Podcast: What To Expect At AFA

Editors gather on the eve of the AFA's Air, Space & Cyber Conference to discuss what the key themes will be at this year's event.

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AI-Generated Summary

The podcast previews the Air Force Association’s annual conference and the announcements, program updates, and strategic questions likely to shape discussion.

Expectations for major revelations are relatively limited, with attention focused on leadership remarks and developments visible on the exhibition floor. The massed modular aircraft effort, intended to replace the MQ-9, emerges as an important program to watch, while Sentinel remains under scrutiny because of design changes and continuing reviews.

The episode also considers the expanding relationship between NASA and the Space Force. Topics include nuclear power for space, lunar operations, deep-space maneuverability, personnel growth, and the institutional development of the newer service. The conference’s choice of keynote speakers reflects this overlap.

A broader force-structure debate concerns whether the Air Force can meet the statutory minimum for crewed tactical aircraft. Collaborative combat aircraft could alter the balance by providing additional range, weapons capacity, and magazine depth, even if they do not count toward that requirement. The future size of the B-21 fleet is another unresolved question, along with the long-term outlook for intelligence, surveillance, command and control, refueling, and airlift.

The MQ-9 receives particular attention after its reported value during Operation Epic Fury, despite significant losses. Its replacement is expected to be less expensive, simpler to control, and potentially capable of operating in swarms. The episode closes by examining the E-7 program and the growing role of space-based moving-target indication, which may become an increasingly important part of future airborne and space-based surveillance.

Key Topics:

• Air Force conference expectations
• The massed modular aircraft program
• Sentinel’s continuing development
• NASA and Space Force cooperation
• Future Air Force force structure
• Collaborative combat aircraft
• The expanding B-21 fleet
• MQ-9 replacement and swarm operations