Defense & Aerospace Report

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 market’s new worries about higher shipping costs as traffic diverts around Africa in wake of Houthi Red Sea attacks, China’s deepening economic woes, Airbus earnings and what results mean for Boeing, US Air Force’s reoptimization for great power conflict, drive to accelerate programs like Next Generation Air Dominance as well as move to allow three of five Collaborative Combat Aircraft competitors to advance in Increment One of the effort, Ukraine begs for more aid and strikes security and arms deals with France and Germany as GOP lawmakers balk on helping Kyiv, and expectations for the Singapore Air Show.

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 join host Vago Muradian to discuss Senate passage of a $95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan and whether growing Russian provocations from the killing of opposition leader Alexei Navalny to prospect of nuclear-tipped antisatellite weapons will prompt a GOP-led House will follow suit, how the administration needs to respond to Russia’s growing empowerment in the wake of Republican obstructionism and pro-Russia rhetoric by President Trump and leading GOP lawmakers, Estonia’s warning  Russia may attack the alliance within a decade, the second anniversary of the administration’s productive Indo-Pacific strategy, how Washington needs to influence Bibi Netanyahu, and political implications of Democrat Tom Suozzi’s win in New York, retirement of key members like Wisconsin Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher, and former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s senate bid.

The Air Force has announced a major reorientation toward great power conflict, but that’s not all they’re doing. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall discusses his priorities and the next steps to change the air service. And Mitchell Institute Dean LtGen (Ret.) David Deptula recaps the AFA warfare symposium. Plus a headline or two. Powered by GE!

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Strategy Series, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Dr. Tim Heath and Barry Pavel of RAND Corporation join host Vago Muradian to discuss the federally-funded research and development center’s new report — “U.S.-China Rivalry in a Neomedieval World: Security in an Age of Weakening States” — that was co-authored by Heath as well as Weilong Kong and Alexis Dale-Huang.

Air Force Chief of Staff General Dave Allvin just announced a major re-orienting of the service to focus on great power competition. In this special episode, General Allvin explains the background and details of his proposals with the Air Power Podcast team.

On today’s program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners discusses the global impact of a chaotic week in Washington, growing European defense investment as allies gird for return to power of anti-NATO and pro-Putin Donald Trump, what to expect from three key meetings in Europe — the Ukraine Contact Group, NATO foreign ministers and Munich Security Conference — tempering comparisons that today’s security environment mirrors the 1930s, why turmoil in the Middle East after Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel hasn’t escalated into a wider regional war, South Korea tapped to provide air defense for Saudi Arabia, recap of key reports issued last week, what to expect at the Air and Space Forces Association’s Warfare Symposium next week, 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 performance of the group as the Standard & Poor’s 500 hits an all time high, more production problems on 50 new Boeing jets, Spirit AeroSystems suspends 2024 guidance, whether United Airlines will cancel its order for 100 Max 10 jets, after billions of dollars in investment, the the US Army cancels its Future Armed Reconnaissance Aircraft, Babcock and Saab capital markets days, and Ukraine’s new military leadership.

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 join host Vago Muradian to discuss chaotic week in Washington as Republicans torpedo their own border-Ukraine deal that Kyiv desperately needs, the Supreme Court again hears a case involving former President Trump, a special counsel labels President Biden “well meaning” but with “a poor memory,” update on whether a stand-alone Ukraine-Israel-Gaza aid measure is possible, how chaos in the world’s most important nation is being used by China and Russia to advance their global narratives, Volodymyr Zelenskyy replaces his popular top general, what the administration can do to get aid to Ukraine without congressional approval, former Polish President Lech Walesa’s call for US leaderships and step up its propaganda game, China’s economic woes worsen as Beijing spreads a bizarre rumor of civil war in Texas, and the search for a deal to end fighting in Gaza.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems is making news all over the place, and their president Dave Alexander joins us to talk CCA, advanced air launched effects, and more. And John Tirpak previews next week AFA warfare symposium. Plus a big week for headlines in airpower.

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David Schild, the executive director of the Printed Circuit Board Association of America, discusses the push to convince Congress to back legislation investing in printed circuit boards; and SAIC Chief Technology Officer Bob Ritchie discusses how the company’s cloud-based command and control contract with the US Air Force can serve as a model for getting big things done fast with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.