Joseph Vick, the manager of museum education at the US Space & Rocket Center, discusses the Mobile Quarantine Facility used by Apollo 12 astronauts Pete Conrad, Al Bean and Dick Gordon after their mission to the Moon with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian in Huntsville, Ala. The three spent two weeks in the modified Airstream trailer to ensure that potential diseases from the lunar surface didn’t contaminate planet Earth. Apollo missions 11, 12 and 14 astronauts that made it to the Moon used the mobile facilities immediately after landing — entering the trailer after splashdown aboard USS Hornet through return to the United States — until scientists concluded that the precaution was unnecessary.

Joseph Vick, the manager of museum education at the US Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala., discusses the Project Mercury with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

Joseph Vick, the manager of museum education at the US Space & Rocket Center, discusses the importance of Germany’s V-2 missile in advancing American rocketry with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian in Huntsville, Ala.

David McKeague, co-founder and chief strategist at Sydney-based startup Curious Thing, discusses the company’s artificial intelligence-driven digital interviewer with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian at the Australian Embassy in Washington, DC.

Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., the chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor, discusses role of modeling and simulation technologies to better train America’s future workforce and improve education with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. The interview was conducted on the sidelines of the National Training and Simulation Association’s annual expo July 10, 2019, on Capitol Hill.

Gene Colabattisto, the group president of CAE’s defense and security division, discusses the company's transformation from a simulator firm to a training systems integrator with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian at the 2019 Paris Air Show where our coverage was sponsored by Bell and Leonardo DRS.

Rick Nagel, the managing partner of Acorn Growth Companies, discusses investing to grow small companies and profit challenges as major firms pressure suppliers on cost with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian at the 2019 Paris Air Show where our coverage was sponsored by Bell and Leonardo DRS.

Bob Edmonds, senior vice president at Elbit Systems of America, discusses the company’s global growth strategy, key markets and products with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian at the 2019 Paris Air Show where our coverage was sponsored by Bell and Leonardo DRS.

Mike Knowles, the president of Cubic Global Defense, discusses the company’s global growth strategy with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian at the 2019 Paris Air Show where our coverage was sponsored by Bell and Leonardo DRS.

Eric Trappier, chairman and chief executive of Dassault Aviation, discusses the New Generation Fighter -- the manned element of the SCAF program that is being overseen by Dassault and Airbus -- for France, Germany and Spain, prospects for US cooperation on the new program, Rafale fighter upgrades and export prospects, and the outlook for Falcon business jet sales for commercial and military customers with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. The interview was conducted at the 2019 Paris airshow where our coverage was sponsored by Bell and Leonardo DRS.

Maj. Gen. Yoav Har-Even, IDF (Ret.), discusses the integration of artificial intelligence into battle management systems, improving the Litening Targeting Pod, the market for the Iron Dome defense system and more with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian at the 2019 Paris Air Show, where our coverage was sponsored by Bell and Leonardo DRS.

Manuel Navarrete, the Director of the European Counter Terrorism Centre, discusses his organization’s upcoming report on European terrorism, the challenges of tracking returning ISIS fighters, countering terrorism over the long term, and more effectively communicating to dissuade European citizens from either joining terror groups or participating in terror operations with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. The interview was conducted after Navarrete spoke at George Washington University’s Program on Extremism.

Eric Fanning, President and CEO of the Aerospace Industries Association, discuss the key takeaways from the 2019 Paris airshow, defense and aerospace spending trends, the impact of mergers and acquisition’s on his membership base, and the international rocketry competition at Le Bourget on the 50th anniversary year of the Apollo 11 moon landing with Defense and or Space report Editor Vago Muradian. Our coverage of the 2019 Paris airshow is sponsored by Belle and Leonardo DRS

Capt. Brett Pierson, USN Ret., the vice president for light attack aircraft and Scorpion at Textron Aviation Defense, discusses the company's Scorpion aircraft and opportunities for the company's AT-6 Wolverine light attack aircraft with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian at the 2019 Paris Air Show where our coverage was sponsored by Bell and Leonardo DRS.

Annette McClelland, CEO and Co-Founder of Tekuma, introduce their new tactile controller for drones and robots that offers six degrees of freedom with one-handed control and discuss the technology, ease of use, flexibility and market potential with Defense & Aerospace Editor Vago Muradian at the Australian Embassy in Washington, DC.

Ben Hept, Senior Manager of Product at GravityFit, discusses their new body suit with Gravity Sensory Input (GSI) technology and power mesh aimed to decrease injury risk to be applied in athletics, military and more with Defense & Aerospace Editor Vago Muradian at the Australian Embassy in Washington, DC.

Stefano Villanti, the senior vice president for government and military sales at Leonardo Helicopters, discusses market opportunities for the company's TH-119 aircraft and the AW609 civil tiltrotor with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian at the 2019 Paris Air Show where our coverage was sponsored by Bell and Leonardo DRS.

Chuck Gummow, vice president for business development at Textron Aviation, discusses global sales opportunities for the company’s T-6 Texan II trainer with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian at the 2019 Paris Air Show where our coverage was sponsored by Bell and Leonardo DRS.

Sameer Rehman, the managing director for the Middle East and Africa at Bell, a Textron company,  discusses the global helicopter market, opportunities for the 505 Jet Ranger X and 525 Relentless, new fly-by-wire systems and more with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. Our coverage of the 2019 Paris Air Show was sponsored by Bell and Leonardo DRS.

Roy Azevedo, president of Space and Airborne Systems at Raytheon, discusses their evolving business culture, layered defense approach to counter-UAS, United Technologies merger and more with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. The interview was conducted at the 2019 Paris airshow where our coverage was sponsored by Belle and Leonardo DRS.

Tom Garvey, Executive Vice President ,TT Electronics, discusses defense and international business as well as the company’s longterm plan for growth with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. The interview was conducted at the 2019 Paris airshow where our coverage was sponsored by Belle and Leonardo DRS.

Antonio Missiroli, NATO’s assistant Secretary general for emerging security challenges, discusses threats facing the alliance from terrorism to sophisticated disinformation operations, cyber and battlefield energy with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

Lt. Gen. Steve Basham, USAF, the deputy commander of the US Air Forces Europe and Africa, discusses the improving readiness and high intensity war fighting skills with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian at the 2019 Paris Air Show where our coverage is sponsored by Bell and Leonardo DRS.

Michele Evans, the executive vice president for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, discusses the latest F-35 Lightning II fighter agreement with DoD, cutting unit and operating costs, the company's role in Europe's new combat aircraft programs, maintaining America's advantage as allies and competitors increase stealth capabilities with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian at the 2019 Paris Air Show where our coverage is sponsored by Bell and Leonardo DRS.

Camille Grand, NATO's assistant secretary general for defense investment, discusses Europe's new fighter programs, the Alliance Ground Surveillance program, upgrading and replacing Boeing E-3 Airborne Warning and Control Systems aircraft, improving cyber security, a look ahead at upcoming ministerial and armaments director meetings and more with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian at NATO's new headquarters building in Brussels.

Lucie Béraud-Sudreau, PhD, research fellow for defense economics and procurement at the International Institute for Strategic Studies who is a contributor to the London-based think tank’s 2019 Military Balance, discusses global defense spending trends with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

Amb. Jorge Domecq, the chief executive of the European Defence Agency, discusses improving European Union defense capabilities to bolster NATO, investment priorities and cooperation with the United States with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian one the sidelines of the EU’s annual defense and security conference in Washington that was sponsored by the EU and Foreign Policy.

On many levels, this year’s Paris Air Show was historic with the launch of two new, stealthy Western fighter programs that will dominate investment for Europe’s leading nations for the coming decade. At Le Bourget, France, Germany and Spain launched the New Generation Fighter, the manned element of the bigger Future Combat Air System program — SCAF in French — spearheaded by France’s Dassault Aviation and Airbus that is to include closely networked manned and unmanned combat aircraft. It constitutes many years of public and private work in Europe and France in particular on new stealthy manned and unmanned aircraft, including the Neuron demonstrator that was launched in 2006.

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.