Defense & Aerospace Report

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 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico — that have been suspended for a month — as well as 10 percent on China, with threats to impose new ones on the EU and UK; the near-term implications on inflation and costs on US consumers as well as long-term impact on reordering of global trade patterns; how efforts to aggressively cut US government could backfire; whether Wall Street is as susceptible to disinformation as other aspects of American society; the messaging and disinformation surrounding the collision between a US Army helicopter and an American Airlines jetliner that left 67 dead; a look at least week’s earnings reports by leading companies including Boeing, General Dynamicsk, L3Harris, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and RTX; 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 brutal week on Wall Street as the market loses $1 trillion as shocked investors react to China’s DeepSeek AI and the Federal Reserve for the first time said it won’t continue interest rate cuts; implications of the worst US air disaster in 16 years as an US Army UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter collides with an American Airlines jetliner killing 67; President Trump imposes 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico, and a 10 percent tariff on goods from China; analysis of 2024 earnings reported by Boeing, General Dynamics, L3Harris, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, RTX; Lockheed’s aeronautics charge and Northrop’s second low-rate production contract for the B-21 Raider bomber; and King Charles changes the name of the Royal Navy’s last Astute-class submarine.

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 now with 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 address after the worst US air disaster in 15 years that killed 67, blaming the tragedy on his predecessors and diversity programs; update on defense budget, reconciliation and debt discussions; Trump threatens the federal reserve and sows chaos in his second week by freezing government grants; his new defense secretary Pete Hegseth arrives at the Pentagon where he has eliminated diversity programs; Europe weights how best to deal with a second Trump term; Asia worries that Trump’s drive to change borders by acquiring Greenland and the terms under which the Ukraine war ends will shape Beijing’s approach as China seeks to redraw borders across the region; Israel exchanges prisoners as Hamas releases hostages and Trump urges Egypt and Jordan to accept Gazans as the Netanyahu government works to annex the strip; and Syria’s new leadership.

Force fields aren’t just the stuff of sci-fi; a company called Epirus is making them real. CEO Andy Lowery shows us a new kind of air defense. CSIS’s Dr. Tom Karako on America’s Iron Dome. And we have headlines in airpower. All powered by GE!

On this innovation conversation to highlight key topics in the countdown to the Apex technology and innovation conference in Washington between April 23-24, 2025 — sponsored by Clarion Defence — Keith Flynn, the senior vice president for production at Anduril, and Dr. Zach Mears, the company’s senior vice president for strategy, join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the five-million-square-foot Arsenal I engineering, development and production facility in Columbus, Ohio; production schedules and recruiting talent; how the adoption of automotive mass production techniques can accelerate arms production; adapting systems design to ensure ease of production; working with a new administration committed to expanding and speeding weapons manufacture to streamline the process of building the new plant; navigating supply chain challenges and controlling cost through design changes and deciding what to buy from vendors and what to make in-house; and the supply chain and sales implications of tariffs and strained alliance relationship; and when to expect Arsenal II. To learn more about the Apex conference, sponsorship and attendance opportunities please visit apexevents.org

On this Land Warfare episode, sponsored by American Rheinmetall, military strategist and land warfare advisor William F Owen — better known as Wilf Owen — joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss his new book “Euclid's Army: Preparing Land Forces for Warfare Today;” lessons from the Ukraine war; how to improve the lessons learned process to glean the right insights from conflicts; debunking the notion of “complexity;” putting the threat from drones in context and a case for the continued importance of tanks; and lessons from Israel’s wars on Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran and Houthis in Yemen.

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 the Trump administration’s first week; Pete Hegseth as the nation’s 29th defense secretary; whether the chairman and service chiefs will lost their jobs or retire over the coming months; repercussions of Trump’s “aggressive” call with the Danish prime minister over Greenland, the Panama Canal and spat with Colombia over deportations; look ahead to earnings as Boeing pre-reports another $4 billion loss; 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 strong week on Wall Street as investors work to determine the impact of Donald Trump’s policies a week into his second administration, from widely expected tax cuts, defense spending increases and war on migrants to what higher tariffs, trade wars and rising tensions with allies will mean including the president’s “aggressive” conversation over gaining ownership of Greenland with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederickson; as some worry Trump’s rhetoric could undermine US weapons sales worldwide Poland’s Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz urges allies to curry favor with Trump by buying more US weapons; NATO considers sharing highly classified capability assessments with industry to speed weapons development; Boeing preannounces another $4 billion in losses as it prepares to report earnings; what Embraer’s next jetliner should look like; update on Blue Origin’s New Glenn and SpaceX’s Starship programs; and the industry-wide impacts of California’s devastating fires.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, and former Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss Donald Trump’s first four days since returning to the White House; analysis of his inaugural address that included a pledge that America would retake the Panama Canal; update on appropriations, debt ceiling and reconciliation negotiations; outlook for defense spending as both Freedom Caucus and GOP leaders press for $100 billion to more than $200 billion in additional defense spending over the coming five years; Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on Russia over the Ukraine war and call for NATO nations to increase defense spending to 5 percent of GDP; the ceasefire in Gaza and the resignation of senior Israeli military leaders including Chief of Defense Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi.

He’ll always be the 26th Secretary of the Department of the Air Force, but now he’s free to speak his mind. An extended interview with Frank Kendall on the department he found and the one he leaves behind. A tour d’horizon of strategy, programs, budgets, and recommendations for his successor -- and be sure to hear his candid discussion of the situation in space. All powered by GE!