October 21, 2023

Episode 151 — The Backbone of Aerospace Production: Understanding the Supplier Base

55 minutes

Episode Summary:

In Episode 151 of the Aerospace Advantage, The Backbone of Aerospace Production: Understanding the Supplier Base, John “Slick” Baum discusses what it’ll take to ensure America’s aerospace industrial base can meet demand with industry expert Richard Aboulafia, Managing Director at AeroDynamic Advisory, and Karl Hutter, President & CEO of Click Bond, a leading supplier.

The U.S. and its allies are in the middle of rebuilding their air forces to meet the challenges of an evolving threat environment. Considering that these countries largely still fly aircraft from the Cold War, the need for this modernization is acute. Everyone wants new aircraft now, but manufacturing lines can only accommodate so much, so fast—especially with a concurrent surge in demand for commercial airliners. Companies are trying to expand their capacity to produce, but that’s far easier said than done. In this episode, hear directly from the individuals deep in the industrial base who literally build the future of airpower—we’ll explore how they contribute, their strengths, and the risks that are in play so that we better understand what it’ll take to ensure we have an industrial base that can meet demand.

Credits:

Host: John "Slick" Baum, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: Richard Aboulafia, Managing Director, AeroDynamic Advisory

Guest: Karl Hutter, President & CEO, Click Bond

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