Defense & Aerospace Report

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 Pentagon 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 Senate and House response to President Trump’s proposed $1 trillion defense budget; whether lawmakers are ready to push back against the president; the outline of a trade deal with the UK as US and Chinese negotiators prepare to meet in Geneva; DoD seeks to cut four-star ranks by 20 percent; India and Pakistan trade strikes two weeks after 26 Indian tourists are killed by Pakistani terrorists in Indian-controlled Kashmir; Frederick Mertz becomes Germany’s chancellor and makes his first trip to Paris to talk about improving European security; Russia prepares to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II with a Victory Day parade that includes Xi Jinping as Ukraine makes clear it can’t guarantee that attacks won’t happen; CIA’s former director of operations says the Biden administration gave Kyiv enough aid not to lose but not enough to win; Trump halts attacks on Houthis pending talks; Israel and Syria engage in talks as Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu says all of Gaza will be captured as reservists are recalled for a massive new offensive.

The US is building new generations of aircraft, but how much good are they if their bases can’t survive attack? Tim Walton of the Hudson Institute and CNAS’s Tom Shugart have a new report on just this topic, and they join us to get into the details of base vulnerability and defense. Plus headlines in airpower. Powered by GE!

On today’s Technology Report, Joe Kochan, the chief executive officer of the National Spectrum Consortium, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the importance of better management and sharing of limited spectrum for national security needs, how President Trump’s top priority “Golden Dome” air and missile defense network will impact the spectrum, investment in new technologies to get more from limited bandwidth, the best model for government-industry cooperation, and Congress’ role in shaping the future of an ecosystem vital to economic prosperity and national defense.

On this episode of the Defense & Aerospace Report Strategy Series, 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 and a senior adviser on the bipartisan Cyberspace Solarium Commission, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss reconciliation, the Trump administration’s “skinny” $1 trillion defense budget request, prospects the measure will pass Congress given the White House’s proposed $164 billion in proposed discretionary spending cuts, the importance of soft power investments including the Voice of America, Rafio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia in countering Russian and Chinese disinformation worldwide, aid programs to advance US interests, and an update on the Ukraine war.

On this week’s Look Ahead Podcast, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian discuss the Trump administration’s proposed $1 trillion “skinny” budget request; gauging tariff impacts as President Trump constantly shifts his stance; transformation at the Pentagon as Army shifts resources; outlook for Ukraine war; takeaways from Modern Day Marine; 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 another up week on Wall Street allowed investors recoup losses since President Trump’s unprecedented tariffs, but strategists warn conditions for sustained growth don’t exist; the administration proposed “skinny budget” to boost defense spending by 13 percent to $1 trillion; China’s openness to tariff talks as Britain’s Chancellor Rachel Reeves calls on Washington to make a deal; frustrated Boeing’s delays on new Air Force Ones, Trump asks L3Harris to convert a former Qatari royal family 747-8 as an interim measure; Washington approves a $350 million deal with Ukraine for F-16 maintenance and training as the CIA’s former director of operations Ralph Goff says that the Biden administration gave Ukraine enough weapons not to lose but not enough to win against Russia; Airbus, AeroCap, Albany International, Bombardier, Crane, Garmin, HEICO, HII, Howmet, Leonardo DRS, and Rolls-Royce report earnings; Boeing’s decision to sell its Jeppeson unit to Thoma Bravo and what it means for the commercial airplane giant’s acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems; and a $3.5 billion missile sale to Saudi Arabia as the president prepares to visit Riyadh, Qatar and the UAE.

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 Pentagon 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 the Trump administration’s proposed $1 trillion defense budget — a 13 percent increase over current spending — that according to a Bloomberg report prioritizes the Golden Dome missile defense project, shipbuilding and nuclear modernization, border security and a 3.8 percent military pay raise; House deliberations on $150 billion defense reconciliation package; Trump’s declining popularity and it’s impact on GOP lawmakers; continued disarray among Democrats; Trump’s decision to fire National Security Adviser Tim Waltz and replace him with Secretary of State Marco Rubio — who will perform both jobs as Waltz will become America’s next UN ambassador; China’s decision to accept US offers to negotiate on tariffs, but ask White House to ease 145 percent customs duties on Chinese goods as a good will gesture; Washington and Kyiv finish a rare earth elements deal with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent pledging that Ukraine will remain sovereign and prosperous and that Russian entities that participated in the war wouldn’t be rewarded; opposition to Trump propelled Mark Carney to victory in Canada and may help Antony Albanese stay in office in Australia; Britain’s Reform Party takes historically Labor seat in by elections; Israel’s two strikes on Syria; and the deadly explosion at Iran’s Bandar Abbas oil complex.

The US Air Force is building an uninhabited future with its collaborative combat aircraft. There’s been a lot of focus on their capabilities and procurement, but not so much on how to keep them effective in the fight. Mark Gunzinger, Director of Future Concepts and Capability Assessments at the Mitchell Institute, joins us to fill in that critical blank. Plus other headlines in airpower. All powered by GE!

Former acting Navy Secretary Tom Harker and retired Rear Adm. Christian “Boris” Becker who led the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, now senior advisers with Pantheon Data, join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the commentary they co-wrote with Pantheon Data CEO Kris Kenefic, — “The Need for Decision-Making Speed: Leveraging Enterprise Data for National Security” — on how to speed acquisition of data and AI capabilities that can help commanders with everything from faster and better decision-making to accountability; impediments to change; how to accelerate the acquisition process; and keys to ensuring cybersecurity.

On today’s Land Warfare Series program, sponsored American Rheinmetall, 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 that latest on the Ukraine war including Moscow’s drive push Ukrainian forces from Russia’s Kursk region; the evolving use of unmanned systems as both sides try to out innovate the other; why Vladimir Putin proposed a unilateral 72-hour ceasefire after President Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy; Russia’s unchanged aims for the war, despite talks with Washington and Kyiv; prospect that fighting will cease anytime soon; whether Ukraine — working with Europe — can stand on its own if Washington “walks away” from talks as well as material and intelligence support; Ukraine’s role in Europe drive to rapidly rearm; why Russia’s recent air attacks on Ukrainian cities have been increasingly successful; and how long before Russia resets its forces as Moscow retains the same designed on its neighbors’ territory.