Tobias Naegele
Tobias Naegele is the editor in chief of Air & Space Forces Magazine. The long-time chief editor of the Military Times group, along with Defense News, he was the founding editor of Marine Corps Times and, before that, Military & Aerospace Electronics. He is no less fascinated by the convergence of technology and military policy, and of telling the military’s stories that he was when he first reported on these topics four decades ago.
Recent stories by Tobias Naegele
Preparing for a Fight
It’s time to return to disciplined budget preparation and careful strategic investment.
Editorial: Preparing for a Fight
It is a law of survival, if not physics: In war, any advantage wielded by one side will be countered with an opposite, if not equal force, in a continuous back-and-forth until one or the other capitulates. The resultant innovation...
Editorial: Air and Space Dominance
The Trump administration arrived in Washington promising to restore America’s military, reinvigorate deterrence, and bring back its warrior ethos. These are not things that can change overnight, but there is evidence of progress. Topics that were gingerly avoided six months...
WATCH: Going Deeper on the Significance of Space Warfighting
Space superiority emerged as a major theme of the 2025 AFA Warfare Symposium, and retired Space Force Col. Jennifer Reeves, now a senior fellow with the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, goes deeper on the significance of that theme and what it means moving forward ...
WATCH: Taking Stock of Arctic Defense with Houston Cantwell
Air & Space Forces Magazine sat down with retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Houston “Slider” Cantwell, now a senior fellow with the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, at the AFA Warfare Symposium to talk about the his research and panel discussion on Arctic defense and ...
WATCH: Examining the State of Air Force Readiness
Retired Air Force Col. John “JV” Venable, a former F-16 pilot and a senior fellow at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, visited with Air & Space Forces Magazine at the AFA Warfare Symposium to talk about the state of readiness across the Air Force, ...
WATCH: Space Superiority Take Center Stage at AFA Colorado
Air & Space Forces Magazine sat down with Charles Galbreath, retired Space Force colonel and a senior fellow with the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, at the AFA Warfare Symposium to talk about Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman’s message to Guardians and ...
WATCH: Breaking Down ‘Fighter Drones’ and More with Heather Penney
AURORA, Colo.—Air & Space Forces Magazine caught up with Heather Penney, former F-16 pilot and now a senior fellow with the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, at the AFA Warfare Symposium to break down the biggest developments from Air Force...
The Biggest Storylines at AFA Colorado 2025 with Retired Lt. Gen. David Deptula
AURORA, Colo.—Air & Space Forces Magazine sat down with retired Lt. Gen. David A. Deptula, dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, to talk about the biggest themes from the 2025 AFA Warfare Symposium, from the new Trump administration’s...
Editorial: Eyes on the Prize
News coming out of the White House since President Donald J. Trump’s inauguration Jan. 20 is striking in its velocity. The subjects of his Executive Orders and policy memos were unsurprising, fulfilling oft-repeated campaign promises, but the speed, volume, and details—or lack of them—caught everyone ...
Success With CCA Points Way to Greater Innovation, Board Says
The Defense Innovation Board adopted a series of new recommendations and praised the Air Force for its big bets on emerging technology in recent years that seem primed to help new entrants to the defense market bridge the so-called valley of death between initial investment ...
The Hole in Trump’s Defense Team: Next SECAF Is a Mystery
President-elect Donald Trump announced his choices to fill out the top positions on his Pentagon team Dec. 22, but the next Secretary of the Air Force remains a notable vacancy.
JSE: How Air Force Aims to Get More Pilots into ‘World’s Best F-35 Simulator’
The Air Force is scaling up the Joint Simulation Environment to enable large-scale mission training possible for F-35 and other combat pilots at bases all over the country and even overseas.
Saltzman’s Focus Shifts to People and Transformation: Mitchell Institute’s Charles Galbreath
Charles Galbreath discusses how Gen. Saltzman plans to transform the Space Force into the powerhouse he wants it to be; building up manpower, adding resources, and building the bridges into allies, partners, and the Pentagon's Combatant Commands.
Brig. Gen. Chris Amrhein Says Space Force is Exceeding Recruiting Goals
Brig. Gen. Chris "Bammer" Amrhein, commander of Air Force Recruiting Command, says the U.S. Air Force and Space Force exceeded recruiting goals for fiscal 2027, but have greatly increased the goal for fiscal 2025, which starts Oct. 1. More recruiters, and a larger pool in ...