Charlie McCullough, the director of maritime business development at BAE Systems, discusses the 10-tube version of the Virginia Payload Module that will equip future Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines with a greater range of capabilities from strike to reconnaissance to cargo with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. The interview was conducted at the Navy League's 2019 Sea Air Space conference and tradesheow near Washington where our coverage was sponsored by GE Marine, Huntington Ingalls Industries and Leonardo DRS.

Chris Vanslager, the executive vice president for US defense at AM General, discusses continuous improvements to the company's Humvee, the outlook for the vehicle and future upgrades with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. The interview was conducted at the Association of the United States Army's 2019 Global Force Symposium in Huntsville, Ala., where our coverage was sponsored by L3 Technologies and Leonardo DRS.

Curtis Pearson, director of strategic programs at Northrop Grumman, discusses next generation jammers on EA-18G Growler, development and rapid implementation with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. The interview was conducted at the Navy League's recent 2019 Sea Air Space conference and tradeshow near Washington where our coverage was sponsored by GE Marine, Huntington Ingalls Industries and Leonardo DRS.

Göran Mårtensson, the director general of Sweden's defense material administration, discusses closer US-Swedish cooperation on technology and programs, and updates progress on the new Gripen E fighter and A26 submarine with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. The interview was conducted at Sweden's embassy to the United States at the conclusion of the 17th US-Sweden Defense Cooperation Conference.

Pedro Serrano, the deputy director general for Common Security and Defence Policy and crisis response a the European External Action Service, discusses US concerns with European Union's Permanent Structured Cooperation and the European Defence Fund, more quickly spotting and stabilizing security challenges before they require military action, preserving the Iran nuclear deal, China and more with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian at the EU's annual defense and security conference in Washington, sponsored by the EU and Foreign Policy.

Col. Dave Des Roches, US Army Ret., assistant professor at the Near East-South Asia Center at the National Defense University and former deputy director of the US Army History Center, discusses logistics and leadership lessons from the D-Day landings in Normandy, France, 75 years ago on June 6, 1944, with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

Staffan Truvé, PhD, the cofounder and chief technology officer of Recorded Future, discusses real-time cyber threat intelligence, countering disinformation and his company’s strategic growth plans with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian at the Swedish Embassy to the United States in Washington.

Michael Green, PhD, Japan chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, discusses President Trump’s recent visit to Japan, Washington’s Asia strategy, what’s next with North Korea and more with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

Sam Bendett of the Center for Naval Analyses discusses new manned and unmanned systems unveiled during Russia's nationwide 2019 Victory Day parades commemorating the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945 with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

Dave Allen, the chief executive of Liquid Robotics, a Boeing company, discusses integrated ocean surveillance, wave glider updates and more with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian at the Navy League's 2019 Sea Air Space conference and tradeshow near Washington. Our coverage was sponsored by GE Marine, Huntington Ingalls Industries and Leonardo DRS.

Robert DiCarlo, systems engineer at the US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command's C5ISR Center at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., discusses the Radio Interoperability Capability-Universal -- or RIC-U -- Voice Bridge, a single device that can automatically interconnect US and allied radios with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. The system, developed by the US Army, was derived from the Radio Interoperability Capability-Korean to better connect US and South Korean forces. The interview was conducted at the DoD's recent 2019 Lab Day.

Lt. Gen. Thomas P. Stafford, USAF Ret., legendary NASA astronaut discusses the Apollo 10 moon mission he commanded between May 18-26, 1969, that paved the way for Apollo 11's historic landing two months later discusses the importance of his mission to test the Lunar Module in lunar orbit, the need to commemorate the moon program, lessons from the massive national effort to beat the Soviets, the Trump administration's plan to return to the moon and more with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. The interview was recorded on May 24, 2019, five decades earlier to the day, Stafford and his crew mates John Young and Gene Cernan began their return to Earth, becoming the fastest humans in history by achieving a top speed of 24,791 mph. Aside from commanding Apollo 10, Stafford was pilot aboard Gemini 6A, commanded by Wally Schirra, for the first Earth orbit rendezvous with Gemini 7, commanded by Frank Borman and piloted by Jim Lovell. Stafford also commanded Gemini 9 with Cernan as pilot as well as the US portion of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, the first rendezvous between an American and Soviet spacecraft in July 1975.

Jan-Olof Lind, the state secretary to Sweden's defense minister, discusses increasing defense cooperation with the United States, the findings of the recently-release Defence Commission that shapes the country's strategic planning, Russia and US tensions with China with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. The interview was conducted at Sweden's embassy to the United States at the conclusion of the 17th US-Sweden Defense Defense Cooperation Conference.

Armen Grigoryan, Armenia's security council secretary, discusses strategic challenges, cooperation with the United States, Artsakh or Nagorno-Karabakh and relations with Turkey and Israel, as well as tensions with Iran with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. The interview was conducted at Armenia's embassy to the United States in Washington, DC.

Brig. Gen. Tom Landwermeyer, US Army Ret., president and CEO of Homes of Our Troops, and Gen. Dick Cody, US Army Ret., the US Army’s former vice chief who serves as chairman, discuss long-term support for veterans, 2020 goals, how to help and more with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. The interview was conducted at the Army Aviation Association of America's 2019 conference and tradesheow in Nashville, Tenn., where our coverage was sponsored by Bell and Leonardo DRS.

Rick Jenkins, operations manager of ACME Services, discusses the company's high-fidelity aerial gunnery simulator that improves training while reducing ammunition, maintenance and security costs with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. The interview was conducted at the Army Aviation Association of America's 2019 conference and tradesheow in Nashville, Tenn., where our coverage was sponsored by Bell and Leonardo DRS.

Patrick Marotta, the third-generation chief executive of Marotta Controls, discusses leading a family-owned firm founded by his grandfather during World War II that has remained a globally competitive supplier of unique high-tech components for aerospace and defense applications with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. The interview was conducted at the Navy League's 2019 Sea Air Space conference and tradeshow where our coverage was sponsored by GE Marine, Huntington Ingalls Industries and Leonardo DRS.

Don Sofge, roboticist at the Naval Research Laboratory, discusses the development of low-cost swarming systems for military and security applications with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. The interview was conducted at the Navy League's recent 2019 Sea Air Space conference and tradeshow near Washington where our coverage was sponsored by GE Marine, Huntington Ingalls Industries and Leonardo DRS.

Col. Alex Crowther, PhD, US Army Ret., senior research fellow for NATO-Europe and cyber policy at the National Defense University's Center for Strategic Research, discusses the implications of the recent Baltimore cyber ransomware attack and German defense spending outlook with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian at the European Union's annual defense and security conference in Washington, sponsored by the EU and Foreign Policy.

Sam Bushell, technical program manager at BAE Systems' Intelligence & Security Sector, discusses the merits of a model-based systems engineering approach -- being applied across the company -- to better modernize existing products and more quickly develop new ones to cut acquisition and sustainment cost with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. The interview was conducted at the Navy League's 2019 Sea Air Space conference and tradeshow near Washington where our coverage was sponsored by GE Marine, Huntington Ingalls Industries and Leonardo DRS.

John Luddy, the vice president for national security policy at the Aerospace Industries Association, discusses the Trump administration's “mines to magnets” effort to safeguard access to rare earth elements vital to national security — the Air Force Research Lab last week issued a request for information for sintered neodymium iron boride rare earth permanent magnets — defense industrial policy and implications of tariffs with Defense and & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

Lt. Gen. Dave Deptula, USAF Ret., the dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, discusses priorities for Barbara Barrett, the Trump administration's nominee to succeed Heather Wilson as the next US Air Force secretary, Wilson's legacy and fighter and aircraft modernization programs with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

Cmdr. Bryan McGrath, USN Ret., the founder of the Ferrybridge Group consultancy, discusses improving US Navy surface forces, need for more strategic planning to deliver better warfighting capabilities and integrating air, surface and undersea unmanned vehicles with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. The interview was conducted at the Navy League's 2019 Sea Air Space conference and tradeshow near Washington where our coverage was sponsored by GE Marine, Huntington Ingalls Industries and Leonardo DRS.

Scott Tumpak, vice president of military programs at Airbus Helicopters, discusses the company's UH-72A Lakota helicopter -- 400 of which have been delivered to the US Army -- proposed upgrades to the aircraft and Army Aviation needs with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. The interview was conducted at the Army Aviation Association of America's 2019 conference and tradeshow in Nashville, Tenn., where our coverage was sponsored by Bell and Leonardo DRS.

Luke Savoie, president of L3 Technologies Surveillance and Strike Systems, discusses the company's partnership with AVX and the merits of the aircraft the two have developed to pursue the US Army's Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft program, otherwise known as the Capability Set 1 of the service's Future Vertical Lift effort with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. The interview was conducted at the Army Aviation Association of America's annual conference and tradeshow in Nashville, Tenn., where our coverage was sponsored by Bell and Leonardo DRS.

Keith Flail, the vice president for advanced vertical lift systems at Bell, a Textron company, discusses development of the V-280 Valor tiltrotor demonstrator and the US Army's requirements for the Capability Set 3 of the Future Vertical Lift program with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. The interview was conducted at the Army Aviation Association of America's 2019 conference and tradeshow in Nashville, Tenn., where our coverage was sponsored by Bell and Leonardo DRS.

Heidi Hardt, PhD, assistant professor of political science at the University of California, Irvine, discusses her new book -- "NATO's Lessons in Crisis: Institutional Memory in International Organizations" -- and how large institutions remember lessons learned with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

Janne Kuusela, the policy director at Finland's defense ministry, discusses closer cooperation with Denmark, Iceland, Sweden and Norway, understanding Russia, countering disinformation, better cyber security and the country's competition for a new fighter aircraft with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. The interview, conducted at the residence of Sweden’s ambassador to the United States, followed an Atlantic Council event in Washington marking 10th anniversary of the Nordic Defense Cooperation agreement to improve collaboration among Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

The Trump Administration's 2020 Budget Request Could Be, But OCO, F-15X, Carrier, Amphib, Space Force Raise Doubts

Now that President Trump has declared a national emergency to build his border wall, all eyes are on what will be cut to free the additional $7.5 billion he wants as a down payment for the project. Rather than the wall, that money would be better spend on buying new systems and capabilities the United States desperately needs as it faces rising global powers.

You can’t be a real airplane lover and take satisfaction in seeing the end of a flagship aviation program. That said, Airbus’ decision last week to halt production of the A380 by 2021 will bring an end to a polarizing program. It was neither sleek nor particularly attractive, but it was an astonishing aeronautical achievement that was ultimately too big to succeed.

Qualifications, however, will be secondary to personal loyalty when Trump makes a choice that will have major implications for national and international security for many years to come.

In its recent report, "Artificial Intelligence and National Security: The Importance of the AI Ecosystem," the Center for Strategic and International Studies writes that "AI has profound potential to affect the balance of power in both the global economy and in military competition. While AI has a long history, AI has begun to deliver results within the last decade, particularly with the recent rapid progress in machine learning and the increased availability of data and computing power. As impactful as the recent progress has been, AI remains highly problem-specific and context-dependent. It has proven extremely challenging to translate the progress in some fields to others, even those that are closely related. Enthusiasm in both the public and private sectors has obscured the importance of building the robust supporting capabilities for AI—an AI ecosystem—that are crucial to successful AI adoption." The report was sponsored in part by Thales USA.

In "Trump's 2019 Missile Defense Budget: Choosing Capacity over Capability," a February 28, 2018, installment of the Center for Strategic and International Studies' CSIS Briefs series, Tom Karako, PhD, director of CSIS' Missile Defense Project and a senior fellow in its International Security Program, and Wes Rumbaugh, an research assistant with the ISP, analyze the missile-defense side of the Trump administration's FY19 budget request, identify its priorities and shortfalls, lend historical context and deem the proposed budget "inadequate" to combat "the threat for both ballistic and nonballistic missile attack."

"The Malicious Use of Artificial Intelligence: Forecasting, Prevention, and Mitigation," a February 2018 joint report from the Center for a New American Security, the Future of Humanity Institute, the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk, the University of Cambridge, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and OpenAI, looks at the potential for artificial intelligence to be weaponized in the digital, physical and political security domains, predicts the future AI threat landscape and offers preventative recommendations for policymakers to combat the risk of misused AI. "This report surveys the landscape of potential security threats from malicious uses of artificial intelligence technologies, and proposes ways to better forecast, prevent, and mitigate these threats," the report reads. "We analyze, but do not conclusively resolve, the question of what the long-term equilibrium between attackers and defenders will be. We focus instead on what sorts of attacks we are likely to see soon if adequate defenses are not developed.

In "Overview of the 2019 President's Budget Request for Defense," a Feb. 15, 2018, report from the Center for a New American Security, authors Susanna Blume, a CNAS Defense Strategies and Assessment Program fellow, and Lauren Fish, a research associate with the program, provide a bird's-eye look at what the White House's FY19 defense-budget request means for readiness, procurement, research, development, test and evaluation, the Missile Defense Agency, US Army, US Navy, US Marine Corps and US Air Force, and the US Defense Department, as a whole. "Even in these times of increasing budgets, DoD must still make tough decisions about what to prioritize and where to accept risk," they write.