The space insurance market is fragile, with claims, totalling billions of dollars, outpacing premium revenues. Yet, insurance companies are expanding their coverage and others are getting into this game of space-based risk. Laura Winter speaks with the four-decade space insurance market veteran Chris Kunstadter, President of Triton Space.
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 aerospace and defense stock performance on Wall Street and in Europe, Airbus’ delivery figures and whether 737 Max production remained stalled after a seven-week strike, a federal judge rejected Boeing’s $1 billion plea deal for misleading regulators leading to two deadly 737 crashes, Safran’s capital markets day, the US Air Force decision to leave the fate of the manned fighter element of the service’s Next Generation Air Dominance program to the incoming Trump administration, a week after Elon Musk criticized the F-35 Lightning II fighters Britain’s defense chief Adm. Sir Tony Radakin lauded the “power” of the stealthy jet noting Israel used them and low observable JASSM cruise missiles — fired from more than 100 miles outside Iran’s borders — to devastate the country’s air defenses, India’s interest in more Rafale fighters as Saudi Arabia also eyes the Dassault Aviation jet, and Sweden, Denmark and Ukraine order $2.5 billion in CV90 combat vehicles from BAE Systems.
On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, sponsored in part by Hanwha Defense USA, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon 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 Donald Trump’s top administration picks including Russ Vought at the Office of Management and Budget; Pete Hegseth’s prospects as defense secretary; whether “outsider” leaders like Steve Feinberg as deputy secretary, John Phelan as Navy secretary and Dan Driscoll as Army secretary can succeed without more traditional deputies; an update on the National Defense Authorization Act, appropriations and a continuing resolution as lawmakers map a major tax cut package; House Speaker Mike Johnson makes clear he won’t support more assistance for Ukraine as both the White House and European nations step up aid for an increasingly beleaguered Kyiv; Russia increases saberrattling with threats, exercises in the Mediterranean and Moscow’s top general calls his US counterpart for the first time in more than two years; South Kore’s President Yoon Suk Yeol comes under fire for declaring martial law; Trump’s vow to block Nippon Steel from acquiring US Steel; rebels in Syria take the country’s biggest city Aleppo and Hama as Georgia is roiled in antigovernment turmoil; Israel and Hezbollah strike a deal as operations continue in Gaza and the West Bank; and what to expect at the Reagan National Defense Forum this weekend.
When Elon Musk declares manned military aircraft should be entirely replaced by drones, is he taking a step too far? Renowned aviation journalist and technologist Bill Sweetman joins us to look at whether the future is (or even can be) entirely uninhabited. And the week’s top airpower headlines. All powered by GE!
On today’s Technology Report, David Schild, the executive director of the Printed Circuit Board Association of America, discusses proposed Protecting Circuit Boards and Substrates legislation as part of the tax reconciliation package that would cut taxes on printed circuit boards and substrates by 25 percent, the case for supporting an industry that left the United States in search of lower production costs, and the association’s 2025 agenda; and Dr. Charles Middleton, the chief technology officer at Critical Frequency Design, discusses the role of photonics technologies that promise to revolutionize military communications, the company’s Free Space Optics (FSO) communications solution that was recently tested under the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division’s Silent Swarm 2024 exercise, the future of the technology, and the outlook of the company as it seeks to navigate the Valley of Death with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.
Welcome to the CavasShips Podcast with Christopher P. Cavas and Chris Servello…a weekly podcast looking at naval and maritime events and issues of the day – in the US, across the seas and around the world. This week…we’re taking a dive into the world of uncrewed underwater vessels. First up will be a look from Carl Hartsfield at some of the innovative systems being developed at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts, then we’ll hear from Duane Fotheringham about a key manufacturing facility churning out REMUS UUVs.
Driving Down the Cost of Military Applications of Hypersonic Technology By Kevin W. Billings OBE Hypersonic technology, defined as speeds exceeding Mach 5 (approx. 3,800 mph), has captured significant attention across the world due to its immense potential in revolutionizing air travel. Moreover, with the promise of faster, more efficient, and highly maneuverable platforms, hypersonics
By Mackenzie Eaglen When war broke out in Gaza and shortly thereafter Houthi fighters threatened shipping in the Red Sea, US Marine forces of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) were quickly routed to the area to reinforce allies. Since their deployment in October, this unit now faces an indefinite extension since the Navy does