Robert C. Owen is an emeritus professor in the Department of Aeronautical Science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.  In that position he continues his research, publication, and speaking in national defense topics with particular focus on air warfare and air mobility issues.  Professor Owen joined the Embry-Riddle faculty in 2002 following a 28-year career with the United States Air Force, from which he retired as a colonel.

Dr. Owen’s military career included operational, staff, and advanced education assignments. He is a USAF Command Pilot and a commercial pilot.  His early career included assignments as a C-130 pilot and to the History Department of the Air Force Academy.  Professor Owen later served in the Doctrine Division of the HQ USAF Directorate of Plans, where he coordinated on joint warfare issues and wrote Air Force and Joint doctrine manuals.  Next he served as the Dean/Commandant of the USAF’s School of Advanced Airpower Studies, followed by assignment as the Chief of the Policy and Doctrine Division, Air Mobility Command. There, his duties included direction of AMC’s participation in the Expeditionary Air Force and Future Total Force transformation programs and leadership responsibilities in the Air War over Serbia, Mobility Partnership, and Enduring Look studies. His “war” job was the articulation of command relations for specific deployments and development of AMC’s reconstitution plan after several years of steady-state deployments.

Dr. Owen’s books include the Chronology volume of the Gulf War Air Power Survey (1995), Deliberate Force: A Case Study in Effective Air Campaigning (2000), Air Mobility: A Brief History of the American Experience (2013), and Restraining Air Power: Escalation Management between Peer Air Forces (2021).  Additionally, he has published dozens of monographs, book chapters, and juried articles.  He holds degrees from UCLA (MA African Studies, 1974)), and Duke (PhD History, 1991).