General Mike Minihan (US Air Force, retired) is a distinguished fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Indo-Pacific Security Initiative. He is also the president of Mavericks Advisors LLC, where he advises a portfolio of advanced aerospace, cyber, and dual-use AI technology companies on national security integration, contested logistics, and defense innovation. He also serves as chief executive officer of the Candy Bomber Foundation and is a board advisor to multiple firms focused on autonomy, digital infrastructure, and supply chain resilience.
He is a retired pilot and four-star general with almost thirty-five years of service in the US Air Force, culminating in his role as commander of Air Mobility Command, where he led 110,000 airmen and more than 1,100 aircraft globally. Minihan also served as deputy commander of United States Indo-Pacific Command, chief of staff for United Nations Command and US Forces Korea, and deputy director of operations at Pacific Air Forces, positions that placed him at the center of US posture, deterrence, and alliance operations across the Pacific.
A practitioner of maneuver warfare and operational integration, Minihan played a leading role in modernizing US approaches to China and North Korea, advancing connectivity initiatives, and shaping next-generation mobility concepts for joint and coalition warfighting. His leadership during crises such as those in Ukraine and Israel, Taiwan tensions, and the 2018 repatriation mission from North Korea reflect his enduring impact on US deterrence and diplomacy. In addition to his advisory work, Minihan is a national security commentator, keynote speaker, and author of numerous essays on leadership, readiness, and strategy.
Minihan holds a Bachelor of Science in economics from Auburn University, a Master of Business Administration from Touro University, a Master of Military Operational Art and Science from Air Command and Staff College, and a Master of Strategic Studies from the US Army War College. He also completed the Senior Executive Asia-Pacific Orientation Course at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies and the National Security Management Course at Syracuse University.
