Defense & Aerospace Report

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 former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss Congress and the Trump administration’s $1.15 trillion defense budget request, Reconciliation 2.0 as well as a new 3.0 version; lawmaker reaction to Pentagon’s claim the Iran war has cost $29 billion; update on talks to end the US-Israel war on Iran as the CIA estimates Tehran has reconstituted much of its capabilities as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed except to shipping Iran allows; news reports that Emirati and Saudi aircraft participated in operations against Iran as Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu visited the UAE where Israeli air defenses troops are stationed; Saudi Arabia proposes a nonaggression pact with Iran; in the first of four planned summits, President Trump flatters Xi Jinping but the Chinese leader warns of Taiwan as a flashpoint in the relationship that could lead to conflict as American eagerness for more business for US firms fails to land deals; Vladimir Putin suggests his Ukraine war is coming to an end even as he continues to bombard the country and Kyiv disrupts Moscow’s Victory Day commemorations; bipartisan lawmakers force a vote on Ukraine aid as the administration continues to punish Europe for not supporting the Iran war by abruptly canceling a planned nine-month deployment to Poland of 4,000 troops from the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Cavalry Division, some of whom had already arrived in the country to help deter Russian aggression; and an update on redistricting and their impact on November’s elections.

Is a bigger bomb always a better bomb? Tyler Hacker and Luke Widenhouse from the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments say no, and make their case in a new study. We’ll break down the details, including how tactical innovations become strategic advantages. Plus the week’s headlines in airpower. Powered by GE Aerospace!

On today’s Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Eric Fanning, the president and CEO of the Aerospace Industries Association, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the defense budget outlook and best and worst case scenarios as Trump administration works to advance its $1.15 trillion 2027 Pentagon spending request, Reconciliation 2.0 and an Iran war supplemental; how more spending gets translated into contracts after contracting officers were culled in the name of reducing DoD headcount and improving efficiency; whether the defense and aerospace industry can absorb so much funding at once; implications of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s latest broadside against heritage contractors and whether the working relationship is more productive in private; the administration’s commercial approach to development and production and ensuring a level playing field for heritage and new firms; protecting intellectual property as the military services revert to proprietary architectures; right to repair; and the strategy the administration is using to determine where it invests public money in private firms.

On today’s Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Steve Grundman, a former Pentagon industrial base chief now with the Atlantic Council and the Grundman Advisory consultancy, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s latest social media broadside against heritage defense contractors, criticizing them for failing to deliver while padding their pockets, making the case for more funding and greater reliance on commercial fixed-price approaches to develop and acquire new weapons; the prospect the administration’s ambitious budget and priorities will be supported by lawmakers; the strategy that’s shaping the administration’s defense planning and spending; roles of heritage and new economy defense contractors; whether the administration’s commercial contracting approach will succeed in cutting acquisition costs; the implications of shifting from open architectures to proprietary ones; and the decline in defense stock values.

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.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. “Rocket” Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, Sash Tusa of Agency Partners, and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss another strong week on Wall Street on stronger than expected US jobs figures and momentum trading despite ongoing negotiations between Washington and Tehran continue to negotiate an end of the Iran war as both sides continue to fire on each others forces and Iranian attacks on international shipping; air travel outlook as jet fuel prices soar; President Trump’s summit with Xi Jinping in Beijing, the first of four meetings this year between the leaders as Washington pursues its “grand bargain” with talks that will cover trade, critical minerals, Taiwan and AI; Trump’s threat that European nations face a 25 percent tariffs on cars unless the EU accepts a trade deal by July 4 as the president threatens to withdraw troops from Italy and Spain and reassess its relationship with NATO after members of the defensive alliance refused to participate in the US-Israel offensive war on Iran; Rheinmetall’s new joint venture company with Destinus with plans to start production later this year of a new cruise missile with more than 430 miles of range and the German giant’s proposal to take over Germany’s F126 frigate program from Damen and deliver six ships under a 12 billion euro contract; Turkey’s plans for a new ICBM with a three-ton warhead and range of nearly 4,000 miles; outlook for British defense as Labour lawmakers call for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation after a drubbing in local across England, Scotland and Wales; AirAsia’s decision to order 150 Airbus A220 jetliners; and a look at Embraer, Hensoldt, Howmet, Rheinmetall, RocketLab, and Transdigm earnings.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, sponsored by L3Harris, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank,Cavas Ships podcast co-host Chris Servello; 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 what’s next for the Iran war as Tehran and Washington continue talks while exchanging fire that damaged cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz and the UAE’s key oil port at Fujairah; Washington’s Project Freedom mission to escort ships through the strait; Israel’s continuing strikes on Lebanon; how the energy crisis precipitated by the war shaped the European Political Community summit in Yerevan and the ASEAN meeting in the Philippines; Ukraine gains the upper hand with strikes deep into Russia as Moscow prepares to commemorate Victory Day and Russians grow increasingly frustrated with the war; President Trump threatens European allies with a 25 percent tariff on cars if the EU doesn’t approve a trade pact by July 4; analysis of the administration’s decision to cut 5,000 of 36,000 American troops from Germany and threat to pare back US forces from Italy and Spain as well; what to expect when Trump and Xi Jinping meet in Beijing; Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s visit to Australia and Vietnam as Tokyo considers exporting used warships to the Philippines; and North Korea’s new constitution that drops reuniting with the south as a goal.

Among the many lessons of Ukraine and the Iran war is the role of small, distributed air and missile defenses, whether using -- or defending against -- missiles or drones. Dr. Stacie Pettyjohn, Director of the Defense Program at the Center for a New American Security, details how effective small weapons can be, whether massed drones could undermine U.S. operational concepts, the implications of using big weapons to counter little ones, and many more insights. Plus the week’s airpower headlines. Powered by GE Aerospace!

Justin Sherman, the founder of Global Cyber Strategies, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Cyber Statecraft Initiative, and the author of the book “Navigating Technology and National Security” joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the cyber aspects of the Trump administration’s 2027 federal spending request, changes lawmakers should consider to improve cyber security, impact of new AI models like Anthropic’s Mythos on improving cyber defenses, the administration’s interest in testing AI models before their release and how such tests should be conducted, and growing role of AI in warfare and the government’s oversight over contractors during military operations.

On today’s Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomics 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 prospect of a ceasefire during Russia’s May 9 Victory Day commemoration; Ukraine’s ability to strike ever deeper into Russia, bringing the conflict to more Russians in more places; Russia’s continuing ability to strike Ukraine’s energy infrastructure; shifting battlefield dynamic as Kyiv increasingly uses unmanned ground vehicles to hold Russian forces at bay by inflicting 1,000 casualties a day; impact of continuing war, economic sanctions and harsh domestic political measures on Vladimir Putin’s popularity; speculation that Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu is involved in a coup plot against Putin; 8th European Political Community Summit that featured Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney as featured guests and the message sent by picking Armenia to host the meeting in Yerevan; the defeat of Russian mercenaries in Mali; and the evolving transatlantic security dynamic as Washington withdraws 5,000 troops from Germany.

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 Iran war scenarios as President Trumps says US forces will escort neutral ships through the Strait of Hormuz as Tehran warns it will fire on ships that transit the waterway without permission; the latest rupture between the United States and its European allies after the administration announced it would withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany, leaving 30,000 in the nation; the Pentagon’s warning to allies in Europe and Asia to expect long delays in filling arms orders as new production is redirected to fill depleted US stocks and decision to “fast track” $8 billion in weapons to Gulf allies including $4 billion in Patriot missiles to Qatar; whether delays in US delivers will give opportunities to other European suppliers, Ukraine and South Korea; the president’s fixed-price contracting executive order; defense budget update as lawmakers express reservations about Reconciliation 2.0; the Pentagon’s $54 billion Defense Autonomous Warfare Group funding block; takeaways from Modern Day Marine; and a look at the week ahead 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 and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss another strong week on Wall Street despite rising energy prices; implications of the collapse of Spirit Airlines; Airbus earnings as the European giant as well as Bombardier, Crane, Garmin and L3Harris report; Textron’s plan to separate its aerospace and defense business from its industrials group; business jet outlook; Washington’s warning to allies that delivery of the US weapons they’ve ordered will be long delayed as new production is redirected to refuel depleted American military stocks; the Pentagon’s Friday announcement that 5,000 troops from Germany will be withdrawn over the next six to 12 months, leaving 30,000 US service members in the country, where troop levels were before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; and the outlook for E-7 program as the US Air Force tests two prototypes of the Boeing radar plane with five to be delivered under the Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase of the multi-year contract that the Trump administration has worked to stop in favor of space-based airborne warning and control as well as ground-moving target indication missions.

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 former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss a chaotic week as House lawmakers advance a budget resolution to increase Immigrations and Customs Enforcement funding, extend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and end the 80-day partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine testify before Congress as Hegseth lambasts members over the Iran war, arguing the ceasefire effectively stppped the 60-day War Powers Resolution clock; GOP lawmakers move to secure public funding President Trump’s top priority White House ballroom after the attack on the White House Correspondents Association dinner that prompted the evacuation of the president and top officials; continuing talks continue to end the US-Israel war on Iran as the United Arab Emirates dropped out of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries; Trump engaged Vladimir Putin to renew efforts to force Ukraine to accept a ceasefire as Russia continues to take a beating at Ukrainian hands as its mercenaries are trounced in Mali and its “no limits” partnership with Beijing shows cracks; NATO nations consider scrapping their upcoming summit to avoid a clash with Trump; Germany’s drives ahead to become Europe’s defense leader; nuclear signaling by China and both Koreas as the Nonproliferation Treaty conference convenes in New York; defying Beijing, Paraguay’s President Santiago Pena to visit Taiwan in May as China again warned Japan about its commitment to a “free and open” Indo-Pacific; and takeaways from King Charles’ state visit and his historic address to a joint session of Congress on America’s 250th birthday.

The US Air Force is providing the bulk of firepower for Operation Epic Fury. Does their new budget request provide the Air Force the nation needs? We asked that and more of our guest, retired Major General Mark Mitchum. Plus the week’s headlines in airpower. Powered by GE Aerospace!

The Defense & Aerospace Report Team — Laura Winter of The DownLink, Cavas Ships Podcast cohosts Chris Cavas and Chris Servello, and Air Power Podcast co-host JJ Gertler join Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the air, land, sea and space elements of the Trump administration’s defense budget request across its $1.15 trillion base budget, $350 billion “Reconciliation 2.0” plan, and as-yet-undisclosed Iran war supplemental.

On today’s Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Dr. Jerry McGinn, a former deputy industrial base chief who is now with the director of the Center for the Industrial Base at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss his commentary on the Breaking Defense website — “Multi-sourcing, MOSA, and producibility form next-level defense acquisition reform.”

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 continuing US-Israel war on Iran despite a lull in shooting; diminishing US offensive and defensive precision weapons stocks and how they might shape American deterrence in the Indo-Pacific and elsewhere; economic factors that could drive even rich nations to redirect spending from military programs; the continuing global defense realignment as nations work to forge new partnerships to reduce reliance on the United States; takeaways from the Trump administration’s 2027 base budget request and prospects for Reconciliation 2.0; a look earnings as Boeing, CACI, GE Aerospace, Hexcel, Honeywell, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, RTX, Saab, Teledyne and Thales all report; market impact in the wake of the latest instance of American political violence as a shooter tries to break into the White House Correspondents Dinner in Washington; and a look at the week ahead 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 and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss the week on Wall Street as investors worried about what’s next for the US-Israel war on Iran and higher energy prices on inflation, goods and services; how rising jet fuel prices are impacting airlines and the commercial aviation industrial ecosystem; President Trump’s suggestion that the US government use Defense Production Act authorities to acquire Spirit Airlines for $500 million; the Trump administration submits its $1.15 trillion 2027 defense budget request to Congress as key lawmakers push back on a $350 billion reconciliation package to fund programs, $17 billion to for the president’s top priority Golden Dome air and missile defense system with only $400 million in funding included in the base budget request; how lingering Iran war costs to repair damaged civilian and energy infrastructure could complicate efforts by Gulf nations to increase defense spending; the Pentagon’s reported efforts to punish NATO members for not participating in the US-Israel war on Iran, including suspending Spain’s membership in the alliance and backing Argentina’s claim to the Falkland Islands as King Charles begins his state visit to the United States; Germany’s first-ever security strategy to be Europe’s defense leader by 2039; NATO’s decision to buy Saab’s GlobalEye to replace its aging fleet of Boeing E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control aircraft; and a look at first quarter earnings reported by Boeing, GE Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, RTX, Thales, and Teledyne.

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 former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the Trump administration’s $1.15 trillion 2027 defense budget request and opposition from veteran Republican lawmakers to funding key programs like the Golden Dome missile defense project through reconciliation as a GOP civil war erupts over reauthorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, complicating efforts to fund the Department of Homeland Security; President Trump — citing a request from Pakistan — again extended the ceasefire with Iran to negotiate a deal as both US and Iranian forces seize ships in the Strait of Hormuz, and announced a three-week ceasefire extension to allow Jerusalem and Beirut to negotiate a deal over Hezbollah in South Lebanon; the Pentagon reportedly seeks to punish NATO allies for not supporting the Iran war, including “suspending” Spain’s membership and siding with Argentina against Britain’s sovereignty over the Falklands as the White House prepares to host King Charles for a state visit to celebrate America’s 250th birthday; Berlin plans to become Europe’s leading military by 2039 as the EU approved a 90 billion loan to Ukraine; top US Indo-Pacific commanders testify before the Senate as Washington tells Taipei to pass a defense budget in exchange for military assistance; Japan participates in US-Philippine exercises as Tokyo says it will allow arms sales to allies and partners, prompting protests from Beijing that sailed warships through Yokoate waterway; Trump fired his Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sacked Navy Secretary John Phelan; Democratic Florida Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick resigned; and Virginia voters approved the latest gerrymandering plan that could give Democrats an edge in November elections.

Army Aviation just came away from its biggest conference of the year, but does the new budget give them reason to celebrate? Army aviation legend retired Major General Jeff Schloesser looks at that plus operations, MV-75 updates, and lots more. And the week’s headlines, including a deep dive on the FY27 airpower budget. Powered by GE Aerospace!

On today’s Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomic Aeronautical Systems, Mark Cancian, a senior adviser with the defense and security program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the new report he co-authored with his research associate Chris Park — “Last Rounds? Status of Key Munitions at the Iran War Ceasefire;” whether low US inventories will weaken deterrence and warfighting capacity especially in the Indo-Pacific; the Trump administration’s 2027 defense budget request; how long it will take to replenish depleted stocks of precision air defense as well as strike weapons; the kind of weapons America needs; and the role of allies and partners in increasing production capacity.

Todd Harrison of the American Enterprise Institute joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to preview the Trump administration’s $1.15 trillion 2027 defense budget request; what will be included in the Reconciliation 2.0 measure that will boost 2027 military spending to $1.5 trillion; what would be included in a supplemental funding measure for Iran war costs; and analysis of Navy, Air Force and Army department budgets.

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 what’s next as both Tehran and Washington test the ceasefire adopted last week that paused the US-Israel war on Iran; whether higher government spending to offset higher energy and other societal costs in the wake of the conflict will reduce resources for defense; what to expect as the Trump administration prepares to submit its 2027 defense spending request to Congress; thoughts on drone and counter-drone warfare; tradeoffs nations are making among drones, novel capabilities and legacy systems; what to expect at the Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space conference and tradeshow next week; and a look at the week ahead 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 and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss a record week on Wall Street as stocks soared and energy prices plunged after Iran said it would open the Strait of Hormuz, but prices increased sharply over the weekend announced the closure of the strait to protest Washington’s blockade despite a ceasefire agreement; President Trump’s threat to resume strikes unless a deal is reached; impact of jet fuel prices on air carriers cut flights; implications of a merger between United and American air lines and whether regulators would approve the creation of the world’s largest air carrier that would also control half of domestic air travel; takeaways from the National Space Symposium; look ahead to the administration’s 2027 defense budget submission to Congress on Wednesday; Peter Magyar’s election as Hungary’s next prime minister; former NATO Secretary General Lord George Robertson’s stark warning about the perilous state of Britain’s defenses; Italy’s decision to suspend defense cooperation with Israel; and the US Army’s decision to name Bell’s new MV-75 the Cheyenne II.

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 former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the prospect of a deal to end the US-Israel war on Iran that would curb its nuclear ambitions that was facilitated by a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon after talks in Washington; whether a resumption of hostilities in South Lebanon will trigger a response from Iran; impact of Iranian statement that the Strait of Hormuz will be open through the current ceasefire; efforts by lawmakers to curb Trump’s war powers as well as renew FISA; Britain and France’s maritime coalition meeting in Paris; Xi Jinping’s criticism that the world can’t afford to revert to the law of the jungle a month before meeting with the American president in Beijing; what to expect as the administration prepares to submit its full 2027 defense spending request to Congress next week as Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought refuses to tell lawmakers how much money the Pentagon will need to cover Iran war costs; implications of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s loss to Peter Magyar as the new leader pledges to fight corruption, warm relations with the EU including dropping Budapest’s opposition to a 90 billion euro loan package to Ukraine, sack Orban cronies and restore press freedoms; former NATO Secretary General Lord George Robertson’s warning that Britain is in peril after underfunding defense; prospect Russia will make a move against Europe this year; Australia’s new defense strategy that would increase military spending to 3 percent of GDP; North Korea’s vow to increase nuclear enrichment; and Trump’s feud with Pope Leo.

The US/Israeli action against Iran has gained attention for its use of advanced offensive weapons and platforms. But defenses have also been busy, and burning through munitions at a brisk rate. Dr. Tom Karako, Director of the Air and Missile Defense program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, joins us to dive deep on defenses. Plus the week’s airpower headlines. Powered by GE Aerospace!

Cavas Ships co-hosts Chris Cavas and Chris Servello join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss what they expect to hear from US Navy leaders at the Sea-Air-Space conference and tradeshow next week. Cavas Ships will produce daily content and our coverage is sponsored by RTX.

On today’s Technology Report program, 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 Iran’s cyber operations against the United States; how personnel and budget cuts to the government cyber workforce and a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security make it harder to defend against attack; how Iranian capabilities compare to those of Russia and China, and why they don’t collaborate; how Anthropic’s Mythos and Palantir’s Maven are changing US military operations; the US government’s push to blacklist Anthropic and President Trump’s pro-Palantir tweet; what to expect from the administration’s upcoming cyber budget request; what it will take to implement the president’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz; and whether high operational tempo and depleting weapons stocks will undermine US deterrence in the Indo-Pacific.

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 the planned US Navy blockade of the Strait of Hormuz; what’s next in the US-Israel war on Iran; how the focus of US capabilities in the Middle East will impact America’s ability to deter conflict in the Indo-Pacific; what’s next for the conflict; outlook for the Iran war supplemental the Trump administration will seek; expectations as companies prepare to report earnings; and a look at the week ahead 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 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!

On today’s Technology Report; David Schild, the executive director of the Printed Circuit Board Association of America, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the new movie — The New Frontier: Inside the Comeback Factories Securing America’s Tech Future — that will be premiering in Washington on March 25 at the Miracle Theater on Capitol Hill; status of legislation and funding to bolster the US printed circuit board industrial base; the entire printed circuit board supply chain; the extent domestic manufacturers can sustain themselves without significant government support; and what it will take for the industry to surge to support dramatically increased production of weapons called for by the Trump administration.