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February 22, 2025 75 mins

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Heather “Lucky” Penney discusses why the Air Force has a chronic pilot shortfall and solutions to solve it with Lt Gen Joseph Guastella, USAF (Ret) and Lt Gen Marc Sasseville, USAF (Ret).

Bottom line: the Air Force’s pilot corps is now too small to sustain a healthy combat force that can prevail in a peer conflict and meet the nation’s other national security requirements. Air Force leaders recognize the shortfall and have worked hard to address it, but underlying and external factors persist. Effective joint force operations demand robust combat airpower. Pilot experience is critical to this effort. Join us to understand what’s driving these challenges and what defense leaders and Congress need to do to fix it.

Credits:

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

Producer: Shane Thin 

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: Lt Gen Joseph Guastella, USAF (Ret)

Guest: Lt Gen Marc Sasseville, USAF (Ret)

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