This event has already taken place.
DATE: January 29, 2026 from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm ET
LOCATION: Army Navy Country Club
Thank you all who attended our Airpower Forum!
This year, top Air Force leaders discuss the realities of the threat environment and corresponding operational requirements that demand enhanced readiness, new technologies, modern operational concepts, and corresponding strategies. It is critical that we understand the rational behind Air Force plans.
Videos & Transcripts Coming Soon!
Agenda
Opening Remarks
Lt. Gen. David A. Deptula, USAF (Ret.)
Panel Discussion – Air Force Readiness
The Air Force may have the best strategy, operational concepts, and technology in the world…but without readiness, none of that matters. The service must ensure its people, aircraft, and related systems are set to fly, fix, and fight.
- Lt. Gen. Scott L. Pleus
Acting Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force - Lt. Gen. Case A. Cunningham
Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force - Lt. Gen. Kenyon K. Bell
Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Engineering, and Force Protection - John Venable
Moderator, Senior Fellow for Airpower Studies, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Panel Discussion – Air and Missile Defense
Air and missile threats are holding U.S. forward operating bases and the homeland under threat like never before. Developments in Ukraine’s fight with Russia and Israel’s defensive actions against Iranian strikes provide clear evidence of this trend. Panelists will help define the threat and discuss prudent actions we should consider as we work to develop highly capable, sustainable defenses.
- Gen. Tod D. Wolters, USAF (Ret.)
Former Commander, U.S. European Command & NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) - Gen Jeffrey L. Harrigian, USAF (Ret.)
Vice President, Strategic Campaigns, Lockheed Martin - Patrick Mike Shortsleeve
Vice President, Strategy Business Development, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems - Col. Robert “Otis” Winkler, USAF (Ret.)
Vice President , Corporate Development and National Security Programs, Kratos Defense - Bryan “Stu” Eberhardt
Vice President, Boeing - Brig. Gen. Houston Cantwell, USAF (Ret.)
Moderator, Senior Resident Fellow for Airpower Studies, Mitchell Institute
Panel Discussion – AI: Where are We in the Journey?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) stands as one of the most impactful technologies that will reshape the national security realm. We discuss the challenges and opportunities involved with this rapidly evolving capability. Where does it stand today? What is the likely future vector?
- Brig. Gen. Jason E. Bartolomei
Commander, Air Force Research Laboratory - Ryan Tseng
Co-Founder & President, Shield AI - Steven Fino
Principal Technical Fellow & Technical Director for Autonomy, Collins Aerospace, RTX - Robert “Bobaloo” Rickard
Founder & CEO, RCG, Inc. - Heather Penney
Moderator, Director of Research, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Panel Discussion – Midnight Hammer: Lessons Learned
Operation Midnight Hammer was a historic airpower mission on multiple levels: the scale of the mission, threat environment, complexity of the targets, and the global nature of the mission. Learn more on the raid through the viewpoints of those who executed it—from leadership to the cockpits. What did the raid validate? What will we likely need to adjust for the future?
- Lt. Gen. Jason R. Armagost
Deputy Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command, and Deputy Commander, Air Forces Strategic-Air, U.S. Strategic Command - Maj Claire Randolph
AFCENT Chief of Weapons and Tactics - Jerry McBrearty
Vice President, B-2 Program Manager, Northrop Grumman - Mark Gunzinger
Moderator, Director of Future Concepts and Capability Assessments, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Fireside Chat with Lt. Gen. David A. Harris, Deputy Chief of Staff, Air Force Futures
The Air Force faces an incredibly challenging, dynamic threat environment. We explore how this is shaping the service’s force design, plus a broad range of initiatives—everything from modernization decisions to operational concepts and strategy. Decisions made today will set the course for the service for decades to come.
- J. Michael Dahm
Moderator, Senior Fellow for Aerospace and China Studies, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Fireside Chat with Gen. Adrian L. Spain, Commander, Air Combat Command
The airmen of Air Combat Command are sustaining an incredibly high operational tempo meeting global combatant command demands around the globe—whether in Asia, Europe, the homeland, and beyond. Learn more about this as we explore current operational requirements, while also discussing steps ACC is taking to boost readiness, while also operationalizing a generational level of modernization.
- Lt. Gen. David A. Deptula, USAF (Ret.)
Moderator, Dean, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Speakers
Gen. Adrian L. SpainCommander, Air Combat Command, United States Air Force
Lt. Gen. Scott L. PleusActing Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force
Lt. Gen. Case A. CunninghamDeputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force
Lt. Gen. Kenyon K. BellDeputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Engineering, and Force Protection
Lt. Gen. David A. HarrisDeputy Chief of Staff, Air Force Futures, Headquarters, United States Air Force
Lt. Gen. Jason R. ArmagostDeputy Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command, and Deputy Commander, Air Forces Strategic-Air, U.S. Strategic Command
Brig. Gen. Jason E. BartolomeiCommander, Air Force Research Laboratory
Gen. Tod D. Wolters USAF (Ret.)Former Commander, U.S. European Command & NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) 
Gen. Jeffrey L. Harrigian USAF (Ret.)Vice President, Strategic Campaigns, Lockheed Martin
Maj. Claire RandolphAFCENT Chief of Weapons and Tactics
Ryan TsengCo-Founder & President, Shield AI
Patrick Mike ShortsleeveVice President, Strategy Business Development, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems
Col. Robert “Otis” Winkler USAF (Ret.)Vice President , Corporate Development and National Security Programs, Kratos Defense
Jerry McBreartyVice President, B-2 Program Manager, Northrop Grumman
Robert “Bobaloo” RickardFounder & CEO, RCG, Inc.
Bryan “Stu” EberhardtVice President, Boeing
Steven FinoPrincipal Technical Fellow & Technical Director for Autonomy, Collins Aerospace, RTX