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Paul Lemmo, the vice president of Lockheed Martin’s Integrated Warfare Systems and Sensors unit, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss how the company in two years went from contract signing to a successful live exo-atmospheric intercept of a medium-range ballistic missile target for the Aegis Guam System that’s key for the defense of the key Pacific island; the key to delivering capabilities at speed, whether testing new missile defenses or new frigates; his unit’s role in developing radar and combat systems for Australian, Canadian and Spanish warship programs; global growth prospects while navigating trade and security challenges as a new administration takes office; partnering with suppliers to ensure access to systems and components vital to keeping programs on schedule; recruiting and retaining top talent in a competitive market; lessons from the US Army’s Future Vertical Lift program that demanded competitors share development costs; and his company’s unique ability to integrate complex sensor, combat and weapon systems.

On today’s 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 economic and geopolitical implications President-elect Trump’s comments on tariffs as well as the Panama Canal, Greenland and Canada; whether the comments will fuel higher inflation that will have to be factored into defense planning; Pentagon budget outlook as the outgoing Biden administration is reported to expected to ask for $1 trillion in 2026; cost of massive California wildfires and other climate-related disasters on federal spending; confirmation outlook for Trump’s nominees including Pete Hegseth as defense secretary as Senate hearings begin; takeaways from Israel’s Nagel Report that identifies Turkey as a threat and urges Jerusalem to reduce reliance on US as a security partner after a second Trump administration; BWXT’s acquisition of Kinectrics; what to expect at the Surface Navy Association’s conference and tradeshow; and a look at the week ahead.

On today’s program, sponsored by Lockheed Martin, Mark Montgomery, a retired US Navy rear admiral who is now the senior director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the executive director of the Cyber Solarium 2.0 project, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian discuss China’s recent hack of the US Treasury Department on heels of Beijing’s penetration of major US telecommunications companies, what the Flax, Volt and Salt Typhoon attacks mean, what the attacks mean as China becomes increasingly risk tolerant in the nature and scope of its cyber operations, what has to happen to stop the attacks and reestablish deterrence, Beijing’s increasingly aggressive behavior as Russia adopts increasingly hybrid warfare techniques against the United States and Western nations, how to counter such hybrid tactics like destroying undersea infrastructure, jeopardizing air cargo carriers and targeted assassinations, the global implications of the incoming Trump administration’s approach to the Ukraine war and Taiwan, and what to expect at next week’s Surface Navy Association’s national symposium.