Defense & Aerospace Report

On today’s program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic Advisory consultancy discuss Boeing’s leadership changes as the giant struggles to overcome quality and program execution problems, merits of union representation on the company’s board, notes on Congress’ last-minute appropriations measures to keep government open including the Pentagon, the upcoming election and its defense implications, takeaways from HII’s Investor Day, and a look at the week ahead with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

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 defense and aerospace stock performance on the year’s best week on Wall Street, Washington keeps the government open, confronted with problems on both its commercial aircraft AND defense programs, Boeing says it will post losses of between $4-5 billion in 2024 as it divests small pieces of its defense business, the Chinese government’s decision to strip its computers and networks of US chips and software, the FBI says passengers aboard the Alaska Airlines’ Boeing 737 Max jetliner that suffered a door plug blowout out might be crime victims, Britain and Australia strike a $3 billion partnership between ASC and BAE Systems to build Australia’s nuclear attack submarines, GCAP criticism and Sweden’s fighter plans, and a takeaways from one of the best commercial aerospace conferences in the world, The Aerospace Event in Beverly Hills last week.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, 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 join host Vago Muradian to discuss the “mini bus” appropriations bill to avert a government shutdown, the Ukraine supplemental, the Biden administration’s 2025 budget request, “war fever” in Europe and what it means, Vladimir Putin’s reelection and decision to fire his Navy chief after unmanned Ukrainian attacks decimate Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, testimony by US leaders in the IndoPacific on how China, Russia, North Korea and Iran are increasingly working together, Britain and Australia sign security deal that includes a $3 billion deal between Australian Shipbuilding Company and BAE Systems to prepare for Canberra’s future fleet of nuclear powered attack submarines, and week after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized Bibi Netayahu, the Israel leader who is an astute US political can declare victory having secured a bipartisan invitation to address the US Congress as as Washington goes through the optical exercise of engineering a UN ceasefire resolution.

Continuing our breakdown of the FY25 DoD budget request, we hear from one of the most insightful budget teams in town – the crew from the Center for a New American Security. And we have headlines in airpower. Powered by GE!

On this month’s innovation conversation to highlight key topics in the countdown to the Apex technology and innovation conference next January in National Harbor, MD, sponsored by Clarion Defence, Aditi Kumar, the deputy director for strategy, policy and national security partnerships at the Defense Innovation Unit, discusses DIU 3.0, changes to the organization announced at the recent SXSW conference, better focusing innovation efforts across DoD, how to deliver game-changing capabilities to warfighters quickly and at scale, changing how the Pentagon acquires capabilities, the game-changing rationale of the Replicator initiative to quickly field large quantities of autonomous systems, harnessing the innovative capabilities of allies and partners to solve common challenges and more with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

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, discuss what to expect from Vladimir Putin’s fifth six-year term, the impact of protests across the nation, the prospect of another mass mobilization, the impact on the Ukraine war, Kyiv’s increasing use of long-range unmanned systems to strike strategic targets deep in Russia, how to interpret Moscow’s nuclear rhetoric and grapple with the effectiveness of its malign global information efforts, and Putin’s message to the FSB to hold to account those he considers traitors wherever they are with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On today’s program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners discusses with further analysis on the Biden administration’s FY 2025 $defense budget request, the merits of cutting the Roger of one nuclear powered attack submarine to underwrite investment to increase submarine production for America and Australia, the implications for defense if tax increases are off the table to reduce the national debt, Boeing’s commercial and defense woes and how a turnaround can be executed, Leonardo DRS’ investor day, and a look at the week ahead with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

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 impact of higher than expected inflation and producer prices on Wall Street dashing hopes of interest rate cuts anytime soon, the federal investigation into Boeing is ramping up as airlines now project losses because of slower deliveries from the jetmaker and groundings combined with new delays on KC-46 Pegasus tankers and Boeing-Saab T-7 Red Hawk trainers, the Pentagon clears Lockheed Martin for full-rate F-35 Lighting II fighter production, France’s Emmanuel Macron, Germany’s Olaf Scholtz and Poland’s Donald Tusk agree to help increase weapons production in Ukraine as quickly as possible, US weapons makers are increasing production, Rheinmetall earnings, the Netherlands picks France’s Naval Group over ThyssenKrupp and Saab to build its future submarines, SpaceX launches its third starship as reports say the company landed a top secret contract for hundreds of spy satellites, and a look ahead to Joanna Speed’s The Aerospace Event conference in Los Angeles on March 19.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, 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 join host Vago Muradian to discuss the Biden administration’s $849.8 billion FY 2025 defense budget request, an update on appropriations and the supplemental for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, reporting that Donald Trump if elected would withdraw America from NATO, Japan, South Korea and let China have Taiwan, what next for the House’s TikTok ban, India’s new ballistic missile with multiple warheads, Senate Majority Chuck Schumer’s criticism of Israel’s campaign in Gaza, Palestinian leaders and Bibi Netanyahu, and Israel’s offensive against Rafah.

The Defense & Aerospace Report team dives into the FY25 DoD budget proposal with insight, analysis, illumination, and perhaps a wisecrack or two. It’s powered by GE!