the "many challenges" to the SHiELD concept can be overcome "with time and money" --  and could well be worth expending because of the potential benefits.

Skyborg Could Develop Multiple Drones For Many Missions

The Air Force is "driving toward" 2023 for initial operating capability for Skyborg, says AFRL Director Brig. Gen. Heather Pringle.