Defense & Aerospace Report

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.

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.