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by School of Advanced Air and Space Studies
Books to Battles is the official podcast of the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies (SAASS), where rigorous academic thought meets real-world military application. In each episode, we'll take you inside our school to explore its courses, students, and faculty. We'll show how foundational ideas—from classic works of strategy to cutting-edge scholarship—inform the development and execution of air and space power in today’s complex strategic environment. Join us as we bridge the gap between theory and practice, bringing deep intellectual insight to the art of war in the air and beyond. All views expressed in this series are the speakers' own and are not necessarily reflective of the Department of Defense, the US government, or any other affiliated organizations.
Latest Episodes
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- 5 days ago32 min
The State of China Studies with Lyle Morris
Dr. Wendy Whitman Cobb sits down with China scholar Lyle Morris to explore critical blind spots in the study of China’s military and strategic behavior. Drawing on his latest work, Morris examines the assumptions that shape Western analysis of China and identifies the political, military, economic, and international factors that could influence Beijing’s decision-making over Taiwan. The conversation highlights what analysts may be missing—and why it matters for strategy.
- 1 weeks ago39 min
Discussion with General (R) Mike Minihan
General Mike Minihan, U.S. Air Force retired, joins Books to Battles for a wide-ranging conversation on leadership, readiness, and the future of American airpower. Drawing on more than three decades of service—including command of Air Mobility Command and senior leadership roles in the Indo-Pacific—General Minihan reflects on preparing forces for great-power competition, building a warrior culture, and the lessons that have shaped his approach to leadership and warfighting.
- 2 weeks ago34 min
Discussion with General Adrian Spain
On this episode of Books to Battles, Dr. Wendy Whitman Cobb sits down with General Adrian Spain, Commander of Air Combat Command, to discuss the challenges facing today’s Combat Air Forces. General Spain shares his perspectives on readiness, modernization, and preparing Airmen for future conflict, as well as the operational problems that demand greater attention. He also discusses the books and ideas shaping his thinking as a senior Air Force leader.
- 3 weeks ago39 min
Fiction Series: The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
In the second installment of our Fiction-a-Month series, Books to Battles turns to Robert Heinlein’s classic The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress. We explore the novel’s depiction of revolution, resistance, political organization, and the strategic challenges facing a weaker actor confronting a more powerful adversary. Along the way, we connect Heinlein’s lunar rebellion to key concepts from the SAASS Military Theory course and consider what fiction can teach us about strategy and war.
- Aug 19, 202633 min
Air Power Not Air Forces with Tobias Switzer
In this episode of Books to Battles, Tobias Bernard Switzer discusses his new RAND report, Air Power, Not Air Forces, and the lessons drawn from U.S. efforts to build partner aviation capabilities in Iraq and Afghanistan. Switzer argues that future security force assistance should prioritize generating effective combat airpower over replicating Western-style air force institutions, emphasizing affordable capabilities, sustainable support, and organizational approaches better suited to partner needs.
- Aug 12, 202642 min
The Three Body Problem and International Relations
Join co-editors Dr. Wes Hutto and Dr. Wendy Whitman Cobb for a discussion of The Three-Body Problem and International Relations, a new edited volume exploring what Cixin Liu's acclaimed science fiction trilogy can teach us about international relations and strategy. They discuss the book's origins, the value of fiction as a teaching tool, and how themes such as deterrence, diplomacy, strategy, and power help illuminate today's most pressing security challenges.
- Aug 5, 202633 min
S3E2 - Dr. Peter Layton and Heterogeneous Airpower
In this episode of Books to Battles, Col. Cory Hollon speaks with Dr. Peter Layton, a retired Royal Australian Air Force officer and grand strategist, about his concept of heterogeneous air power. Layton argues that the rising cost and complexity of manned combat aircraft has created a resilience problem for middle-power air forces, particularly in a prolonged war of attrition. Drawing on the Russia-Ukraine war, he examines how rockets, missiles, drones, and manned aircraft can combine to create an air force with greater resilience, scalability, and mass. The discussion explores the implications for air superiority, control of the air, precision warfare, industrial capacity, force design, and the future of air strategy and theory.
- Jul 29, 202631 min
Fiction Series: The Heroes
In the first installment of our Fiction-a-Month miniseries, Dr. Wendy Whitman Cobb is joined by Lt Col Rachel Reynolds to explore Joe Abercrombie’s The Heroes. Together, they examine the novel’s insights on leadership, war, and strategy, connecting its themes to SAASS 601, Foundations of Strategy, and contemporary military thought.For more information on this podcast and the series, please visit us at https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/SAASS/Podcast/.
About Books to Battles
Books to Battles is the official podcast of the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies (SAASS), where rigorous academic thought meets real-world military application. In each episode, we'll take you inside our school to explore its courses, students, and faculty. We'll show how foundational ideas—from classic works of strategy to cutting-edge scholarship—inform the development and execution of air and space power in today’s complex strategic environment. Join us as we bridge the gap between theory and practice, bringing deep intellectual insight to the art of war in the air and beyond. All views expressed in this series are the speakers' own and are not necessarily reflective of the Department of Defense, the US government, or any other affiliated organizations.
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