Defense & Aerospace Report

Richard Aboulafia and Dr. Kevin Michaels of the AeroDynamic Advisory consultancy join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the economic impacts of the Iran war and their new book on the history of business aviation, “Time Machines: Business Aviation's Dynamic Journey.”:

Dr. “Rocket” Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian on the sidelines of the commercial edition of Joanna Speed's Aerospace Event in Los Angeles to discuss the market impacts of the US-Israel war on Iran, the limits of surging production of complex weapons, role of new entrants to deliver capability more quickly like the Low-Cost ‌Uncrewed Combat Attack Syste by Arizona startup SpektreWorks, and outlook for defense spending including the resumption of supplemental funding to cover the growing costs of operations worldwide over the past year; and John Cofrancesco of American AI Logistics discusses the Trump administration's decision to blacklist Anthropic, the implications for industry, and how to craft an AI strategy to delivers breakthrough capabilities in line with the nation's values.

On today's Look Ahead program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners and former Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss US-Israel military operations against Iran, Tehran's attacks on nations across the region, and possible scenarios as Washington says operations will continue for weeks even as America's allies recommend off ramps; impact of a protracted campaign on depleting US attack and defensive weaponry as well as wear and tear on aging equipment and personnel exhausted after back-to-back military operations over the past; what regime change in Tehran would mean for regional security and defense investment given Iran's role as regional provocateur; key themes from L3Harris Technology's investor day; takeaways from the International Institute for Strategic Studies' latest Military Balance; and a look ahead to the big events of the coming in Washington and beyond.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. “Rocket” Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, Sash Tusa of the independent equity research firm Agency Partners and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss Wall Street's worst day of 2026 on AI worries and lower than expected new US jobs creation; Israel and the United States attack Iran, killing the country's top leaders as Tehran retaliates against Israel, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE; worries that a prolonged conflict will take a toll on already depleted US weapons stocks, aging weapons and personnel; the conflict sends energy prices soaring; the Trump administration's blacklisting of Anthropic from doing business with the US government and threat to seize its technology after the company expresses concerns over the use of it's Claude model for autonomous weapons and mass surveillance as OpenAI strikes a deal with the Pentagon; the spat between Britain's Treasury and Defense Ministries spills into the open as UK firms work to position themselves for growth; Ukraine's desire to help produce the Patriot missiles it depends on to counter Russian attacks; BWXT, Heico, Hensoldt, Leonardo, MTU, and Rolls-Royce earnings as L3Harris holds its investor day; takeaways from the Air and Space Forces Association's Warfare Symposium last week in Denver including plan to accelerate production of Northrop Grumman's B-21 bomber; updates on the Collaborative Combat Aircraft programs including engines to power a new generation of unmanned aircraft; the White House's decision to back the US Navy's FA-XX to develop a next generation carrier aircraft; and what to expect at commercial edition of Joanna Speed's Aerospace Event next week at the Beverly Wilshire in LA.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss President Trump's new tariffs after the Supreme Court's ruling last week and Republican efforts to adopt new tariff legislation; takeaways from the president's longest ever state of the union address; efforts to restore full Department of Homeland Security funding and update on Reconciliation 2.0; whether the president will get the $1.5 trillion defense budget he wants for 2027 as consensus settles on a more modest boost of around $1.1 trillion to $1.2 trillion; US-Iran talks continue in Geneva as Washington masses more forces in the region and prepares to evacuate US personnel from Israel to press Tehran into a nuclear deal; tensions between the president and military leadership as Trump says his chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, thinks a war with Iran would be easy as news reports indicate military leaders are concerned about the impact of a protracted and unpredictable conflict on weapons stocks, equipment and personnel; Ukraine's allies shape another 106 billion euro aid package that Hungary has threatened to derail; as former US Army Europe chief retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges tells reporters his train was attacked, one of five suspected Russian attacks on Europe that day; the Pentagon's threat to seize Anthropic's Claude AI model and blacklist the company unless it allows its technology to be used for autonomous weapons and mass surveillance; after two months as Joint Staff Director Vice Adm. Fred Kacher will leave his job and return to the Navy; Beijing again cuts rare earth shipments to Japan; Kim Jong Un teases a summit with Trump amid US-Korea strategy strains; an escalating conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan; Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Israel; and Washington's decision to open a pop-up consulate for Israeli settlers in the West Bank town of Efrat.

We attended the Air and Space Forces Association Warfare Symposium so you didn't have to. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems president Dave Alexander gives us the latest on a slew of programs. We review the event and Air and Space Forces magazine editor Tobias Naegele and Mitchell Institute Dean David Deptula add their views. Plus a headline or two. All powered by GE!

Mesh Feigenbaum, a managing partner at Engineered Metal Tech who is one of the world's leading experts on the gigantic forging presses that are critical for the worldwide aerospace and defense supply chain, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss an updated version of his 2018 benchmark study of global industrial capacity that rings alarm bells for major commercial and military programs; the importance of forging facilities; the problematic nature of depending on gigantic pieces of equipment that are aging and when they fail are out of action for years, derailing supply chains; China's strategic approach of investing in sovereign capacity and capability; why the business is so challenging commercially one without government support; and the investment necessary for the United States to revitalize a critical industry.

On today's Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Sam Bendett of the Center for Naval Analyses and Dr. Eugene Rumer, the director of the Russia and Eurasia program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss an assessment of Russia's war Ukraine as the conflict enters its fifth year; update on the fighting and impact of SpaceX's decision to suspend Russian access to StarLink data; whether Vladimir Putin as more vulnerable as the war takes its toll on Russia's finances and economy; what will convince Moscow to back off its maximalist demands; key transformations in warfighting over the past four years as both sides have struggled to gain advantage; prospect an economic deal with Moscow that would see US industry rebuild Russia would convince Russian leaders to turn away from Beijing; whether it's reasonable to expect Ukraine to hold elections in May as demanded by President Trump; and what to expect in year five of the conflict.

On today's Look Ahead program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss defense industrial implications of the Supreme Court's rulings against most of President Trump's tariffs and his reaction to impose an additional 15 percent tariff across the board; prospect the administration will retaliate against European nations that shift rapidly increasing spending away from US weapons in favor of domestic ones; Canada's new defense strategy; consequences of a possible Iran attack and Britain's decision to deny US forces use of bases in UK and Diego Garcia; analysis of Russia's war on Ukraine as the conflict enters its fifth year; a changing competitive US defense industrial landscape; and a look at the week ahead.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. “Rocket” Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, Sash Tusa of the independent equity research firm Agency Partners and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss an up week on Wall Street on the Supreme Court's decision that some of President Trump's tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act were illegal; what's next for nearly $200 billion in tariff revenue collected over the past year as the president imposes new tariffs under other legislation; US threat of retaliation if Europe shifts away from buying American systems in favor of domestic weaponry; India's Rafale order including 31 naval variants of the Dassault fighter; Canada's new National Defense Strategy; Northrop Grumman partnership with Embraer to help market the KC-390 tanker-transport in the United States; impact on Leonardo's C-27 production line after Saudi Arabia's ordered for four of the transports in a maritime patrol configuration for delivery in 2029; Airbus earnings including frustrations with Pratt & Whitney; and BAE Systems' investors call.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the Supreme Court's ruling against the Trump administration's use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to justify tariffs; outlook for ending the Ukraine war as Washingon increases pressure on Kyiv as Russia touts $14 trillion in business for America; in advance of his trip to Beijing, President Trump said he's talking Xi Jinping about US arms sales to Taiwan; the confirmation by a US official that China appears to have conducted an unground nuclear test in 2020; Japan and South Korea make good on their promises to invest in the United States in exchange for lower tariff rates; Washington's efforts to improve relations with India and make new friends in South and Central Asia; the president's “Board of Peace” and the future of Gaza; after massing the biggest US military buildup in the Middle East since the 2003 Iraq invasion, Trump gives Tehran an ultimatum to make a nuclear deal in 10 days or “really bad things will happen;” Britain balks at letting US forces using bases in the UK and Diego Garcia to strike Iran as the president criticizes London's decision to turn over control of Diego Garcia to Mauritius; and Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu pushes for a pardon for a corruption charges as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich says the next government should “encourage migration” of Palestinians living on the West Bank.

How should the US Air Force design itself to meet today's challenges – and tomorrow's? Tim Walton and Dan Patt of the Hudson Institute have a new report out with answers, and we'll take a good look at it. Plus the week's headlines in airpower. All powered by GE!

On today's Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Mike Rogers, a retired US Navy admiral and former director of the National Security Agency and commander of US Cyber Command who is now the chairman of the advisory board of cybersecurity firm Claroty, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss his commentary in The Hill,  “America is dangerously unprepared for a GPS attack,” including how the current network the nation depends on for its military and economic security is under “duress;” the variety of threats its faces from jamming, cyber, spoofing as well as physical damage; how to create a new systems by leveraging 5G investment as well as thoughtful spectrum allocation; and the Trump administration's approach to cyber security.

On today's Look Ahead program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss takeaways from the Munich Security Conference; what transatlantic cooperation will look like as Europe works to decouple from its historic dependence on the United States; Canada's new defense industrial strategy from buying 75 percent of its weapons from the United States to directing 70 percent of military purchases to domestic firms with the goal of increasing exports to 50 percent; outlook for reconciliation 2.0 as President Trump abruptly opposes the funding maneuver; what Amentum, Parsons and SAIC say about the future of the services market; Mike Cadenazzi, the assistant secretary of defense for industrial base, addresses the Hudson Institute; and a look at the week ahead.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. “Rocket” Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, Sash Tusa of the independent equity research firm Agency Partners and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss Wall Street had it's worst week since November on a tech selloff even as new federal data showed lower than expected inflation and better than expected jobs growth; despite tensions with Washington, Ottawa put a down payment on the next 14 F-35 Lightning II fighters on top of the 16 jets on order as Prime Minister Mark Carney seeks alternative options; as the Munich Security Conference convenes French President Emmanuel Macron calls for Europe to become more globally competitive, British Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer seeks a multinational defense initiative with Europe and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz explores joining France's nuclear deterrent; Macron works to savage the Franco-German SCAF program by convincing Dassault to be more accommodating as Germany's aerospace industries association BDLI hopes two versions of a common SCAF can be built — one for Germany, the other for France; importance of defending commercial airports from drones; India's HAL out of the fighter business save for the Light Combat Aircraft; and takeaways from Saudi Arabia's World Defense Show.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss impact of a looming shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security as Democrats block funding; prospects for another defense reconciliation package; House passage of federalized elections and measure to halt Trump's Canada tariffs; what's next after a federal judge blocks the Pentagon's efforts to punish retired US Navy captain and current Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly for participating in a video advising troops to not follow illegal orders; a Munich Security Conference where French President Emmanuel Macron make the case for a more globally competitive Europe and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will underscore a new era in international relations; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth skipped the NATO defense ministerial where Pentagon policy chief Bridge Colby framed his Washington's vision for the alliance as NATO adopted a new command structure and Arctic strategy; the White House imposes a firm deadline on Ukraine to end the war and hold elections by June or lose all US support; Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi‘s landslide victory; China sentences Hong Kong publisher Jimmy Lai to 20 years in prison; Taiwan's Lai Ching Te's warning that if China invades his country, an empowered Beijing will seek other territories it claims; the revelation that Chinese warships sailed 100 kilometers off Australia's coast in December and Japan's arrest a Chinese fishing boat captain for ignoring calls to stop for an inspection; US forces seize another Venezuelan tanker in the Pacific; Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu's meeting with Trump as more US forces mass in the Gulf to support a possible Iran attack as Washington and Tehran talks continue; and Israel's efforts to annex the West Bank.

The US Air Force is changing the way it does acquisition – or the Department of Defense is changing the way the Air Force does acquisition. Either way, we get details and insight from The Honorable Andrew Hunter, the previous Air Force acquisition executive, along with his (surprising!) wish list. Plus the week's headlines in airpower. All powered by GE!

On today's Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Dr. Eugene Rumer, the director of the Russia and Eurasia program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the Russia's war on Ukraine as the conflict approaches its fourth anniversary; outlook for peace as Washington's presses Kiev to hold elections by May 15 or risk losing US support; US efforts to strike $12 trillion in economic deals with Russia and whether that will prompt Moscow to align with Washington against Beijing; the impact of the US trade deal with India that requires New Delhi to end Russian oil purchases on Moscow's finances; potential successors to Zelenskyy should elections happen in May as planned; and Ukrainian membership in the EU.

On today's Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Steve Grundman, a former Pentagon industrial base chief now with the Atlantic Council and the Grundman Advisory consultancy, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the Pentagon's acquisition reform efforts, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's upcoming list of contractors deemed to be performing poorly; the Trump administration's investment stakes in key suppliers; new strategic minerals stockpile; agreements with Lockheed Martin and RTX to bolster missile production; President Trump's call to drop the long-standing US requirement that nations that buy American weapons check with Washington before transferring them to a third party; and outlook for global defense and aerospace supply chains as nations scramble to bolster their domestic weapons development and production capabilities.

On today's program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the latest headlines and looks at the week ahead.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. “Rocket” Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, Sash Tusa of the independent equity research firm Agency Partners and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss an rocky week on Wall Street; the Trump administration's $12 billion “Project Vault” effort to create a strategic minerals stockpile to reduce dependence on China; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's list of poorly performing defense contractors; the administration charters Erebor Bank with $635 million in capital to support defense and tech startups; RTX agrees to the Pentagon's seven-year deal to invest its own money to boost increase Tomahawk cruise missile output from 60 per year today to 1,000 a year, triple the SM-6 air defense and strike missile production to 500 weapons, and AMRAAM air-to-air missile rates from 1200 to 1900 annually; Russia's efforts to shadow European satellites; takeaways from the Singapore airshow including Airbus and the Singapore Air Force receive the first automatic air-to-air refueling certification for the A330 Multirole Tanker Transport aircraft, Singapore to buy four P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, Indonesia buys M346 trainers but it's fighter modernization is uncertain, and Uzbekistan orders Embraer's KC-390; Boeing consolidates 787 jetliner work in South Carolina, moving 300 jobs from Washington the the palmetto state; and Democratic lawmakers want an investigation into SpaceX's links with China.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss outlook for continues Department of Homeland Security funding after lawmakers end another partial government shutdown; efforts to secure another big reconciliation measure for defense; President Trump's threat to sue his own Federal Reserve chair nominee Kevin Warsh if he doesn't cut interest rates after replacing current Chairman Jay Powell in May; implications of Texas elections that saw Democrats perform well in districts that Trump won by double digit margins; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's “naughty” contractors list; analysis of the administration's new National Defense Strategy; Washington's discordant approach to Europe where US officials promise financial support for right-wing think tanks as “resistance” to centrist governments while also pledging partnership on strategic minerals; the Pentagon resumes military cooperation with Russia as Trump seeks a new nuclear deal with Moscow and Beijing as Vladimir Putin demands Britain and France be added to talks; a second inconclusive round of talks US-Russia-Ukraine talks; what we know about the administration's new trade deal with India; Trump changes course and backs Britain's decision on transferring ownership of the Chagos Islands that's home to the strategically important base at Diego Garcia to Mauritius in exchange for a 99-year lease; the administration's drive to negotiate a new nuclear deal with Iran; and the latest on Israel's operations in Gaza and the West Bank.

The US Air Force faces a lot of questions, and the service's thought leaders came together in Washington last week to work through them. We have a readout from the conference organizer, Mitchell Institute Executive Director Doug Birkey. And a busy week in airpower headlines. All powered by GE!

Bryan Clark of the Hudson Institute and Cavas Ships co-host Chris Servello join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss takeaways from the second annual Apex Defense conference last week in Washington.

On today's Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Mark Montgomery, a retired US Navy rear admiral who is now the senior director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the Trump administration's National Defense Strategy and whether it addresses the challenges the United States faces specifically the threats posed by China and Russia, how it will be perceived by friends and foes, whether it justifies $1.5 trillion in spending, Golden Dome, cyber security, and industrial strategy.

On today's program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the latest headlines and looks at the week ahead.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. “Rocket” Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, Sash Tusa of the independent equity research firm Agency Partners and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss a down week on Wall Street; President Trump's selection of Kevin Warsh to replace Jay Powell as the Federal Reserve chairman; after two decades of negotiations, the EU and India strike a trade deal that encompasses some 2 billion people; after threatening Canada with 100 percent tariffs if it makes a deal with China, Trump warned Britain against drawing close to Beijing as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer visited the Chinese capital to reset relations and boost trade ties; the president's call to decertify the Bombardier Global Express business jet and impose a 50 percent tariff on the planes after falsely accusing Ottawa of failing to certify US-made Gulfstream aircraft; the new Dutch government's “freedom tax” to boost defense spending; France rejects Eutelsat's planned sale of its ground antennae business to the private equity firm EQT as Paris tells government employees to stop using Zoom in favor of European systems; French IT firm CapGemini's decision to sell its US unit — CapGemini Government Solutions — for working for ICE and a lack of transparency into the American subsidiary's operations; Boeing, Crane, Hexcel, L3Harris, Northrop Grumman, and Textron report earnings; and Boeing reveals another $600 million charge on its KC-46 Pegasus tanker aircraft for the US Air Force.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss prospects for a government shutdown as Democratic leaders protest the Trump administration's heavy-handed crackdown on illegal immigration in Minnesota and elsewhere; lawmakers consider impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for her agency's aggressive tactics and misleading public statements; Minnesota Democratic Congresswoman Ilan Omar becomes the latest lawmaker to be attacked; administration's efforts to access state voter data in Minnesota as a condition to withdraw federal agents or the FBI raid to seize voter information from Fulton County, Ga.; the president and his sons file an unprecedented $10 billion lawsuit against the Treasury and the IRS seeking damages after a contractor leaked Trump's and other tax returns during his first term; the president says he will impose new 50 percent tariffs on Canadian business jets as he also threatens Britain against closer business ties with China as Prime Minister Keir Starmer visits Beijing to deepen trade ties; Trump says Vladimir Putin has agreed to suspend attacks on Ukraine during a snap of brutally cold weather as Washington reportedly is again pressuring Ukraine into ceding territory to Moscow; NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte's stance that European leaders are “dreaming” if they think they can defend Europe without the United States; after two years of talks, the EU and India strike a free trade deal; Xi continues his crack down on senior military leaders; and what's next Trump threatens Tehran with a large armada weeks after Iran's leaders killed more than 6,000 to crush nationwide demonstrations.

Disruptive warfare is a new concept to counter traditional ideas of mass with technology and unconventional strategies and tactics. How does it work, and what does it mean for airpower? We get answers from Michael Stewart, former head of the Navy's disruptive capabilities office and one of the architects behind the Hellscape defense concept. And we have this week's airpower headlines. All powered by GE!

On today's program from the Apex Defense conference, Brig. Gen. James “Geoff” Kent, the special advisor to the commander of the US Army Materiel Command joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the US Army's sustain and support forces operating in highly contested future conflicts.

John Cofrancesco, the founder of American AI Logistics, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the biggest challenges to the defense supply chain and how artificial intelligence combined with thoughtful policy changes can help the Pentagon shape stockpiles of systems and parts that will be in highest demand well ahead of a conflict.

On today's Look Ahead program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the prospect of another government shutdown in the wake of the second fatal shooting in Minneapolis; analysis of the defense appropriations conference report that added $8.4 billion to the administration's $838 billion Pentagon budget request; the odds that President Trump will get the $1.5 trillion for defense he wants; the long-awaited National Defense Strategy; US Army priorities; a roller coaster week that started with the president vowing up to 25 percent tariffs on Europe unless Washington got control of Greenland that ended with a “framework” agreement to bolster NATO's Arctic security as Trump responded to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's landmark address with a pledge to impose 100 percent tariffs if Ottawa strikes a trade deal with China; bolstering US defense industrial capabilities and how Pentagon leaders need to think about “shareholders” in the space; and a look at the week ahead.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. “Rocket” Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, Sash Tusa of the independent equity research firm Agency Partners and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss a roller coaster week on Wall Street that saw a drop after President Trump's threat to launch a trade war against Europe to acquire Greenland and a rebound after he said he would neither attack Greenland nor impose tariffs to get it but instead opt for a “framework” deal to bolster Arctic security; after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said the rules-based world order guaranteed by America is over and it's time to plan for what's next, the president said he would impose a 100 percent tariff on all Canadian goods if “Governor Carney” strikes a trade deal with China; Danes vow to boycott American products as France turns to industrial giants like Renault to bolster drone production as Paris plans a $40 billion boost in defense spending; Sweden's leading pension fund pares down US treasuries from $8.8 billion to $7.7 billion during 2025 on worries about American political risk and whether other nations will follow suit given Washington's dependence on borrowing to make fiscal ends meet; the Pentagon's new National Defense Strategy; Congress' $838 billion appropriations measure that boosts defense spending by $8.4 billion including some $900 million for the Navy's FA-XX future fighter and demand for greater transparency into the Golden Dome missile defense system; India inches closer to a deal with Dassault for 114 Rafale fighters; Babcock and QinetiQ issue trading statements; and leading firms like GE Aerospace, Teledyne, and others report earnings.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss appropriations measure that boosts Pentagon funding by $8.4 billion to $838.7 billion; outlook for a second reconciliation package to boost defense spending to $1.5 trillion; lawmakers fail to stop US troops deployment to Venezuela; analysis of President Trump's remarks at the World Economic Forum including that he won't invade Greenland nor impose tariffs on European nations; whether his rhetoric and actions during his first year in office have done irreparable damage to the NATO alliance; Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's watershed address; lessons China is learning from the turmoil that's prompted Western leaders to increasingly court Beijing, including the Starmer government's recent decision to allow a giant new Chinese embassy in the heart of London; Taiwan's $40 billion plan to boost defense spending stalled by partisan parliamentary infighting; whether Iran's leaders will face new protests after brutally crushing massive recent demonstrations; and Israel's latest actions in Gaza and the West Bank.

Congress's new appropriations report includes news for the Golden Dome air and missile defense system. At the same time, US allies are rethinking their commitment to help the US defend itself. And what about Greenland? We get into the details with Dr. Tom Karako, Director of the Missile Defense program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Plus this week's headlines in airpower. All powered by GE!

On today's Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Richard Fontaine, the president and CEO of the Center for a New American Security, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the implications of President Trump's drive to gain ownership of Greenland from Denmark and why it would be wiser for Washington to exercise it's rights under 1951 and 2004 to increase American force posture on the world's largest island as well as garner access to its natural resources; whether NATO will be able to survive an unprecedented crisis where one member nation wants the territory of another; lessons being learned by America's allies and adversaries; whether there is negotiation trade space to defuse the crisis; anticipating Trump's next demands; how long it will take the Europe to break its economic and military dependency on America; and the prospect that GOP lawmakers will alter the president's  agenda.

On today's program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners and Chris Servello, a founder of Provision Advisors public relations firm (and Defense and Aerospace team member) join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the latest headlines and looks at the week ahead.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. “Rocket” Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, Sash Tusa of the independent equity research firm Agency Partners and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss Wall Street's bumpy week on weaker than expected bank results and investor worries about private credit and tech markets; the Trump administration's investigation into Federal Reserved Chairman Jay Powell; President Trump's imposition of 10 percent tariffs on the eight nations that sent troops to Greenland at Denmark's request on a training exercise as he continues to demand the US acquire Greenland, prompting nation to consider activating the European Union's trade bazooka that wasn't used during last year's tariff talks; what happens if Washington escalates by degrading or incapacitating US-made hardware now in NATO service to prevent European nations from responding to Greenland, and what capabilities Europe would have at its disposal to defend itself against Russia and other threats if American equipment is rendered inoperative; the EU's trade deal with South American Mercosur nations creating a free trade zone of more than 700 million people; under pressure from Washington, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visits Beijing to strike an “strategic partnership” as other European leaders visit China to advance their trade interests; frustrated with France and Dassault, Germany decides to leave the SCAF program to develop a new generation of manned and unmanned combat aircraft as Airbus considers next steps with in partnership with Saab or find a way to join the British-Italian-Japanese Global Combat Air Program; the Pentagon's $1 billion investment in L3Harris Technologies' new missile solutions business and its solid rocket motor capabilities, clearing the way for a direct US government investment across supply chains deemed critical; and Boeing ended 2025 scoring more orders than Airbus and delivering 600 jets, short of the European firm's 793.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss progress on appropriations to keep government open after existing funding expires Jan 30 and prospects for another shutdown; GOP senators vote against limiting President Trump's hand in Venezuela; Vice President Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio meet with Denmark and Greenland's foreign ministers as Trump says Washington will acquire the world's largest island; France, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK deploy personnel to Greenland at Denmark's invitation to prepare for Operation Arctic Endurance; the EU strikes free trade deal with South American Mercosur nations creating an economic block of some 700 million people; Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit China to bolster trade with the country's second largest trading partner as it's leading trade partner the United States continues to apply unprecedented economic pressure on Canada; Washington's new trade deal with Taiwan reducing tariffs on Taipei from 20 percent to 15 percent in exchange for $250 billion investment by Taiwanese companies in the United States; and the Iranian regime's brutal crackdown that left thousands of protestors dead or executed appear to have quelled demonstration that Trump said he's considering supporting through military action.

In a week when airpower news came from every angle, Becca Wasser was on top of it all. She leads defense research at Bloomberg Economics, and we cover operations, force posture, industry, and UAS with her. Plus this week's headlines in airpower. All powered by GE!

On this month's innovation conversation to highlight key topics in the countdown to the Apex technology and innovation conference  Jan 27-28, 2026, in Washington, sponsored by Clarion Defence, Bryan Clark, the director of the Center for Defense Concepts and Technology at the Hudson Institute joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss a report he co-authored with David Byrd as a roadmap to help Australia better defend itself, “Pickets, Pouncers, and Protectors: How the Australian Defence Force Can Use Uncrewed Systems for Twenty-First-Century Deterrence,” and a policy memo with Dan Patt, “Adapting to Win: Using the Navy Rapid Capabilities Office to Pioneer a New Approach to Military Acquisition;” and a look at the Apex conference agenda and speakers. To learn more about the Apex conference, sponsorship and attendance opportunities please visit apexdefense.org

The cohosts of the Cavas Ships Podcast — Chris Cavas and Chris Servello — join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the capabilities Navy needs given the threats the United States faces, whether the proposed “Golden Fleet” and new Defiant-class battleship will add needed capability or drain resources from more important programs, whether the service has learned lessons from past failed programs to ensure that future efforts are successful, improving the Navy's maintained capabilities to get more out of the fleet it has, and what they're expect to hear at the Surface Navy Association's annual symposium in Arlington, Va. The Defense & Aerospace Report is an SNA media partner and our coverage at the symposium is sponsored by Lockheed Martin.

On today's Look Ahead program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the geopolitical implications of the Trump administration's muscular foreign policy from its Venezuela operation to threats of military force against Iran and Greenland; whether a 50 percent increase in US defense spending to $1.5 trillion is feasible; how the president's executive order on dividends, share buybacks and executive compensation can be enforced; Lockheed Martin's tentative seven-year deal with the Pentagon to invest in capabilities to dramatically increase Patriot air defense missile production; and a look at the week ahead, including the Surface Navy Association's annual symposium. We are an SNA media partner and our coverage of the conference and tradeshow are brought to you in part by Lockheed Martin.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. “Rocket” Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss Wall Street's strong start to 2026 although President Trump's executive order on dividends, share buybacks and executive compensation hit defense stocks before they rebounded on the president's announcement that US defense spending would increase 50 percent to $1.5 trillion; Lockheed Martin's tentative agreement with the Pentagon to invest billions to dramatically ramp Patriot missile production as Trump criticizes RTX for not reportedly making a similar deal; Britain and France commit to supporting Ukraine with troops to enforce a ceasefire as Russia fires a conventional version of its nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile into Western Ukraine; implications of US rhetoric to use force to take Greenland from Denmark in the wake of the US operation in Venezuela despite Secretary of State Marco Rubio telling US lawmakers that America wants to buy the world's largest island from Copenhagen; Washington approved the sake of P-8 anti-submarine aircraft to Denmark as France makes good on its pledge to replace aging American radar planes with new Swedish ones, Austria turns to Italy for new trainers, and Israel expands its F-15 fleet with new EX jets from Boeing; Alaska Airlines orders 110 Boeing 737 Max jetliners including Max 10 jets — the largest model of the popular aircraft — that were just cleared by the Federal Aviation Administration to move into the second phase of certification; US operations in Venezuela and seizing the country's sanctioned shadow tanker fleet illustrates the continuing utility of manned military rotorcraft; and takeaways from Bank of America's annual defense and aerospace conference.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss President Trump's proposal to boost defense spending by 50 percent to $1.5 trillion as he demands Pentagon contractors struggling to deliver on weapon programs stop share buybacks and dividends; how the administration's operation to to apprehend Nicholas Maduro, demand to benefit from Venezuela's oil and mineral riches and “right” to take Greenland from Denmark will impact US power worldwide; whether NATO matters enough to deter Washington from moving on Greenland as the administration withdraws the United States from 68 UN and international bodies; outlook for Ukraine war Kyiv suggests Moscow has fired a nuclear-capable missile to shape peace talks as a Russian ship reportedly carrying nuclear reactors to North Korea's submarines sinks off the Spanish coast; whether growing demonstrations over the past weeks will end theocratic leadership in Tehran; tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE over Yemen; and Israel steps up efforts to seized land from Palestinians in the West Bank.

Lieutenant General (ret.) Dave Deptula, Dean of the Mitchell Institute, joins us with the latest on Venezuela, airpower in the National Security Strategy, and a season of change in the U.S. Air Force. And Bank of America's Dr. Rocket Ron Epstein on the new executive orders limiting defense corporate buybacks and dividends. Plus this week's headlines in airpower. All powered by GE!

On this month's innovation conversation to highlight key topics in the countdown to the Apex technology and innovation conference  Jan 27-28, 2026, in Washington, sponsored by Clarion Defence, Bryon Kroger, a former US Air Force intelligence officer and targeteer who is the founder and CEO of the innovative software firm Rise8, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss why the Pentagon's software development approach is broken at a time when software will be increasingly critical to capabilities and how to reengineer the system to deliver better capabilities at scale and speed. To learn more about the Apex conference, sponsorship and attendance opportunities please visit apexdefense.org

On today's Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Sam Bendett of the Center for Naval Analyses and Dr. Eugene Rumer, the director of the Russia and Eurasia program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the latest on the Ukraine war as the conflict prepares to enter its fifth year; the frontline as both sides are increasingly exhausted by the conflict; update on peace talks and prospects for ending the war; the increasing use autonomous systems driven by artificial intelligence; whether lessons from the war are being lost as innovation cycles accelerate; Vladimir Putin's drive to bolster Russia's economy in 2026 as Volodymyr Zelenskyy taps his intelligence chief Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov to replace Andrei Yermak as his chief of staff; whether the war still matters to Washington; and how Vladimir Putin will interpret the Trump administration's decision to apprehend Nicolas Maduro and claim rights to Venezuela's energy resources as well as rhetoric that America has a right to seize Greenland from Denmark.

On today's program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the latest headlines and looks at the week ahead.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. “Rocket” Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss the a strong 2025 on Wall Street and what it means for the coming year; the implications of the Trump administration's ouster of Venezuelan strongman Nicholas Maduro; stalled talks to end the Ukraine war as the conflict rages on; commercial aircraft production as Boeing delivered 493 jets and Airbus delivered 793; a look ahead to the big defense and airspace stories of 2026; and what to expect at Bank of America's annual defense and aerospace conference this year in New York.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. “Rocket” Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss the week — and the year — on markets as AI, aerospace and defense spending drive investors; the $901 billion National Defense Authorization Act; European governments' two-year, $105 billion interest-free loan to help Ukraine keep fighting Russian aggression as Vladimir Putin makes clear he's not interested in compromise and amps up his muscular rhetoric; the future of the SCAF program as French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz meet to decide the future of the program to develop new manned and unmanned combat aircraft; the US Navy's decision to ask HII to build by 2028 a naval variant of the company's successful National Security Cutter developed for the Coast Guard to demonstrate the new ship, then competitively contract yards to mass produce it; Boeing asks the Federal Aviation Administration for an emissions waiver to continue building existing 777 freighters after 2028 given a compliant version of the plane won't be ready until after the deadline; the US government's admission of responsibility in the deadly crash between a US Air jetliner and a US Army helicopter that killed 67 in January over the Potomac River off Reagan Washington National Airport; and a review of the big stories of 2025.