Podcasts about surface navy association

Having trouble keeping up with all the developments in the national security realm over the last two months?Well, let not your heart be troubled, Sal & Mark are here for you this week with the ever-popular Midrats Melee format!No guest this week for the podcast, just your two humble hosts, solving the world's problems in 60-minutes.Show LinksRear Admiral William Daly, USN OPNAV N96 at Surface Navy Association's annual symposium: quotes can be found at link 1 and link 2.TRANSCOM's purchase of used cargo ships.Substack on medium USV.Trump's Gunboats, The National Interest, December 2016, by Claude Berube, and Mark Tempest.Substack on The Ship's Act, December 2024.SummaryIn this episode of MidRats, Sal and Mark discuss the current state of naval infrastructure and the bipartisan Ships Act aimed at revitalizing shipbuilding in the U.S. They explore leadership changes within the Navy, the importance of unmanned vessels, and the potential for optimism in naval operations. The conversation also touches on geopolitical concerns, particularly regarding the Ukraine conflict and North Korea's military developments, emphasizing the need for a robust maritime strategy.TakeawaysThe Ships Act has bipartisan support and aims to enhance naval infrastructure.Leadership changes in the executive and legislative branchs could positively impact shipbuilding efforts.There is optimism regarding the revitalization of the U.S. maritime industry.Unmanned vessels are seen as a crucial component of future naval strategy.Admiral Daly advocates for affordable and practical designs.The maritime industry can provide significant economic benefits across the U.S.The U.S. must adapt to lessons learned from the Ukraine conflict.The importance of recapturing intellectual capital from former military personnel.Sound Bites"It's an exciting thing to see.""We need hulls in the water.""We need to keep the money flowing."Chapters00:00: Introduction01:44: The Ships Act: A Bipartisan Initiative09:11: Challenges in Shipbuilding and Maintenance12:45: Historical Context: Lessons from WWII16:38: The Need for New Vessels and Innovation20:28: Admiral Daly's Vision for Unmanned Vessels23:56: Utilizing Naval Reserves for Unmanned Operations28:03: Conclusion and Future Directions30:01: Navigating Military Transitions32:57: Optimism in Maritime Strategy36:49: Challenges in Global Security39:05: The Syrian Crisis and Its Implications45:30: North Korea's Military Developments52:59: Lessons from the Ukraine Conflict

On today's program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners and Chris Servello, the co-host of our Cavas Ships podcast joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss President Trump's first day in office; messages from the inauguration, executive orders and actions since; the firing of Adm. Linda Fagan as US Coast Guard commandant and other senior military changes under guise of countering diversity, equity and inclusion; Trump's comments about using force to take the Panama Canal, targeting drug cartels in Mexico, Greenland as well as tariffs on Canada and Mexico; the defense budget outlook as both GOP and Freedom Caucus members call for dramatic increased in the Pentagon budget of $200 billion or more over the coming years; outlook for shipbuilding expect at the Surface Navy Association's conference and tradeshow; and a look at the week ahead.

Welcome to the CavasShips Podcast with Christopher P. Cavas and Chris Servello…a weekly podcast looking at naval and maritime events and issues of the day – in the US, across the seas and around the world. On this episode…we review the week…from time spent at the Surface Navy Association's National Symposium…to ship namings…to SECNAV farewells…we share our highlights from what was a very busy couple of days.

For review:1. Israel - Hamas Ceasefire & Hostage Talks Continue.Key mediator Qatar it had presented both parties with a “final” draft of the agreement. Israel's Channel 12 news reported Monday that Jerusalem considered it broadly acceptable. CNN cited an Egyptian official as saying the mediating countries — Qatar, Egypt, and the United States — had not yet received a response from Hamas.2. NATO Secretary General (Mark Rutte) Wants Commitment for Increased Spending by Alliance Members.Reuters reported on Monday that Secretary Rutte is of the view that new military capability targets could require members to commit to “as much as” 3.7 percent GDP.3. Greece Adds Rafale Fighters to Warplane Arsenal.The latest Rafale delivery supports Greece's goal to operate 200 x aircraft from the 4.5 and 5th generations comprising the F-16 Viper, F-35s, and the Rafales by 2030.Greece now operates 24 x Rafale fighters.4. USMC awards contract to integrate the Forterra autonomy package on JLTVs in support of the ROGUE Fires Vehicle & NMESIS program. NMESIS = Navy/Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System.5. US Navy Vice Chief of Naval Operations (Admiral Jim Kilby) makes a statement at the annual Surface Navy Association symposium regarding the downing of the F/A-18 by friendly fire, in December 2024.6. Secretary of Defense Nominee Pete Hegseth appears before the Senate Armed Service Committee for confirmation hearing. 

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 economic and geopolitical implications President-elect Trump's comments on tariffs as well as the Panama Canal, Greenland and Canada; whether the comments will fuel higher inflation that will have to be factored into defense planning; Pentagon budget outlook as the outgoing Biden administration is reported to expected to ask for $1 trillion in 2026; cost of massive California wildfires and other climate-related disasters on federal spending; confirmation outlook for Trump's nominees including Pete Hegseth as defense secretary as Senate hearings begin; takeaways from Israel's Nagel Report that identifies Turkey as a threat and urges Jerusalem to reduce reliance on US as a security partner after a second Trump administration; BWXT's acquisition of Kinectrics; what to expect at the Surface Navy Association's conference and tradeshow; and a look at the week ahead.

Welcome to the CavasShips Podcast with Christopher P. Cavas and Chris Servello…a weekly podcast looking at naval and maritime events and issues of the day – in the US, across the seas and around the world. This week…in preparation for the upcoming Surface Navy Association national symposium, retired flag officer Mark Montgomery is back with us for his take on upcoming naval priorities.

On today's program, sponsored by Lockheed Martin, 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 and the executive director of the Cyber Solarium 2.0 project, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian discuss China's recent hack of the US Treasury Department on heels of Beijing's penetration of major US telecommunications companies, what the Flax, Volt and Salt Typhoon attacks mean, what the attacks mean as China becomes increasingly risk tolerant in the nature and scope of its cyber operations, what has to happen to stop the attacks and reestablish deterrence, Beijing's increasingly aggressive behavior as Russia adopts increasingly hybrid warfare techniques against the United States and Western nations, how to counter such hybrid tactics like destroying undersea infrastructure, jeopardizing air cargo carriers and targeted assassinations, the global implications of the incoming Trump administration's approach to the Ukraine war and Taiwan, and what to expect at next week's Surface Navy Association's national symposium.

Welcome to the CavasShips Podcast with Christopher P. Cavas and Chris Servello…a weekly podcast looking at naval and maritime events and issues of the day – in the US, across the seas and around the world. This is the third of our year-end specials focusing on significant events and developments of 2024 and some ideas about what to look for in 2025. In this special we're excited to have back with us the core of the USNI News team – chief editor Sam LaGrone, deputy editor Mallory Shelbourne and journalist Heather Mongilio. We again want to wish everyone the Happiest of Holidays and are already looking forward to seeing many of the listeners at this year's Surface Navy Association national symposium January 14-16 at the Crystal City Hyatt. If you have not yet registered, be sure to go to surfacewarfare.org and sign-up today. Please send us feedback by DM'ing @CavasShips or @CSSProvision or you can email chriscavas@gmail.com or cservello@defaeroreport.com.

Welcome to the CavasShips Podcast with Christopher P. Cavas and Chris Servello…a weekly podcast looking at naval and maritime events and issues of the day – in the US, across the seas and around the world. This week is look-back-look ahead podcast number two. In this episode we review worldwide maritime and shipping affairs with friends of the pod and return guests Sal Mercogliano and John Konrad. Next week we will wrap up our end of year coverage by reviewing significant news events and trends with the USNI News editorial staff. We again want to wish everyone the Happiest of Holidays and are already looking forward to seeing many of the listeners at this year's Surface Navy Association national symposium January 14-16 at the Crystal City Hyatt. If you have not yet registered, be sure to go to surfacewarfare.org and sign-up today. Please send us feedback by DM'ing @CavasShips or @CSSProvision or you can email chriscavas@gmail.com or cservello@defaeroreport.com.

Welcome to the CavasShips Podcast with Christopher P. Cavas and Chris Servello…a weekly podcast looking at naval and maritime events and issues of the day – in the US, across the seas and around the world. This week…US Navy surface force issues were front and center at the recent Surface Navy Association waterfront event in San Diego. SNA executive director Chris Bushnell is here with some of his impressions. And the US Navy's Military Sealift Command is planning to cut up to 17 ships to ease a manning crisis. Sam LaGrone of USNI News, who broke the story, will join us.

If you find a message that is consistent over time, through times of ease and times of challenge, and at each challenge in the real world this message is validated, reinforced, and found to be correct — is that a message you need to pay attention to?Since the Houthi joined a second front with the Gazans against Israel by attacking international shipping in the Red Sea and its approaches, the US Navy has led the international response and has been engaged in continuous combat operations facing almost all anti-ship weapons that any navy would expect to face in 2024.The experience in the Red Sea is validating the consistent messages about fleet size and requirements voiced by our guest this week on Midrats — a consistent guest since 2010 — Bryan McGrath, Commander, USN (Ret.).SummaryIn this conversation, Sal, Mark, and Bryan McGrath discuss the ongoing attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea by the Houthis, who are clients of Iran. They also talk about the performance of the US Navy in protecting commercial shipping, the investments made in the Navy, and improvements and challenges in the US Navy. The conversation then shifts to the development of directed energy weapons and the challenges in integrating them into the fleet. They also discuss the importance of multi-mission platforms and the need for single-mission platforms in certain situations. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the presence and deterrence mission of submarines and the need for VLS reload capabilities on DDGs. McGrath highlighted the positive changes in the fleet's material condition and combat systems, as well as the increased investment in training and spare parts. However, he also expressed concerns about the extended deployments and the strain it puts on ships and crews. McGrath emphasized the need for a larger Navy, particularly in terms of aircraft carriers, to meet the demands of global operations. He also discussed the challenges in the shipbuilding industry and the importance of stability and additional shipyards.Sound Bites"It is time to bring systems to see that allow us to economically engage civilizations that can out-produce us""There's been three straight budgets now that have funded spare parts significantly higher than I have seen them since I was in command."Chapters00:00: Introduction02:04: Ongoing Attacks on International Shipping in the Red Sea04:07: Performance of the Fleet in the Red Sea07:10: The Potential of Directed Energy Weapons09:40: Challenges in Integrating New Technology12:14: The Need for More VLS Tubes and Single-Mission Platforms16:13: The Role of Submarines in Naval Power21:53: Deterrence in the South China Sea26:43: Presence and Deterrence with the USS Georgia30:20: Rearming DDGs and the Importance of VLS33:36: Improvements in Shipyards and Material Conditions41:18: The Need for More Aircraft Carriers48:00: The Impact of Extended Deployments54:35: The Importance of Spare Parts58:58: Challenges of the Constellation Class01:00:09: The Importance of Stability and Additional ShipyardsBryan is the founding Managing Director of The FerryBridge Group LLC (FBG), a niche consultancy specializing in naval and national security issues including national and military strategy, strategic planning, executive communications, strategic communications, and emerging technologies. A retired Naval Officer, Bryan spent 21 years on active duty including a tour in command of USS BULKELEY (DDG 84), a guided-missile destroyer homeported in Norfolk, Virginia.In command, he received the “Admiral Elmo Zumwalt Award for Inspirational Leadership” from the Surface Navy Association and his ship earned the USS ARIZONA Memorial Trophy signifying its selection as the Fleet's most combat-ready warship. His final duties ashore included serving as Team Lead and Primary Author of the US Navy's 2007 Maritime Strategy “A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower”.Bryan was formerly the Deputy Director of the Hudson Institute Center for American Seapower. In this capacity, he helped develop the Surface Navy's “Distributed Lethality” concept and the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments' 2017 Navy Alternate Fleet Architecture Study. He served as the Co-Lead of the 2012 Romney for President Naval Policy Committee, and the Lead of the 2016 Rubio for President Navy and Marine Corps Policy Committee.In March of 2023, he was appointed by the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC Rep. Mike Rogers R-Al) to the National Commission on the Future of the Navy. Bryan earned a BA in History from the University of Virginia in 1987, and an MA in Political Science (Congressional Studies) from The Catholic University of America. He is a graduate of the Naval War College.

Welcome to the CavasShips Podcast with Christopher P. Cavas and Chris Servello…a weekly podcast looking at naval and maritime events and issues of the day – in the US, across the seas and around the world. This week…attracting and keeping officers and sailors to the US Navy's surface fleet is a never-ending challenge. New executive director Christopher Bushnell of the Surface Navy Association is with us to talk about the challenges and promises on the eve of a career at sea. Please send us feedback by DM'ing @CavasShips or @CSSProvision or you can email chriscavas@gmail.com or cservello@defaeroreport.com.

On today's program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners discusses Congress' efforts to negotiate appropriations to fund the US government, look ahead to earnings as companies prepare to report earnings, assessing the pace of the Pentagon's acquisition of complex weapons like Tomahawk cruise missiles, and a look at the week ahead; and Chris Servello, the co-host of the Cavas Ships podcast, discusses takeaways from the Surface Navy Association's 36th national symposium with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

Welcome to the CavasShips Podcast with Christopher P. Cavas and Chris Servello…a weekly podcast looking at naval and maritime events and issues of the day – in the US, across the seas and around the world. This week…It was a busy week for both of us at the Surface Navy Association's 36th annual symposium just outside Washington DC. During the show we sat down with Chief of Naval Personnel Vice Admiral Rick Cheeseman for an update on recruitment, retention and quality of life issues for sailors, and with Larry Ryder of Austal USA for more on the Alabama shipbuilder's growing portfolio of ship construction.

On today's program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners discusses big themes for 2024 and looks at the week ahead; and Chris Cavas and Chris Servello, the co-hosts of the Cavas Ships podcast, discuss what they expect to hear from US Navy leaders at the Surface Navy Association's 36th national symposium Jan. 9-11 with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

Ahead of the Surface Navy Association's 36th National Symposium, tune in to this special episode of Maritime Nation, to hear CMS's Dean and Navalist in conversation with shipbuilders and surface warfare experts, Vice Admiral Rick Hunt, USN (ret.) and Captain Mark Vandroff, USN (ret.).

Welcome to the CavasShips Podcast with Christopher P. Cavas and Chris Servello…a weekly podcast looking at naval and maritime events and issues of the day – in the US, across the seas and around the world. This week...we heard a lot of speakers at the Surface Navy Association's three-day symposium earlier in January. Now we give you the chance to hear some of what we heard, with press briefing excerpts from the US Navy's top speakers, including Navy Secretary Del Toro and Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Mike Gilday. Please send us feedback by DM'ing @CavasShips or @CSSProvision or you can email chriscavas@gmail.com or cservello@defaeroreport.com.

On this episode of the DefAero Report Daily Podcast, sponsored by Bell, Vice Adm. Bill Galinis, USN, the commander of the Naval Sea Systems Command, discusses inflation, supply chain, attracting as well as training and retaining talent, the need for a national approach to building better technical trade skills, lessons from Russia's war on Ukraine, building better battle damage repair skills, increasing both public and private shipbuilding and repair capacity, incentivizing speed through better contracts, lessons from recent shipbuilding programs that will improve upcoming destroyer, cruiser, amphibious and submarine development programs; and the cohosts of the Cavas Ships podcast — our Contributing Editor Chris Cavas and our Producer Chris Servello — with a recap of the Surface Navy Association's national symposium and tradeshow with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. We are an SNA media partner and our coverage was sponsored by HII and GE Marine, a GE Aerospace company.

The Surface Navy Association lecture / discussion mentioned in this episode can be found via the SNA facebook page. It was entitled - Naval Heritage Program: The Mining and Saving of USS Princeton and USS Tripoli During Desert Storm: https://www.facebook.com/navysna/videos/230965752544249

Latest initiatives from the U.S. Coast Guard Adm. Karl Schultz, commandant of the Coast Guard, details his service's missions, pandemic-related challenges and efforts to modernize ships and strengthen recruitment and retention Conversations from Surface Navy Association's 34th National Symposium Lt. Skye Pawlik from the Naval Integrated Fires Element in the U.S. Navy, Thomas Van Leunen, director of congressional and public affairs for the Navy's Military Sealift Command, and Stefanie Lamay, public affairs specialist for the Naval History and Heritage Command, share what their organizations do for the Navy

On this episode of the DefAero Report Daily Podcast, sponsored by Bell, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners discusses the growing concern that Russia will again invade Ukraine, what it will take to deter Moscow, look ahead to upcoming corporate earnings disclosures, key takeaways from the Surface Navy Association's symposium last week, interservice parochialism, the Treasury Department's most recent outlays report and what's ahead this week with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On this Washington Roundtable episode of the Defense & Aerospace Report Podcast, sponsored by Bell, our guests are Dov Zakheim, PhD, former DoD comptroller, now with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute, Jim Townsend, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense for Europe and NATO who is now with the Center for a New American Security, Michael Herson of American Defense International and Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery, USN Ret., the executive director of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission as well as a fellow with the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies Topics: — Defense appropriations outlook as service leaders warn of the perils of living under a full-year continuing resolution — What's next now that US-NATO talks with Russia have failed and Moscow craft pretexts to press ahead with its planned invasion of Ukraine — How to deter Russia after a decade of failing to adequately stand up to Moscow's transgressions and provocations — Lessons that Beijing is drawing from Russia's continuous and effective breaking of international norms as China rises tensions over Taiwan — Implications of Beijing's expanding influence in the Gulf — Key takeaways from the Surface Navy Association's annual symposium

On this episode of the DefAero Report Daily Podcast, sponsored by Bell, Vice Adm. Bill Galinis, USN, the commander of the Naval Sea Systems Command, discusses the impact of continuing resolutions on ship repair, how his team is addressing a massive maintenance and overhaul backlog, how new contracting approaches can improve availabilities at private shipyards, work to determine extra drydock and personnel needed to address wartime battle damage, improving battle damage repair skill at the upcoming Rim of the Pacific exercise as well as from the Bonhomme Richard after fire gutted the amphibious assault ship, survivability in an era of hypersonic anti-ship weaponry, and lessons from the Constellation-class frigate that can be applied to the Navy's future destroyer with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian at the Surface Navy Association's 2022 symposium.

On this episode of the DefAero Report Daily Podcast, sponsored by Bell, Amb. Linc Bloomfield, who served at the White House, Pentagon and State Department across five administrations, discusses the recent US-Russia meetings to dissuade Moscow from again invading Ukraine and how best to deter further Russian aggression; Tom Reynolds, the senior director for business development at Huntington Ingalls Industries' Technical Solutions Unmanned Systems, discusses the company's unmanned strategy, new products like Remus 300, an update on the Orca Extra Large Unmanned Underwater Vehicle, expanding its reach into land and air markets; and Bryan Clark, the director of the Center for Defense Concepts and Technology at the Hudson Institute, discusses key takeaways from the first day of the Surface Navy Association's annual symposium with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. Our SNA coverage is sponsored by HII and Raytheon Technologies.

On this episode of the DefAero Report Daily Podcast, sponsored by Bell, our guest Byron Callan of the independent equity research firm Capital Alpha Partners and Chris Servello, a founder of Provision Advisors public relations firm (and Defense and Aerospace team member) discuss the upcoming national security issues and events that will dominate this week's news cycle, including the Surface Navy Association National Symposium being held in Crystal City, Virginia.

Retired Vice Admiral Mary Jackson has over three decades of service in the United States Navy. She currently contributes as an independent advisor, serves as a board member for the Greater Jacksonville Area USO and the Surface Navy Association, and is pursuing for-profit board roles. Hear more about how Vice Admiral Jackson's unconventional journey led to an illustrious career of serving our great country.

About Today's GuestsKathy Roth-Douquet is an advocate for the role of the military in civil society; she is an author, nonprofit leader, attorney, and former government official. Kathy is the CEO of Blue Star Families, the largest Chapter-based nonprofit organization serving active duty of all branches, Guard and Reserve, wounded, and transitioning veterans and their families. Blue Star Families mission is to strengthen military families and our nation by connecting communities and fostering leadership to millions of people.Kathy Roth-Douquet received her B.A. from Bryn Mawr College, her MPA in International Affairs from the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University where she held a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship, and a JD from the University of San Diego School of Law, Magna Cum Laude and the Order of the Coif. While serving at the Pentagon as Principal Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Acting) she received the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service for her work on defense reform. She is also a recipient of President George H. W. Bush's Daily Point of Light Award, and most recently received the Chief of Staff of the Army Outstanding Civilian Service Award. Kathy is a commentator on patriotism, civil-military affairs, the value of service, and the experience of military families. She has appeared on the Today Show, Fox and Friends, CNN, NPR, has been a frequent contributor to USA Today, and is a frequent public speaker. She is an author, most notably of “AWOL: The Unexcused Absence of America's Upper Classes from Military Service and How it Hurts Our Country” (Collins, 2006). She is a practicing attorney, a member of the Small Business Association Advisory Board, and is Co-chair of the Bipartisan Policy Center Defense Reform Task Force. She is a military spouse of 18 years, four deployments, and 9 moves. She lives with her husband and two children in Northern Virginia.Sinclair Harris serves as LMI's director of business development for the Department of the Navy. He retired as a rear admiral after a 34-year career in the U.S. Navy. His service culminated as the vice director for operations to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. During his distinguished career, he led joint, combined, multinational, and interagency organizations both at sea and ashore across all aspects of defense, including full spectrum operations, program management, strategic planning, and execution. He was also commander of the U.S. Fourth Fleet, leading U.S. Naval forces assigned to U.S. Southern Command. Mr. Harris has been published in numerous journals on the topics of surface warfare, combat logistics, irregular warfare, and leadership. He earned a BS in economics from James Madison University, an MS in operations research from the Naval Postgraduate School, and an MS in defense and strategic studies from the University of Madras, India. Mr. Harris voluntarily serves as president of the National Naval Officers Association, national vice president of the Navy League of the United States, past chairman of the National Defense Industrial Association Expeditionary Warfare Division, member of the board of directors for the Surface Navy Association, and member of the Northern Virginia Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeBlue Star Families Web SiteBlue Star Families Racial Equity InitiativeBlue Star Families Racial Equity CommitteeDEPLOY Fellowship ProgramsRADM Harris' BioPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor resource for this week are the PsychArmor courses on military culture and awareness. Military service members, Veterans and their families live and work in communities across our nation.  However, because fewer than 7% of Americans have served in uniform, most who have never served are unfamiliar with military culture and don't know how to effectively engage with the Veteran community.  Sponsored by the Wounded Warrior Project, military culture courses are available for anyone who works with, lives with, and cares about the Veteran community.  By following the link above, you can see the cornerstone course “15 Things Veterans Want You to Know,” as well as modules that address the basics for civilians such as “Veteran 101: Officer vs. Enlisted,” and “Veteran 201: Military Families,”  This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Join Us on Social Media PsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don't Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com

On this episode of the DefAero Report Daily Podcast, sponsored by Bell,Rear Adm. Paul Schlise, USN, the US Navy’s surface warfare director, and Maj. Gen. Tracy King, USMC, the service’s director of expeditionary warfare, discuss how the Navy will regain program management credibility as it embarks on a series of new warship programs, the need for reliability and maintainability in future platforms, distributed Marine operations and the need for the Light Amphibious Warship, mine countermeasures and more with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. Our coverage of the Surface Navy Association’s virtual annual meeting was sponsored by Fincantieri Marinette Marine, GE Marine and Leonardo DRS. We are an SNA media partner.

On this episode of the DefAero Report Daily Podcast, sponsored by Bell, Jon Rambeau, the new vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin’s Integrated Warfare Systems and Sensors unit, discusses the outlook for the company’s Aegis combat system, SPY-7 radar, HELIOS laser weapon, unmanned systems and cyber role, and growth strategy with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. We are a Surface Navy Association media partner and our coverage is sponsored by Fincantieri Marinette Marine, Leonardo DRS and GE Marine.

There is one area of agreement among navalists, the US Navy is beset with a whole series of hard, long building problems, ignored for too long. Many, including our highest ranking uniformed leadership, seem incapable of not only acknowledging them, but coming up with a plan to address them.As we enter 2021 and the third decade of the 21st Century, what are our greatest challenges, and what are some steps we can take to start the process of meeting them?Returning to Midrats to discuss this and related issues he raised in this recent article, The Navy Has Problems and Must Be Bold to Fix Them, will be Bryan McGrath, CDR USN (Ret.), Managing Director of The FerryBridge Group LLC defense consultancy.Bryan grew up in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, and graduated from the University of Virginia in 1987. He was commissioned upon graduation in the United States Navy, and served as a Surface Warfare Officer until his retirement in 2008. At sea, he served primarily in cruisers and destroyers, rising to command of the Destroyer USS BULKELEY (DDG 84). During his command tour, he won the Surface Navy Association’s Admiral Elmo Zumwalt Award for Inspirational Leadership, and the BULKELEY was awarded the USS ARIZONA Memorial Trophy signifying the fleet’s most combat ready unit. Ashore, Bryan enjoyed four tours in Washington DC, including his final tour in which he acted as Team Leader and primary author of our nation’s 2007 maritime strategy entitled “A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower.”Since retirement, Bryan has become active in presidential politics, serving first as the Navy Policy Team lead for the Romney Campaign in 2012, and then as the Navy and Marine Corps Policy lead for the Rubio Campaign in 2016.

On this Washington Roundtable episode of the Defense & Aerospace Report Podcast, sponsored by Bell, we look ahead to 2021 with “Rocket Ron” Epstein, PhD, of Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Richard Aboulafia of the Teal Group consultancy and Sash Tusa of Agency Partners. Topics: — Look ahead to the Surface Navy Association’s 33rd National Virtual Symposium next week — Broader market roller coaster in first week of trading as investors factor in Georgia wins for Democratic control of the Senate — Boeing’s decision to close Advanced Development Center, company’s $2.5 billion settlement with Justice Department on 737 Max crashes, and crash of older 737 in Indonesia — Airbus 2020 deliveries and orders — Rolls-Royce decision to pause UltraFan engine development — Update on Brexit and reports that UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is considering replacing Gen. Sir Nick Carter as Chief of Defence Staff — Implications for China’s trade deals with Asia and Europe on Biden administration efforts to curb Beijing’s increasingly assertive global behavior — Financial and economic repercussions of storming of the Capitol by domestic terrorists — Key takeaways from the Bank of America’s annual aerospace and defense conference

Retired Navy Chief Bryan Exum shares the story of marrying during his Navy retirement ceremony and the challenges and rewards of representing over 70,000 sailors, Marines, Department of Navy personnel and family assigned to his global organization. Exum associates valor with courage and values: doing the right thing at all times and following the Navy’s core values: Honor, Courage, Commitment.“Bryan Exum retired from the Navy after 33 years of service. His last assignment was the Command Master Chief for Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) located in Washington, DC. While at NAVSEA, he led a team of active duty and retired military personnel that searched for, collected, and returned personal effects to over 3,000 people forced to evacuate a building during a high-profile tragic incident.Bryan is a native of Chester, Pennsylvania and a 1983 graduate of Chester High School. He enlisted in January 1984 and completed basic training at Recruit Training Command, Orlando, Florida. His challenging and rewarding tours included command master chief of Program Executive Office Ships, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) and USS Stout (DDG 55). Additionally, his sea assignments were aboard frigates, destroyers, and aircraft carriers. His shore assignments were in Puerto Rico; Great Lakes, Illinois; and multiple tours at the Washington Navy Yard, D.C. Bryan authored multiple articles in the Association of the United States Navy periodical as the National Vice President of Enlisted Affairs. He is a Lifetime Member of the Surface Navy Association, member of Fleet Reserve Association and on the selection panel for the annual nationally recognized Black Engineer of the Year Award.Bryan attended the National Defense University’s Keystone course and Naval Postgraduate School Navy Senior Leader Seminar. He is a graduate of the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute (DEOMI), the Navy Senior Enlisted Academy, and the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy. He holds a Master of Arts degree from Webster University and a Bachelor of Science Degree from Southern Illinois University. He is married and has two daughters” (Association of the United States Navy).Association of the United States NavyNaval Sea Systems CommandBob Feller Act of Valor Award FoundationHosts: Tyler Buchholz and Nathaniel CameronSupport the show (https://customcoinholders.com/product/walk-of-heroes/)

This week we are returning to a critical topic that, like its subject, needs an ongoing push. At the very moment that the need for American Seapower advocacy is most critical, it is nowhere to be found. Are there existing institutions that can refocus their efforts or expand their mandate to do the job - or do we need something new?Building off his article from earlier this week, our guest this week is returning guest, Bryan McGrath, CDR USN (Ret.), Managing Director of The FerryBridge Group LLC defense consultancy.Bryan grew up in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, and graduated from the University of Virginia in 1987. He was commissioned upon graduation in the United States Navy, and served as a Surface Warfare Officer until his retirement in 2008. At sea, he served primarily in cruisers and destroyers, rising to command of the Destroyer USS BULKELEY (DDG 84). During his command tour, he won the Surface Navy Association’s Admiral Elmo Zumwalt Award for Inspirational Leadership, and the BULKELEY was awarded the USS ARIZONA Memorial Trophy signifying the fleet’s most combat ready unit. Ashore, Bryan enjoyed four tours in Washington DC, including his final tour in which he acted as Team Leader and primary author of our nation’s 2007 maritime strategy entitled “A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower.”Since retirement, Bryan has become active in presidential politics, serving first as the Navy Policy Team lead for the Romney Campaign in 2012, and then as the Navy and Marine Corps Policy lead for the Rubio Campaign in 2016.

On this episode of the DefAero Report Daily Podcast, sponsored by Bell, our guest is Vice Adm. Rick Hunt, USN Ret., president of Fincantieri Marinette Marine on COVID-19 impacts to operations and supplier base; the on-going process to select the Navy's future frigate (FFG(x)), and as the current President of the Surface Navy Association, what professional organizations can do to stay connected to their members. Our naval coverage is sponsored by Fincantieri Marinette Marine.

First aired in November 2016, in this episode we have returning guest Bryan McGrath, CDR USN (Ret.) discuss, why a Navy? Why a strong Navy? Why is a strong Navy an essential requirement for the United States Navy?From its ability to project national will, to it hidden hand in the economics of every citizen's life, why is it so critical that we have a Navy second to none.Bryan McGrath grew up in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, and graduated from the University of Virginia in 1987. He was commissioned upon graduation in the United States Navy, and served as a Surface Warfare Officer until his retirement in 2008. At sea, he served primarily in cruisers and destroyers, rising to command of the Destroyer USS BULKELEY (DDG 84). During his command tour, he won the Surface Navy Association’s Admiral Elmo Zumwalt Award for Inspirational Leadership, and the BULKELEY was awarded the USS ARIZONA Memorial Trophy signifying the fleet’s most combat ready unit. Ashore, Bryan enjoyed four tours in Washington DC, including his final tour in which he acted as Team Leader and primary author of our nation’s 2007 maritime strategy entitled “A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower.”Since retirement, Bryan has become active in presidential politics, serving first as the Navy Policy Team lead for the Romney Campaign in 2012, and then as the Navy and Marine Corps Policy lead for the Rubio Campaign in 2016.He is the Assistant Director of Hudson Institute’s Center for American Seapower, and he is the Managing Director of The FerryBridge Group LLC, a small defense consulting firm.

On this Roundtable episode of the Defense & Aerospace Report Podcast, sponsored by Bell, our segment one guests include Gordon Adams, PhD, Non-Resident Fellow at the Quincy Institute, Patrick Cronin, PhD, chair for Asia-Pacific Security at the Hudson Institute, Teri Schultz, a Brussels-based freelance reporter for National Public Radio and Jim Lewis, PhD, senior vice president and director of the Technology Policy Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). In segment two we speak with Vice Adm. Rick Hunt, USN Ret., president of the Surface Navy Association. And in segment three, we spend time with Vice Adm. Yoji Koda, (Ret.), Former Commander, Japanese Navy.  Topics:   — Implications in the wake of Saudi Arabia’s hacking of Amazon’s chief Jeff Bezos’ cell phone — Long-term strategy to successfully compete — and cooperate — with China  — Consequences of impeachment drama on US leadership worldwide — Key takeaways from Surface Navy Association’s 2020 national symposium — Analysis of China’s Type 055 destroyer, US role in Asia-Pacific and more

On this special edition of the Defense & Aerospace Report Podcast, sponsored by Bell, a Textron company we preview the Surface Navy Association National Symposium, that runs from Jan 14-16 just outside of Washington, DC. Our guests include Defense & Aerospace Report’s own contributing editor Christopher P. Cavas and Chris Servello, a founder of Provision Advisors (and Defense and Aerospace team member). In addition to our products we will do daily podcast updates from SNA on Tue, Wed and Thurs. Our sponsors for this year's Surface Navy Association National Symposium are Leonardo DRS and GE Marine.

On this Roundtable episode of the Defense & Aerospace Report Podcast, sponsored by Bell, a Textron company, our segment one guests include Gordon Adams, PhD, Non-Resident Fellow at the Quincy Institute, Dov Zakheim, PhD, former DoD comptroller, now with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Teri Schultz, a Brussels-based freelance reporter for National Public Radio and Byron Callan of the independent equity research firm Capital Alpa Partners. In segment two we talk to Michael Thacker Bell’s Executive Vice President of Technology and Innovation. And finally we conclude with a conversation with Bryan McGrath, a leading naval strategist and managing director of The Ferrybridge Group consultancy. Topics: — Prospects for greater NATO involvement in the Middle East in the wake of rising US-Iran tensions — What’s next after Iran’s attack on US bases in Iraq — Congress’ move to restrict Trump’s war making authority — Bell’s new urban air mobility solution that debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show 2020 (click here to learn more: https://www.bellflight.com/experience/on-demand-mobility) — A look ahead to the Surface Navy Association’s 32nd National symposium

Keeping a fleet ready for war is a process of years of careful, consistent, and sustained stewardship of both personnel and material.The easiest parts are the buying of equipment and recruiting new people.The hard parts, maintenance, training, and retention – mostly because they are hard – rarely break in to the open.For our fleet, the structure we live in is the Optimized Fleet Response Plan (OFRP). It is a system few understand well, but is one designed around a peace time “efficiency” with only a passing interest in wartime “effectiveness.”Decades of dominance at sea has provided the US Navy the luxury of such, but as China expands her fleet at an alarming rate – do we need a new construct?Our guest for the full hour to discuss this and related topics will be Bryan McGrath, CDR USN (Ret.).Bryan McGrath grew up in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, and graduated from the University of Virginia in 1987. He was commissioned upon graduation in the United States Navy, and served as a Surface Warfare Officer until his retirement in 2008. At sea, he served primarily in cruisers and destroyers, rising to command of the Destroyer USS BULKELEY (DDG 84). During his command tour, he won the Surface Navy Association’s Admiral Elmo Zumwalt Award for Inspirational Leadership, and the BULKELEY was awarded the USS ARIZONA Memorial Trophy signifying the fleet’s most combat ready unit. Ashore, Bryan enjoyed four tours in Washington DC, including his final tour in which he acted as Team Leader and primary author of our nation’s 2007 maritime strategy entitled “A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower.”Since retirement, Bryan has become active in presidential politics, serving first as the Navy Policy Team lead for the Romney Campaign in 2012, and then as the Navy and Marine Corps Policy lead for the Rubio Campaign in 2016.

Tim Gray Talks World War II and Pearl Harbor at the Annual Surface Navy Association Convention in Washington, DC.

In this first episode of Shephard Media's The Weekly Defence Podcast, we provide a round-up of all the news from across the defence sector, take a deep dive into the recent Surface Navy Association's annual symposium, speak to the CEO of Lord Corporation and hear from our sponsor Nammo.News in brief (01:05)Introducing the news roundup, Helen Haxell spoke with Beth Maundrill and Richard Thomas on the pressing issues over the past week, with each providing insight into particular stories that caught their eye.Over in the sea domain, Richard highlighted the news that the US Navy has put in an order for LCS-31, the 16th Freedom class variant of the programme. Although budget has been allotted for up to 38 (of a planned 52-ship run) doubts remain over the survivability of the LCS platform.US Navy orders LCS 31 (free-to-view)Towards the skies, Helen, Air Editor, gave details on the Indonesian military's recent helicopter orders and explained why Russia's latest strategic bomber programme is something to watch.Russia starts production of a new-generation strategic bomber (paywalled)Back on firmer ground, as new vehicles are developed and upgrades decided upon by the British Army, Beth, Land Deputy Editor, considers how the service will change shape in the coming years.British Army receives first production Ajax vehicles (paywalled)Surface Navy (06:30)The annual symposium of the Surface Navy Association marks the start of the year and beginning of the show season at Shephard, which dispatched Richard Thomas and Beth Maundrill to cover the comings and goings from the exhibition and conference floors.Among the issues discussed were the latest from the Zumwalt-class DDG programme, the current state of the US Navy's planned future frigate and the US Marine Corp's efforts to provide a better work-life balance to its forces.Commonality demand drove DDG 1000 planar rethink (paywalled)Insight: Intelligent design drives FFG(X) concepts (paywalled)Interview – Lord Corporation CEO and President Edward L. Auslander (14:45) We speak with Edward Auslander – president and CEO of LORD Corporation – about them becoming a $1 billion-dollar company, and how he is navigating the changing defence landscape.Industry Voice – provided by our sponsor Nammo (29:19)In this week's Industry Voice, Endre Lunde, SVP Communications for Nammo, provides insight into the changing nature of communications within the defence sector and the steps the defence trade press needs to take to keep itself relevant.Music and sound mixing provided by Fred Prest

On this Roundtable episode of the Defense & Aerospace Report Podcast, sponsored by Bell, a Textron company, our guests include Sam LaGrone and Megan Eckstein of the U.S. Naval Institute News and Chris Cavas, one of the world’s leading naval warfare reporters to discuss key topics and take aways from the Surface Navy Association’s annual conference and tradeshow in Northern Virginia.

On this week’s podcast: It's been 20 years since The Sopranos first aired on HBO. We take a look “in the rearview” to consider what Tony, Junior and Meadow meant for the television content, viewing and branding experience. We then “deep dive” on the government shutdown to look at where communication for federal worker’s has fallen short…identifying lessons learned on how not to lose your workforce in times of crisis. Finally, we look ahead “on the horizon” at the trends and issues we will be watching over the next week or two including how potential 2020 presidential candidates are introducing themselves, messaging at this year's Surface Navy Association’s National Convention and ways high profile athletes are using digital media to communicate desires and disagreements with ownership and teammates. Please let us know what you think. With your help, we will continue to bring you engaging info-tainment each and every week.

This week saw the release of the reports on the collision reports and Comprehensive Review of the incidents this summer between merchant ships in WESTPAC and the destroyers USS FITZGERALD and USS MCCAIN.The totally avoidable collisions resulted in the death of 17 Sailors and removal from our most important theater two of our most critical assets.Our guest for the full hour will be Bryan McGrath, CDR, USN (Ret.).Bryan grew up in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, and graduated from the University of Virginia in 1987. He was commissioned upon graduation in the United States Navy, and served as a Surface Warfare Officer until his retirement in 2008. At sea, he served primarily in cruisers and destroyers, rising to command of the Destroyer USS BULKELEY (DDG 84).During his command tour, he won the Surface Navy Association’s Admiral Elmo Zumwalt Award for Inspirational Leadership, and the BULKELEY was awarded the USS ARIZONA Memorial Trophy signifying the fleet’s most combat ready unit. Ashore, Bryan enjoyed four tours in Washington DC, including his final tour in which he acted as Team Leader and primary author of our nation’s 2007 maritime strategy entitled “A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower.”Since retirement, Bryan has become active in presidential politics, serving first as the Navy Policy Team lead for the Romney Campaign in 2012, and then as the Navy and Marine Corps Policy lead for the Rubio Campaign in 2016.He is the Assistant Director of Hudson Institute’s Center for American Seapower, and he is the Managing Director of The FerryBridge Group LLC, a small defense consulting firm.

Why a Navy? Why a strong Navy? Why is a strong Navy an essential requirement for the United States Navy?From its ability to project national will, to it hidden hand in the economics of every citizen's life, why is it so critical that we have a Navy second to none.To discuss this and more - especially in light of the election - will be returning guest, Bryan McGrath, Commander, US Navy (Retired).Bryan McGrath grew up in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, and graduated from the University of Virginia in 1987. He was commissioned upon graduation in the United States Navy, and served as a Surface Warfare Officer until his retirement in 2008. At sea, he served primarily in cruisers and destroyers, rising to command of the Destroyer USS BULKELEY (DDG 84). During his command tour, he won the Surface Navy Association’s Admiral Elmo Zumwalt Award for Inspirational Leadership, and the BULKELEY was awarded the USS ARIZONA Memorial Trophy signifying the fleet’s most combat ready unit. Ashore, Bryan enjoyed four tours in Washington DC, including his final tour in which he acted as Team Leader and primary author of our nation’s 2007 maritime strategy entitled “A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower.”Since retirement, Bryan has become active in presidential politics, serving first as the Navy Policy Team lead for the Romney Campaign in 2012, and then as the Navy and Marine Corps Policy lead for the Rubio Campaign in 2016.He is the Assistant Director of Hudson Institute’s Center for American Seapower, and he is the Managing Director of The FerryBridge Group LLC, a small defense consulting firm.