Rephonic
Artwork for The Mitchell Institute’s Aerospace Nation Podcast

The Mitchell Institute’s Aerospace Nation Podcast

aerospacenation
China
Russia
U.S. Air Force
Space Force
NATO
Air Power
U.S. Space Force
Great Power Competition
United States Space Force
United States Air Force
Artificial Intelligence
Ukraine
Department Of Defense
Air Force
B-21
Military Strategy
Space Operations
Space Domain Awareness
Iran
Long-Range Strike

The Mitchell Institute hosts some of the most senior leaders and thought influencers of the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Space Force, and Department of Defense for an intimate hour-long discussion on the pressing issues of the hour as well as long-term strategic visions. The live sessions are attended by a broad swath of individuals from the Department of Defense, Capitol Hill, defense industry, and acade... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes100Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Education

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Mitchell Institute’s Aerospace Nation Podcast

Latest Episodes

Join us to learn more about current Air Force priorities with Vice Chief of Staff Gen. John Lamontagne. As one of the service’s top leaders, Gen. Lamontagne plays an instrumental role in organizing, training, and equipping Airmen across the force. Hi... more

With the Trump Administration requesting a major defense budget boost, it’s now up to Congress to turn this proposal into reality. To discuss this and a wide variety of national security topics, we are pleased to welcome Congressman August Pfluger (R... more

As the modern space race heats up and more humans venture into orbit and to the Moon, the Space Force will likely need to place Guardians in space to defend American interests. In the latest paper from the Mitchell Institute’s Spacepower Advantage Ce... more

The Space Force is on the verge of one of the largest percentage budget increases of any military service in history. Brig. Gen. Christopher “Trigger” Fernengel will have a significant role in shaping what the service will prioritize and how it will ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

The Aerospace Advantage
The Aerospace AdvantageThe Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Defense & Aerospace Report
Defense & Aerospace ReportDefense & Aerospace Report, sponsored by Bell
Net Assessment
Net AssessmentThe Stimson Center

Recent Guests

Johnny Lamontagne
Air Force Vice Chief of Staff
United States Air Force
Episode: Gen. John D. Lamontagne | Aerospace Nation
August Pfluger
Member of Congress for Texas' 11th District, former fighter pilot
U.S. Congress (Republican); former U.S. Air Force pilot
Episode: Congressman August Pfluger | Aerospace Nation
Kyle Pumroy
Senior Resident Fellow at the Mitchell Institute's Space Power Advantage Center of Excellence
Mitchell Institute
Episode: Military Human Spaceflight: A Key Component to American Space Superiority
Christopher Fernengel
Brigadier General, Director of Plans and Programs, Space Force
U.S. Space Force
Episode: Brig. Gen. Christopher Fernengel | Schriever Spacepower Series
Stephen Whiting
General, Commander US Space Command
U.S. Space Command
Episode: Gen. Stephen N. Whiting | Schriever Spacepower Series
Corey Klopstein
Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Infrastructure, Commander of System Delta 81 at Space Systems Command
Space Systems Command
Episode: Col. Corey J. Klopstein & Col. Craig J. Hackbarth | Schriever Spacepower Series
Craig Hackbarth
System Program Director for Operational Test and Training Infrastructure
Space Systems Command
Episode: Col. Corey J. Klopstein & Col. Craig J. Hackbarth | Schriever Spacepower Series
Rebecca Sonkiss
Lieutenant General, interim commander of Air Mobility Command
U.S. Air Force
Episode: Lt. Gen. Rebecca J. Sonkiss | Aerospace Nation
Mark Gunzinger
Director of Future Concepts and Capability Assessments, Mitchell Institute
Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Episode: Rebuilding America’s Air Force: Balancing the Air Force’s Combat Forces for Peer Conflict

Hosts

Kevin Chilton
Host providing introductions and guiding discussion, frequently focusing on Space Power and national security
Jennifer Reeves
Senior policy expert and host for space power discussions
Dave Deptula
Dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies; episode introducer and policy commentator

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 27 ratings
  • Great podcast low volume levels

    I find the podcast informative about the current political climate and priorities that the joint forces faces. The host and speakers are extremely knowledgeable in the area and I look forward to hearing the podcast rollout whenever they drop. My only critique is at the volume levels in this podcast are so low that I have to crank the stereo in my car all the way up to listen to it, even on headphones. I have to raise the volume very high.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    CosinePiMinus1
    United States3 months ago
  • Great podcast

    Air and Space power is essential to our Natsec. This podcast and the Mitchell Institute do their job well.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Classicrocklover238
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Volume issues have been raised by listeners, suggesting production improvements could widen accessibility.
Audience values informed, practitioner-focused analysis with real-world implications for policy and industry sponsorships.
Content is viewed as essential for understanding air- and space-power priorities and defense budgeting.
The show's guests are consistently senior figures, which reinforces credibility and relevance for decision-makers.
Listeners praise the depth and expertise of the discussions, noting strong policy and military insights.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Gen. John D. Lamontagne | Aerospace Nation
Q: How is the Air Force approaching open mission systems and avoiding vendor lock in future procurements?
The plan is to pursue government-owned, open mission systems with architecture that remains under our control, enabling rapid upgrades, reducing dependence on single vendors, and allowing changes to be implemented quickly without lengthy re-contracting. This architecture will be applied to new platforms and modernization efforts across the fleet.
Gen. John D. Lamontagne | Aerospace Nation
Q: What is the rationale behind NGAS and NGAL in terms of tanker capacity and future airlift capabilities?
We need to recap KC-135s as we push KC-46s toward full-scale operation, and we are evaluating next-generation air refueling and advanced tanker systems to defend and extend reach in contested environments. The plan includes extending KC-46 production, considering NGAS and NGAL developments, and preparing for the 2040s with a flexible, modular airlift strategy.
Gen. John D. Lamontagne | Aerospace Nation
Q: Could you detail how the Air Force plans to sustain and modernize the fleet given the budget constraints and the need for readiness?
The approach combines higher funding for weapon system sustainment to push from 85% to about 93% readiness, with ongoing investments in new capabilities and multi-year contracts to stabilize industry planning and procurement. This is paired with efforts to increase flying hours, improve parts availability, and maintain critical platforms like the B-52, while expanding production and upgrading older fleets.
Congressman August Pfluger | Aerospace Nation
Q: Given budget instability, have you considered multi-year procurement or a stabilized funding model to avoid CRs and accelerate aircraft production?
Yes, multi-year procurement and a more stable funding approach are being discussed as essential to avoid stop-start budgets and to provide producers and investors with the certainty needed for planning and expansion.
Congressman August Pfluger | Aerospace Nation
Q: So what is the status of the third reconciliation bill and how important is it for defense funding, especially for programs like the F-35 procurement?
It is incredibly important; the framework is ready and leadership is actively pursuing a bipartisan path, with a target date before the summer recess to advance defense funding and recapitalization.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thorough, policy- and strategy-focused series that centers on national security aspects of air and space power, multi-domain operations, and long-term modernization. Episodes frequently feature senior military leaders, policy researchers, and industry partners who discuss force design, budgeting, interoperability with allies, and emerging technologies. Noteworthy is the strong emphasis on practical implications for defense budgeting, joint operations, and space domain awareness, often mixed with behind-the-scenes perspectives from the Mitchell Institute and top defense establishments. The format typically combines expert interrogation with audience Q&A, yielding detailed takes on complex modernization programs, policy shifts, and strategi... more

Where can I find podcast stats for this podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to this podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does this podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for this podcast, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for this podcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for this podcast, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does this podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers this podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to this podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:

1. The Aerospace Advantage
2. Defense & Aerospace Report
3. Net Assessment
4. War on the Rocks
5. Aviation Week's Check 6 Podcast

How many episodes of this podcast are there?

this podcast launched 5 years ago and published 100 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact this podcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for this podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for this podcast from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for this podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of this podcast. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Johnny Lamontagne
2. August Pfluger
3. Kyle Pumroy
4. Christopher Fernengel
5. Stephen Whiting
6. Corey Klopstein
7. Craig Hackbarth
8. Rebecca Sonkiss

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days