On today’s program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners discusses the Senate Armed Services Committee’s decision to increase proposed 2025 defense spending by $25 billion — $30 billion less than Ranking Member Sen. Roger Wicker proposed in his recent plan — to more quickly improve US military capabilities to better deter China and Russia — and whether the added funding will also be approved by the House that just passed its $895 billion National Defense Authorization Act, the Air Force recently equivocation about its centerpiece Next Generation Air Dominance program and tight 2026 budget and threat factors that may be driving the change, implications of the rise of the hard right particularly French right on European defense, takeaways from the G7 meeting in Italy, and a look at the week ahead with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

Amb. Jim Cunningham, former ambassador to Afghanistan, Israel, the United Nations, and consul general to Hong Kong and Macau, discusses the flaws with Israel’s strategy against Hamas in Gaza that’s undermined global support for the Jewish state, whether the damage is lasting, the importance of a two-state solution to lasting peace and implications of a one-state solution, whether Israeli strategy would change under new leadership in Jerusalem and why American efforts to pressure Israel are so difficult, and countering Iran’s malign efforts in the region and beyond as Tehran grows steadily more emboldened as it inches closer to a nuclear capability with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On today’s program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners discusses Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Se. Roger Wicker’s plan to quickly bolster US military capabilities to better deter China and Russia, whether the plan stands a change of success and outlook for defense authorizations and appropriations through the end of the year, the role of allies and partners in bolstering American and allied capabilities, look ahead to the G7 summit in Bari, Italy, defense and aerospace implications of far right gains in EU parliamentary elections that prompted French President Emmanuel Macron to call snap election, and a look at the week ahead with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On today’s program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital…

On today’s program, sponsored by HII, Sam Bendett of the Center for Naval Analyses discusses the latest in Russia’s new offensive against Ukraine as Moscow deploys glide bombs to strike military and civilian targets alike, whether Russia broke through the lines or Ukraine left a gap that was exploited, prospect of peace as Vladimir Putin suggests freezing lines where they are and Volodymyr Zelenskyy calls on President Biden and Xi Jinping to join a peace conference, Ukraine’s ever deeper strikes into Russia, and Putin’s crackdown on “corruption” after replacing his defense minister; and Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners discusses former President Trump’s defense plans should he return to the office, America’s role on the naval export market, and a look at the week ahead with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On today’s program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners discusses the latest headlines and looks at the week ahead with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

John Kelly, the chief executive officer of Hanwha Defense USA, the American arm of the South Korean defense firm discusses his plan to grow the company‘s US footprint over the next decade, how lessons from his three decades navigating BAE System’s rise in America will help guide Hanwha’s growth, the role the company’s culture of investment and speed plays in making it an attractive supplier especially for munitions as the US Army applies supplemental funding to refill its stocks, the case for the K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer in US service, unmanned systems and other capabilities the company has developed and is developing with partners like Anduril, Hanwha’s growing naval prowess, and a look at its merger and acquisition approach that will play a key factor in its growth, including an update on a possible Austal deal with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On this week’s Technology Report, 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, discusses the Biden administrations four new documents — National Security Memorandum 22, the International Cyber Strategy, the Cyber Posture Review, and the second version of the implementation plan — the House Armed Services Committee chairman’s marks to the cyber elements of the National Defense Authorization Act and the Senate’s sentiment on cyber priorities, concern by cyber firms that the administration’s drive to hold Chief Information Security Officers personally responsible for lapses, and how the battle against Russian and Chinese disinformation is being lost with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On today’s program, sponsored by HII, Sam Bendett of the Center for Naval Analyses discusses Russia’s advances into Northern Ukraine and whether they mark a negative turning point for Kyiv, Vladimir Putin’s cabinet reshuffle and what it means, Russian messaging during May 9 “Victory Day” events, Putin’s latest round of nuclear rhetoric that includes tactical drills and news reports of a facility in Belarus; and Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners discusses budget outlook as House Armed Services Committee works on its version of the National Defense Authorization Act, analysis of first quarter 2024 earnings data, takeaways from congressional testimony including from US Air Force leaders on the Collaborative Combat Aircraft effort and fleet air and missile defense, and a look at the week ahead with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

Jason Salata, a retired US Navy captain and former US Special Operations Command spokesman who is now with the Provision Advisors PR firm representing SOF Week 2024, discusses the key messages from US and international special operations leaders at this year’s SOF Week in Tampa, international cooperation as nations continue counterterror missions while increasing great power capabilities, concern that investment in SOF capabilities is declining, and how the technology focus at the exhibition has shifted from guns and gear to AI, big data and unmanned systems; and Michael Harpin of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency with the winners of the government-wide cyber competition with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.