Defense & Aerospace Report

Secretary Hegseth has proposed a new way for the Air Force to buy its most complicated systems. Former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall joins us to break it down, and examines defense reform generally. And what’s the latest with the Golden Dome missile defense project? We’ll get answers from Dr. Tom Karako, Director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Plus a few headlines in airpower. Powered by GE!

On today’s Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Dr. Darrell Bricker, the CEO of Ipsos Public Affairs who advises on the agenda of the annual Halifax International Security Forum, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss takeaways from this year’s gathering in Nova Scotia that puts democracy at the center of security; the 30-nation survey of global security trends that’s a key feature of the annual gathering; top threats; international perceptions of the United States, Canada, China, Russia and Israel; sentiments on compulsory military service; and themes in the his third book — co-authored with John Ibbitson — “Breaking Point: The New Big Shifts Putting Canada at Risk.”

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 Trump administration’s effort to pressure Ukraine to accept Russia’s terms to end the ongoing war or risk losing US support; how the pressure campaign on Kyiv is driving allies and partners to accelerate efforts to reduce their dependence on Washington and US systems; whether Ukraine can satisfy its needs especially if US support ends abruptly; Rheinmetall and Renk capital market’s days; a banner year for initial public offerings, spin offs and a changing defense market; takeaways from the International Institute for Strategic Studies’ report “Deep Precision Strikes: Europe’s Quest for Long-Range Missile Capabilities;” 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 and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss a dismal week on Wall Street over worries about the economy, AI and whether the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates; the implications of the Trump administration’s pressure on Ukraine to accept a peace deal that would mean Kyiv accept all of Russia’s demands or risk losing all US support; France’s pledge to sell Ukraine up to 100 Rafale fighters by Dassault as Washington sells 48 of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II to Saudi Arabia; Rheinmetall’s capital markets day; takeaways from a busy Dubai Air Show; and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy call that travelers to be more civil to usher in “a golden age of travel.”

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 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 congressional dynamic as lawmakers vote to release Epstein files as they advance NDAA and appropriations and debate the future of Affordable Care Act subsidies; redistricting starts to turn against the Republicans and the House descends into disarray; the 28-peace plan Washington appears to have crafted with Moscow to end the Ukraine war without consulting with Kyiv that satisfies Russia’s demands and comes as Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy faces his worst corruption scandal and the US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and Chief of Staff Gen Randy George visit to Ukraine this week as Russian forces advance on Pokrovsk; Poland’s accusation that Russian agents tried to sabotage Warsaw-Lublin rail line and western security services try to convince Azerbaijan to hand over Yaroslav Mikhailov, a Russian who is accused of engineering the bombs that made their way onto DHL logistics aircraft; Chinese pressure on Taiwan and Japan as Washington announces arms sales to Taiwan and India; Japan’s first sale of a weapon system to the United States; China’s attempt to fill the void left by the US skipping COP 30 in Brazil and and the G-20 in South Africa this weekend; President Trump’s praise for Saudi Arabia’s Mohamed bin Salmaan at the White House as the nations sign trade deals and the sale of nearly 50 of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lighting II fighters that have prompted concern in Israel as its forces launched a new round of air strikes in Gaza.

Uncertain budgets. Acquisition reforms. Government shutdowns. What’s an industrial base to do? Aerospace Industries Association CEO Eric Fanning, one of Washington’s most astute observers of government, is right in the middle of that storm. He tells us about it all. And we have headlines from a wowza week in airpower. Powered by GE!

On today’s Land Warfare program, sponsored by American Rheinmetall, 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 Ukraine’s fight to defend Pokrovsk as Russian forces increase attacks to take a town seen as key to controlling Donbas; how Moscow is changing tactics to increase battlefield gains, including targeting Ukraine’s energy grid; how Ukraine is responding at the tactical level at the front as well as strategically with deep strikes on Russian energy infrastructure; Washington’s strategy to end the war and how Europe is stepping up; and Moscow finally stands up its unmanned systems force.

On today’s Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Bill Lynn a former deputy defense secretary and Pentagon comptroller who since 2012 has served as the president and CEO of Leonardo DRS, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the Trump administration’s defense acquisition reforms; what can be bought commercially to address military needs and what has to be developed; role of government funding in bolstering production capacity; outlook for US defense spending and global defense cooperation; the transformation of Leonardo DRS on his watch; and how politics in Washington have changed over the past decades. Lynn’s tenure will end at the close of year when he will be succeeded by John Baylouny, the company’s chief operating officer.

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 progress on the National Defense Authorization Act and appropriations now that the US government shutdown is over; Army Secretary Dan Driscoll’s comments last week critical of heritage contractors and his desire to buy 90 percent of what the service needs through commercial sources; implications of NATO and Britain moving away from special mission US aircraft in favor of European options; Germany’s rising defense spending as well as takeaways from Hensoldt, Renk and other German firms; likelihood US will strike Venezuela; 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 and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss Wall Street’s mixed week on concerns the Federal Reserve might not cut interest rates as expected in December; the end of the US government shutdown ends with a continuing resolution through January that included included funding to develop Boeing’s E-7 for the Air Force over the Pentagon’s objections; President Trump’s decision to back away from the food tariffs he imposed that have sent prices for soaring as his administration finalized trade deals including with Switzerland; the US drive for NATO adoption of the E-7 as an E-3 AWACS replacement collapses as Britain decides against renewing its lease for three RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft as London eyes Hensoldt’s Pegasus; Columbia’s decision to buy Gripen jets from Saab for $3.6 billion; Army Secretary Dan Driscoll’s statement that defense contractors saying they “conned the American people and the Pentagon” and says that he wants to buy 90 percent from commercial vendors and 10 percent “in the worst of cases” from specialist firms; the increasingly acrimonious squabble between Dassault and Airbus over leadership of the Franco-German next-generation SCAF family of air systems; the decision by Boeing machinists in St Louis to end the company’s second longest strike; the concern by US intelligence officials that F-35 Lighting II fighter technology might leak to China if Washington sells the Lockheed Martin jets to Saudi Arabia; themes for this year’s Dubai Air Show; BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce’s market statements and Hensoldt’s capital markets day.

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 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 longest US government shutdown in history that ended with a new continuing resolution, but will only span until January when the mayhem could begin all over again; appropriations and the National Defense Authorization Act move ahead; another open House seat; the State Department’s decision to designate so-called “antifa” groups in Germany, Greece, Hungary and Italy as foreign terrorist organizations; Russian forces advance in Ukraine and strike the nation’s energy infrastructure as Ukrainians brace for the worst winter since the war began nearly four years ago; Britain reportedly curbs some intelligence sharing with Washington over the Trump administration attacks on boats in the Caribbean and Pacific it claims are narcotraffickers; tensions between China and Japan rise over Taiwan; Australia and Indonesia prepare to sign a defense treaty; and in Gaza Hamas continues to hand over the bodies of Israeli hostages as China and Russia push back on the US effort to garner United Nations support for President Trump’s peace plan for the region.

Can automation actually replace pilots? A top general says one pilot is enough for lengthy global bomber missions. Bomber expert Mark Gunzinger of the Mitchell Institute looks at what the idea is and whether it’s a good one, and covers other significant issues in the bomber force. And we have this week’s airpower headlines. Powered by GE!

On today’s program, sponsored by Elbit America, Todd Harrison of the American Enterprise Institute joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the end of the longest-ever US government shutdown and the prospects that another one in late January after the continuing resolution adopted by lawmakers expires; impacts of the shutdown that will linger for years and months, including on uniformed and civilian workforce; the win for Boeing’s E-7 radar plane that was the only defense progam included in the CR; update on Golden Dome; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s drive to revamp the Pentagon’s entire acquisition system; and what’s in the reconciliation package.

On today’s Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Lt. Gen. Dave Bassett, USA Ret., the former director of the Defense Contract Management Agency who is now a senior counselor at the Cohen Group, former Pentagon industrial base chief Steve Grundman now with the Atlantic Council and Executive in Residence at the RSA consultancy, and Dr. Jerry McGinn, a former deputy industrial base chief who now leads the Center for the Industrial Base at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s sweeping drive to revamp the Pentagon’s acquisition architecture to accelerate the fielding of capabilities that address operational problems, adopt more commercial products that address military needs, scale production of weapons and systems, and increase sales to allies and partners.

On today’s Look Ahead program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners and Cavas Ships podcast co-host Chris Servello join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss what’s next now that lawmakers are moving to end the US government shutdown; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s address last week revamping the Pentagon’s acquisition architecture accelerate the fielding capabilities; what has to happen for the reforms to succeed; Venezuela and Russia’s battlefield gains in Ukraine; analysis of recent earnings including Hensoldt, Rheinmetall and other firms; issues to track in 2026; 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 and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss Wall Street’s worst tech sell off since April; the longest US government shutdown as the Trump administration cuts flights; the Supreme Court hears the constitutionality of the president’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose tariffs; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s acquisition reforms to accelerate development of new capabilities; Germany’s rearmament including new helicopters, night vision gear, weapons and interest in four more P-8 maritime patrol planes from Boeing as the first of eight already ordered jets is delivered; Berlin and Paris say they will determine the fate of SCAF next-generation combat aircraft program by the end of the year; the Pentagon clears hurdles to allow Saudi Arabia to order as many as 48 F-35 Lightning II jets by Lockheed Martin; Hensoldt, Leonardo and Rheinmetall report earnings;  and the UPS MD-11 crash in Louisville that killed 12 and left more than a dozen injured after the plane’s left engine fell off on takeoff.

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 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 longest US government shutdown; President Trump’s call that senators break the filibuster to end the closure as Democrats have a banner Election Day; the Senate votes on a new war powers resolution as the administration hints at military action to topple the Maduro government in Venezuela; Russian forces advance toward Pokrovsk seen as key to controlling Donetsk; takeaways from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s visits to Korea, Vietnam and Malaysia where he met with his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun as the president continued to comment on Xi Jinping, a Taiwan invasion and nuclear testing in the wake of his trip to Asia last week, and saying American forces would take action in Nigeria to stop what he called mass killings of christians by Islamist militants even though there appears no evidence of such sectarian violence; Hegseth’s meeting on Friday with top defense and aerospace executives to unveil his new acquisition reforms to more quickly field new weapons; Saudi Arabia wants F-35 Lightning II fighters as Mohamed bin Sultan to Washington next week; and the legacies of former Vice President Dick Cheney dies at age 84 and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi who said she would retire in 2027 after more than four decades in the House.

From CCA engines to hypersonics and basically everything in between, Rolls-Royce is building off a storied past with an eye on the future. John Kusnierek and Kaare Erickson, Senior Vice Presidents of their LibertyWorks technology operation and strategic campaigns respectively, tell us what they’re doing and how they do it. And of course, this week’s headlines in airpower. Powered by GE! (They make engines too.)

On today’s program, sponsored by Elbit America, Dr. Jim Lewis of the Center for European Policy Analysis and Mark Montgomery of the Defense of Democracies and a Cyberspace Solarium Commission senior adviser join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss last trade truce between the United States and China and how it will impact technology exports including advanced chips Beijing seeks and Washington has sought to deny; how America and its allies should work together to create a secure tech ecosystem, including chips and rare earths; and the challenges associated with building nuclear submarines for Korea in the United States.

On today’s Land Warfare program, sponsored by American Rheinmetall, Bryan Clark of the Hudson Institute and Mark Montgomery of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a Cyberspace Solarium Commission senior adviser, join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss Vladimir Putin’s new “super” weapons including use of new intermediate-range missiles that have been used in Ukraine as well as the announcement that two new nuclear-powered and nuclear-capable weapons have been tested — a new cruise missile and large torpedo; how they work and how they could change deterrence as well as the fight in Ukraine and elsewhere; how these systems can be countered; how the introduction of the Extended Range Attack Munition developed by the US Air Force for Ukraine will change the war; how Russia is changing its tactics to target Ukrainian energy and power grids; and analysis of President Trump’s order that the Pentagon resume nuclear testing.