In this special episode of Books to Battles, members of SAASS Class XXXV take over the podcast to reflect on their experiences at the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies as they prepare to graduate. The students discuss why they chose SAASS, their impressions of the program, the challenges of the reading and thesis process, and the intellectual growth they experienced throughout the year. They also highlight the impact of the Germany staff ride, memorable courses and books, and the value of engaging with classmates and faculty from diverse professional and international backgrounds. Throughout the episode, the students emphasize how SAASS shaped the way they think about strategy, history, and military problem-solving.

This week, we bring you a special preview of Space Power Discussions, a podcast series with episodes produced by our SAASS students. Find out more by searching "Space Power Discussions" on your preferred podcast platform.

This episode of Space Power Discussions examines Test Gods, exploring the culture of experimental test pilots and risk in advancing aerospace capabilities. SAASS students connect lessons from flight testing to innovation, military space development, and strategic competition, highlighting how risk acceptance and experimentation shape the future of space power.

This week, we bring you a special preview of Space Power Discussions, a podcast series with episodes produced by our SAASS students. Find out more by searching "Space Power Discussions" on your preferred podcast platform.

This episode of Space Power Discussions explores The Power of the Space Club, examining how exclusive access to space capabilities shapes international politics. SAASS students analyze barriers to entry, prestige, and strategic influence, connecting the concept of a “space club” to today’s evolving domain and the implications for competition, cooperation, and emerging spacefaring nations.

In this episode, Dr. Whitman Cobb and Col. Hollon are joined by members of the SAASS 660 teaching team to discuss the course on Technology and Innovation and its role as the final course of the curriculum. The conversation examines how military innovation occurs, emphasizing the bureaucratic, organizational, and political challenges that shape the adoption of new ideas and technologies. The guests highlight the course’s focus on linking historical case studies to contemporary problems, encouraging students to think critically about how innovation is institutionalized. The episode also explores the course’s distinctive “Mother of All Briefings” exercise, which requires students to apply insights from past innovations to current technological challenges.

If you have questions, comments, or episode recommendations, please email us at bookstobattles@au.af.edu

Books Mentioned

Christopher J. Fuller, See It/Shoot It: The Secret History of the CIA's Lethal Drone Program (Yale University Press, 2017)

Michael W. Hankins, Flying Camelot (Cornell University Press, 2023)

Matt Hersch, Dark Star: A New History of the Space Shuttle (Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press, 2023)

Trent Hone, Learning War: The Evolution of Fighting Doctrine in the US Navy, 1898-1945 (Naval Institute Press, 2018)

William H. McNiel, Pursuit of Power: Technology, Armed Force, and Society (University of Chicago Press, 1982)

Stephen Rosen, Winning the Next War: Innovations and the Modern Military (Cornell University Press, 1991)

Jacquelyn Schneider and Julia MacDonald, The Hand Behind Unmanned: Origins of the US Autonomous Military Arsenal (Oxford University Press, 2025)

The opinions expressed here are those of the hosts or the guests and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Department of the Air Force, the Depart of Defense, or the United States Government.

In this episode of Books to Battles, hosts Dr. Whitman Cobb and Col Hollon interview the Chief of Space Operations, the senior uniformed leader of the U.S. Space Force, General Chance Saltzman, Gen. Saltzman traces his career from missile operations to leading a new military service and reflects on how the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies shaped his approach to critical thinking, communication, and strategy. He argues that space has transitioned from a supporting function to an integrated warfighting domain, requiring new doctrine, training models, and organizational structures. The conversation highlights the Space Force’s shift toward operating in contested environments, its growing integration into joint operations, and the strategic implications of commercial space partnerships. Saltzman concludes by assessing institutional progress and identifying force growth, training capacity, and resource execution as central challenges ahead.

In this episode, Dr. Wendy Whitman Cobb and Col. Cory Hollon interview Lt Gen (Ret.) David Deptula about the role of air and space power in modern warfare and national security. Deptula discusses the mission of the Mitchell Institute, emphasizing the need to better educate policymakers and the public on the strategic importance of air and space capabilities. The conversation addresses contemporary debates over air superiority, the impact of drones and precision-guided munitions in Ukraine, and critiques arguments that these developments diminish the relevance of airpower. Throughout, Deptula argues that control of the air remains a fundamental condition for effective joint operations and highlights the importance of innovation, resilience, and clear strategic thinking.

Mitchell Institute Website: mitchellaerospacepower.org

If you have questions, comments, or episode recommendations, please email us at bookstobattles@au.af.edu

Books Mentioned

Shyam Sankar and Madeline Hart, Mobilize: How to Reboot the American Industrial Base and Stop World War III (Bombardier Books, 2026)

Jack Broughton, Thud Ridge: Flying the F-105 Thunderchief in Combat Over Vietnam (Crecy Publishing Ltd., 1969)

Martin Caidin, Black Thursday: The Story of the Schweinfurt Raid (E.P. Dutton & Co., 1960)

USAF Doctrine Page: https://www.doctrine.af.mil/

Mitchell Institute Reading List: mitchellaerospacepower.org/aerospace-power-reading-list/

The opinions expressed here are those of the hosts or the guests and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Department of the Air Force, the Depart of Defense, or the United States Government.

We’re pulling an episode out of the vault this week. We’ll be revisiting the June 2025 attacks on Iran in Operation MIDNIGHT HAMMER. And while this week is a re-run, we’ve got a couple of exciting guests lined up for the next couple of weeks. Keep watching this space! And if you could, like, subscribe, comment, and/or tell a friend - it all helps us reach a broad audience of national security and air and space power experts and advocates.

Original Notes

In this episode of Books to Battles, Dr. David Sorenson and Dr. Carl Forsberg of the Air War College join our hosts to analyze the recent strikes against Iran, examining their strategic objectives, regional implications, and potential ripple effects on global security. Drawing on their expertise in Middle East politics and military strategy, they unpack the historical context of Iranian relations with the United States and Israel, the events leading up to the strikes, and the decision-making calculus behind the strikes

On this episode of Books to Battles, we explore NASA’s Artemis program and the upcoming Artemis II mission. We discuss its strategic significance, technological milestones, and implications for sustainable lunar return and great power competition, highlighting how Artemis shapes the future of human spaceflight and international partnerships beyond Earth orbit.