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 another up week on Wall Street after President Trump announced a two-week ceasefire in the US-Israel war on Iran and how the president’s Sunday announcement after US-Iran talks failed that America would blockade the Strait of Hormuz will impact energy markets and commercial transport; the administration’s stance — right after the ceasefire — that it would reduce its supplemental request from 240 billion to $100 billion; Trump’s renewed criticism of NATO during a meeting with Secretary General Mark Rutte; France’s decision to withdraw the last 129 tons of gold from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York as part of an 18-month strategy to reduce reliance on the dollar; Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni’s decision to replace Leonardo CEO Roberto Cingolani with the company’s former chief commercial officer, Lorenzo Mariani; Trump’s Palantir tweet; and NASA’s successful Artemis II mission to the moon.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, sponsored by L3Harris, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Cavas Ships podcast cohost Chris Servello, and former DoD 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 two-week Pakistan-brokered ceasefire to allow for negotiations to end the US-Israel war on Iran; what’s at stake as Vice President JD Vance leads a Us delegation to Islamabad for direct talks with Iran; US and European pressure on Israel over its Lebanon strategy; NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte’s Oval Office meeting as President Trump continued to criticize the alliance; Vladimir Putin’s proposed Ukraine ceasefire for the duration of the Orthodox Easter; Vance’s rush to Budapest to boost the election prospects of Hungarian President Viktor Orban who’s lagging in the polls before Sunday’s election; two key polls show major shifts in the Indo Pacific sentiment towards the United States and nuclear weapons; a month before Xi Jinping’s Beijing meeting with Trump, the Chinese premiere hosted Taiwan’s KMT opposition leader Cheng Li-wun as China declared an exclusion zone near Taiwan Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Pyongyang; wear and tear of the Iran mission on US forces; the administration’s communications strategy; and Britain monitors Russian activity near its critical seabed infrastructure.

With all the airpower involved in Iran, we haven’t heard a lot about Naval air.  Vice Admiral John “Fozzie” Miller, former commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and U.S. Fifth Fleet, brings us up to date on naval action in Epic Fury and Naval aviation’s future. Plus a busy week’s headlines in airpower. Powered by GE Aerospace!

On today’s Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomic Aeronautical Systems, John Gutierrez, a retired United States Marine Corps colonel who is now the executive director of the Michigan Office of Defense and Aerospace Innovation, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the new bipartisan five-year plan to position Michigan as the arsenal of democracy for the 21st century that was unveiled by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer during the Munich Security Conference in February.

On today’s Look Ahead program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the next phase in the US-Israel war on Iran as President Trump threatens to devastate the country’s power plants and bridges unless Tehran opens the Strait of Hormuz; the questions the war raises for the defense ecosystem; defense and aerospace stock performance in the wake of the conflict; the administration’s $1.5 budget request — $1.15 billion for the base budget and the rest through “Reconciliation 2.0” — plus an upcoming request for another $240 billion to cover war costs; and a look ahead to the major events of the coming week in Washington and beyond.

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 up week on Wall Street as President Trump says the US-Israel war on Iran will span another few weeks with power plants and bridges to be targeted over the coming days unless Tehran opens the Strait of Hormuz; impact of rising energy and aluminum prices on commercial air travel and jetliner demand as projected capacity drops from an increase of 5.4 percent to .2 percent; nations worldwide convene diplomatic and military leaders to plan a mission to restore traffic through the strait after the shooting stops; the Trump administration seeks $1.5 billion for defense in 2027 — $1.15 billion in the base budget and the remainder from Reconciliation 2.0 — plus another $200 billion to cover war costs; analysis of “skinny” budget that includes nearly $66 billion for shipbuilding and 85 F-35 Lightning II fighters, plus a military pay raise; the White House proposes offsetting a defense increase with a 10 percent cut across social, science, environmental and other programs, expecting to raise $464 billion through new tariffs despite the Supreme Court’s recent rulings; Canada weights participation in the the Global Combat Air Program with Britain, Italy and Japan; and NASA’s Artemis II mission to return to the moon for the first time since 1972.

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 DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian discuss President Trump’s stance that the US-Israel war on Iran would continue another two to three weeks irrespective of a peace deal with Iran and will leave it other nations to restore traffic through the Strait of Hormuz; statements by the president and Secretary of State Marco Rubio that America would reconsider its membership in NATO after alliance members declined to participate in a Hormuz mission until after the shooting stops; views of Trump’s Wednesday address from Europe and the Indo-Pacific that sent energy prices soaring and markets falling; Britain convenes 40 nations to discuss “joint action” to reopen the strait that included Canada, France, Germany, India, and the United Arab Emirates; Trump sacked Pam Bondi as attorney general as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George; lawmakers grapple to fund the Department of Homeland Security and map Reconciliation 2.0 as they also await the administration’s $1.5 trillion 2027 budget and Iran war supplemental requests; European allies continue to call on Washington to support Ukraine as the key to stability in the Indo-Pacific as Washington works to reset relations with Moscow; and Japanese combat troops will return to the Philippines for the first time since World War II as part of the annual Balitakan exercise involving the so-called “Squad” nations — Australia, Japan, the Philippines and the United States.

One of the world’s top airpower observers, Doug Barrie of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, has a new report out on UAVs. We also talk Russia, Iran, the future of NATO, and the best new whiskeys. Truly one to savor all the way through! Powered by GE Aerospace.

On today’s Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomic 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, join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the latest on Russia’s war on Ukraine; the impact of higher energy prices on Moscow’s coffers; how Kyiv has turned the tables on Moscow and is now killing more Russian soldiers than are being recruited and trained; Ukrainian capabilities to counter drones that are being ordered by Gulf nations like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE; whether the income from these sales, reported to be in the billions of dollars, are sufficient to bolster Ukraine as it waits for another 90 billion euro loan from European nations that are being stalled by Hungary; President Trump’s threat to reconsider US membership in NATO after alliance members balked at deploying ships and personnel to restore traffic through the Strait of Hormuz until after the shooting stops; the outlook for the transatlantic alliance as Washington accelerates efforts to normalize relations with Moscow as Russia continues to be Europe’s leading threat; and whether there’s an opportunity for Europe to step in as a security partner in the Gulf and the Indo-Pacific.

On this Land Warfare episode, sponsored by American Rheinmetall, Ben Barry, a retired British Army brigadier who is the director of land warfare studies at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss his new book, “The Rise and Fall of the British Army: 1975-2025;” the role of ground forces in the US-Israel war on Iran; impact of diminishing weapon stocks and how this conflict could leave the United States in a window of vulnerability; what it will cost and how long it will take to rebuild the kind of army Britain will need for the future; capabilities it needs; and lessons from failed acquisition efforts like the Ajax armored vehicle.

On today’s Look Ahead program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the US-Israel war on Iran as the conflict enters its fifth week; how to constrain Iran after the war, including a “mowing the grass” model Israel deployed in Gaza; Iran’s ability to strike US interests including strike on a Saudi Arabian base that destroyed a US Air Force E-3 Sentry radar plane; how a shortage of US munitions might impact international security, including in the Indo-Pacific; what to expect when the administration submits its 2027 defense budget request to Congress on 3 April; takeaways from the Society of Military History’s conference last weekend; and a look ahead to the major events of the coming week in Washington and beyond.

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 the fifth down week on Wall Street as the US-Israel war on Iran continues driving up energy prices and inflation estimates; strikes on Iran continue as Tehran attacks a key US airbase in Saudi Arabia, injuring 12 american personnel and reportedly destroying a US Air Force $500 million E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System plane and damaged others; Washington draws on weapons stocks worldwide and considers redirecting weapons bound for Ukraine and other allies to the Middle East as the CSIS think tank says US forces have launched more than 800 or some 3,100 Tomahawk cruise missiles in stock during the first month of the war; how long it will take to refill stocks even with accelerated procurement efforts and new deals with BAE Systems, Honeywell and Lockheed Martin, as RUSI says US, Israel and allies have use 11,000 precision weapons including interceptors valued at $26 billion; whether Ukraine’s air defense deals with Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE can offset a critical $90 billion loan package to Kyiv that’s been stalled by Hungary; Korea Aerospace unveiled its new KF-21 fighter the company claims is a less expensive alternative to Lockheed Martin’s best selling F-35 Lightning II; Germany’s expresses interest in Boeing’s Ghost Bat unmanned aircraft developed for Australia; and Palantir and Anduril to develop software backbone for President Trump’s top-priority Golden Dome missile defense system.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, sponsored by L3Harris, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian discuss the US-Israel war on Iran as President Trump touts talks to end the conflict that has roiled world markets and sent energy prices soaring, driving up inflation; whether lawmakers will vote to constrain the administration’s war powers as GOP members worry that the economic turmoil in the wake of the conflict will hurt the party’s political prospects in November as Democrats made gains in Florida elections this week; outlook for wartime supplemental, reconciliation and base budget spending as lawmakers work to restore Department of Homeland Security funding; European nations jolted by soaring energy prices are under pressure from their citizens to find ways to both return normal traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and mollify a mercurial US president, with capitals suggesting they’re willing to help in an international mission after the shooting stops; whether Europe has an opportunity to supplant Washington as a Middle East and Indo-Pacific partner; Washington races to normalize relations with Russia despite Moscow’s intelligence and weapons support for Iran; US pressure on Ukraine to give up Donbas in exchange for security guarantees as the Pentagon considers shifting defensive weapons bound for Ukraine to the Middle East as Russia continues to pound the country; Asian governments scramble to triage energy to mitigate economic shocks; the White House says the president’s postponed summit with Xi Jinping in Beijing will be 14-15 May; Kim Jong Un uses the Iran war to justify his nuclear arsenal; and Israel’s campaign in South Lebanon.

China is racing to build a completely modern air force, with many new aircraft being revealed in the last year and a half, and factories and bases popping up. How big is the challenge? We get answers from former intel officer Mike “JDAM” Dahm, Senior Fellow for Aerospace and China Studies at the Mitchell Institute. Plus the week’s headlines in airpower. Powered by GE!

On today’s Technology Report, Ed Mehr, the co-founder and CEO of Machina Labs, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the innovative Chatsworth, Calif., firm’s AI-driven intelligent factories approach to increase commercial and defense production volumes at lower costs that attracted $124 million in Series C funding from investors including Lockheed Martin Ventures and Toyota to underwrite a new 200,000 square foot facility; the imperative to adopt AI as well as cutting edge machining technology and greater robotization to increase production; scaling the business as a manufacturer and technology provider; importance of designing for production and greater component flexibility to speed manufacture; how to better manage supply chains; how to manufacture at the edge; and the critical role of allies and partners in delivering capability.

On today’s Technology Report, Eben Frankenberg, the CEO and cofounder of the innovative radar company Echodyne, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss how the company turned breakthrough meta-material technology into small and affordable electronically scanned radars for military and commercial applications; the birth of the company in 2014 as part of former Microsoft CTO Nathan Myhrvold’s Intellectual Ventures firm to develop foundational technologies key for a future generation of autonomous systems; the company’s commercial business model that in 2022 attracted $135 million from Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, UK investment firm Baillie Gifford, Northrop Grumman and others; lessons from recent wars and growth prospects as anti-drone systems are prioritized worldwide, especially those with ITAR free technology; access to capital; how the Pentagon is changing how it does business with innovative companies; and navigating and surviving the Valley of Death.

On today’s Look Ahead program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss President Trump’s decision — citing positive talks — to postpone by five days his ultimatum that Iran’s power grid will be struck unless the Strait of Hormuz resumes normal traffic; what’s next for the war and whether it’s impacts will provide lasting even if fighting ends soon; outlook for US defense spending as the administration will seek a $200 billion war supplemental and the $1.5 trillion base budget request for 2027; how the campaign will impact US readiness as aging aircraft and even new ships like USS Gerald R Ford are run hard; and a look ahead at the week’s events in Washington and beyond.

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 Wall Street’s fourth down week in a row as the US-Israel war on Iran damaged energy infrastructure and virtually halted Strait of Hormuz traffic drive energy prices up despite releasing strategic reserves and lifting of Russia and Iran sanctions; high jet fuel costs drive airlines to cut flights and park jets; whether higher energy prices spells the end of the recent golden commercial aerospace age; President Trump’s statement that the US considering “winding down” the war even as his administration is expected to ask Congress for $200 billion to cover war costs as it prepares a $1.5 trillion 2027 budget request; Trump’s continuing pressure for NATO nations to send ships to open the strait as European nations say they might support an international effort after fighting ends; call by some European leaders to resume buying cheap Russian energy even as Moscow continues to hammer Ukraine and threaten NATO; the request by the select House China committee’s chaiman that the Pentagon review Safran’s commercial ties with China; what suppliers are reporting to their customers about war impacts; and takeaways from Bank of America’s annual Global Industrials Conference in London.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, sponsored by L3Harris, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, Cavas Ships podcast co-host Chris Servello, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the US-Israel war on Iran as the conflict enters its third week as energy markets are shaken by strikes on Gulf energy infrastructure and a backup of ships unwilling to brave the Strait of Hormuz; administration prepares to ask Congress for a $200 billion supplemental to cover war costs as it also plans to request $1.5 trillion in 2027 spending; rift between Washington and Jerusalem after President Trump said Israel was responsible for the attack on Iran’s energy facilities prompting Tehran to strike Gulf plans including Qatar’s massive Ras Laffan facility that’s lost 17 percent of its production capacity, driving a spike in gas prices; Israeli jets strike Iran reportedly from Azerbaijan; administration starts multistep process to escort tankers through the Strait as Europe, Japan and other allies consider participation in a mission to restore traffic; a week after Washington lifted sanctions on Russian oil, European leaders say it’s time to resume energy trade with Moscow; how rising energy prices and lifted sanctions will replenishing Moscow’s coffers as the rate of US and Israeli weapons use has raised concerns in Kyiv and across the alliance; Israel’s Lebanon campaign against Hezbollah that’s displaced 1 million; Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takeuchi’s White House visit and US intelligence testimony on Iran, China and Taiwan; and the Iran war prompts Trump to postponed his planned meeting with Xi Jinping in Beijing in April.

Operation Epic Fury continues targeting Iran, principally with airpower. This week, we get the strategist’s view from former Air Force planning chief LtGen Clint “Q” Hinote, and it’s a mind-blowing doozy. Airpower vs ships. The limits of autonomy. Getting the person out of the loop. Next-war tech. The value of decapitation. Plus the week’s headlines in airpower. Powered by GE!