Defense & Aerospace Daily Podcast [May 11, 2026] Look Ahead w/ Byron Callan

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 why the end of the Iran war would be good news for the US defense industry; what to expect the upcoming summit between President Trump and China’s Xi Jinping; how nations worldwide are realigning defense purchases to reduce their dependence on US suppliers without alarming Washington; US defense budget deliberations as lawmakers return to the Capitol; what happens if Democrats won’t retake the House or Senate; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s video lambasting heritage contractors while touting commercial and fixed-price contract terms as outlined by the president’s recent executive order; first quarter earnings thoughts; and a look at the week ahead in Washington and beyond.