On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. “Rocket” Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss Wall Street’s rally to new highs even as US jobs growth continues to slow and Washington shuts down for what could be a protracted closure; German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius’ comments that Berlin will play a bigger state role in the nation’s defense industries; Poland’s planned record bond sales to address mounting debt; Russia’s continued provocations including closing Munich airport twice in 24 hours; the CA-1 Europa unmanned combat aircraft by Germany’s Helsing; what a transition to full-rate production mans for Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lighting II fighter; Thailand order for Airbus A330 Multirole Tanker and Transport Aircraft and Indonesia’s purchase of T-50 aircraft from Korean Aerospace; the drop in Palantir stock after a Reuters report that the Army command and control system the company is developing with Anduril has security flaws; GE Aerospace’s share price drop after labor deal as investors wait for the terms that will end the nine-week strike by Boeing machinists in St Louis; the Federal Aviation Administration’s decision to return some certification duties to Boeing that were taken away from the company in 2019 after the crash of two Max jetliners as the company admits the 777x jetliner will be delayed until 2027; and Play Airlines becomes the second Low-cost Icelandic carrier to fold in six years.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. “Rocket” Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss Wall Street ended the week slightly down as a protracted US government shutdown looms; President Trump reversed course saying that with European help he now thinks Ukraine can win back its territory, suggesting America won’t block assistance to Kyiv as Moscow ramps up its attacks; France latest debt downgrade as the French, German, Spanish and Belgian effort to develop a new generation of combat aircraft hits its latest snag — as an increasingly frustrated Germany reconsiders its participation, Dassault’s CEO Eric Trappier again makes clear Berlin is welcome to leave the program, a stance that Hensoldt CEO Oliver Dörre said he found “bizarre,” but added that the sophisticated avionics his company and Spain’s Indra are developing for the SCAF program would find other buyers; Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s proposal to revamp the US H-1B visa process that allows skilled foreign talent to work in America would cost $100,000 — up from a few thousand — and whether it will achieve the aim of deterring skilled immigrants from coming to the United States and if so, where they talent will flow; Boeing and its unionized St Louis workers will meet next week to discuss ending the nearly two month strike; and news from the Air Force Association’s otherwise quiet Air Space and Cyber conference and tradeshow including Honeywell and Pratt & Whitney’s small jet engines for unmanned collaborative combat aircraft, the acceleration of Northrop Grumman’s B-21 Raider bomber program, and Air Force interest in a stealthy next generation tanker, if the service can find the money to develop and buy it in the wake of pressing ahead with the F-47 fighter program led by Boeing.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. “Rocket” Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss Wall Street gains ground on expectations the Federal Reserve will cut borrowing rates next week on a shaky jobs market; Denmark picked Europe’s SAMP-T air and missile defense system over the US Patriot system as part of a wider air and missile defense upgrade worth $9 billion; Boeing’s unionized machinists in St Louis rejection of the company’s latest offer to end a month long strike; low-cost carrier Avelo Airlines order for 50 Embraer E195-E2 jetliners in a $4.4 billion deal . . . the arrival of two Northrop Grumman B-21 bombers at Edwards Air Force Base for flight testing; and takeaways from the world’s biggest defense show, the DSEI exhibition in London; including how US companies are increasing cooperation with global partners like cooperative venture between Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works and BAE Systems’ Falcon Works to develop innovative new unmanned systems, and Global Combat Air Program led by Britain with Italy and Japan suggests there would be room for Germany and Spain on the program to develop a new sixth generation air system should the countries — already frustrated with France’s hold on the SCAF program — what to jump ship and be part of a more collaborative effort.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. “Rocket” Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss a Wall Street rally despite weaker than expected jobs numbers and hiccups with their disclosure; Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s hosts Vladimir Putin and Narenda Modi in Beijing as three decades of US effort to woo India and drive wedges between Beijing and Moscow collapse; Russia’s targeting of EU President Ursula von der Lyen’s plane with GPS jamming signals as French President Emmanuel Macron brought together Ukraine’s allies to craft a plan to support the country; reports of a TNT shortage because of Russia’s war on Ukraine and the global rearmament drive it’s sparked; whether the Fitch ratings agency’s decision to downgrade Poland over fiscal concerns could undermine the country’s role and ambition as a European defense leader; Norway’s decision to pick Britain’s Type 26 frigate by BAE Systems over Fincantieri’s Constellation-class, Naval Group’s Admiral Ronar’c, and Thyssen Krupp’s Type 127 ships, joining Australia and Canada as export customers for the new antisubmarine warship; Babcock Marine’s investor day; the US Navy taps Anduril, Boeing, General Atomics, and Northrop Grumman move head in the service’s program for an autonomous strike aircraft as Lockheed Martin is tapped to develop the command system for the new planes; Government Accountability Office’s latest report criticizing late deliveries of the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter; Peru’s interest in Saab’s Gripen fighter and Global Eye radar plane; GE Aerospace’s $300 million investment in electric aircraft-maker Beta Technologies; and what to expect at the 2025 edition of DSEI tradeshow next week in London.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. “Rocket” Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss Wall Street flat week as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick says the Pentagon is considering stakes in major defense contractors that he said were “basically an arm of the federal government;”a federal appeals court rejected President Trump’s use of emergency powers to impose tariffs on nations worldwide as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said the ruling would be a dangerous diplomatic embarrassment and the president said returning the $96 billion raised since April would plunge the nation into depression; the administration slaps tariffs on goods of $800 or less; Trump continued his attacks on the Federal Reserve; the prospect that Washington will back Russia’s proposalChinese forces serve as peacekeepers in Ukraine; the French government teeters on the verge of collapse as Safran says it will develop a new fighter engine with India; Rheinmetall considers buying shipbuilder Lürssen; General Atomics Aeronautical Systems’ YFQ-42A — the company’s entry into the US Air Force’s competition for its first increment collaborative combat aircraft — made its successful first flight near Edwards Air Force base in California; and Spirit Airlines files for bankruptcy for a second time in a year.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. “Rocket” Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss another record week on Wall Street as Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell says an interest rate cut might be needed as the jobs market slows in the wake of the Trump administration’s economic policies; President Trump continues his battle against the Fed demanding that governor Lisa Cook resign, driving the dollar down and gold up; Canada’s drops 25 percent reciprocal tariffs on US goods to curry favor with Washington that continues to impose high trades taxes on its northern neighbor; the EU signs a tariff deal with Washington as former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi argues the capitulation marks the end of the EU’s vision of itself as a global power; Switzerland’s decision to reconsider its acquisition of F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft in the wake of 39 percent US tariffs; the Congressional Budget Office’s conclusion that higher trade taxes could cut the national debt by $4 trillion over the coming decade; the administration’s 10 percent ownership stake in Intel and a cut of profits from Nvidia’s AI chip sales to China; the Pentagon’s decision to revamp how it creates requirements and oversees programs to accelerate the fielding of needed joint force capabilities even as some worry this might vest the ability to create requirements with industry; Britain’s air defense missile order from MBDA; striking Boeing St Louis machinists remain decision to resume negotiations on Monday.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. “Rocket” Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss a flat week on Wall Street as inflation continues to rise as higher baseline tariffs are passed along to consumers; the Trump administration gives China another 90 days to strike a deal; President Trump hosted Vladimir Putin in Alaska, siding with the Russian leader’s call for peace talks rather than a swift ceasefire to allow Russia’s forces to claw back territory from Ukrainian territory as the president again calls on Kyiv give up territory for peace; furious with Trump’s tariffs, sanctions and courting of Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi revived calls for domestic manufacturing of everything from computer chips to aerospace and defense goods; Washington’s 39 percent trade tax on Switzerland impact the country’s aerospace sector and jeopardizes Geneva’s decision to buy F-35 Lightning II fighters; Poland’s decision to upgrade its fleet of Lockheed Martin F-16 fighters; Boeing workers at the company’s St Louis operation remain on strike; a strike grounds Air Canada flights; worries that Spirit Airlines and other low cost carriers are doomed; Spike Aerospace move to refine its S-512 supersonic business jet; and Airbus’ A320 is poised to surpass Boeing’s 737 as the world’s most produced passenger jetliner.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. “Rocket” Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss another up week on Wall Street even as President Trump escalated his trade war leveraging America’s economic power to force nations that haven’t yet agreed to baseline tariffs to do so, including on Switzerland impacting the gold market; after Washington slapped heavy tariffs on India to sanction New Delhi for buying Russian oil — as part of a drive to pressure Moscow to end the Ukraine war — India’s defense minister cancelled his visit to Washington as news reports suggested US arms purchases may be in jeopardy; the claim by India’s air chief, Air Chief Marshall AP Singh, that the country’s Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missiles downed five Pakistani fighters and a large aircraft that was downed at a range of 300 kilometers; how long it will take to resolve the strike by Boeing’s St Louis machinists a week after rejecting the company’s contract offer; Spain’s decision for more Eurofighters rather than the short takeoff and vertical landing variant of the F-35 Lighting II to replace aging Harrier jump jets for its carriers; the partnership by L3Harris and Joby Aviation to develop autonomous hybrid vertical takeoff and landing aircraft for military applications; and what to expect from the meeting between Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin in Alaska next week as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejects the American president’s suggestion Kyiv cede territory for peace.

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 a down market on tariff concerns and sharply reduced US new July jobs numbers — as well as downgraded May and June figures — revised to reflect the impact of President Trump’s trade policies; the implications of the president’s decision to fire Dr Erika McEntarfer, the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics charged with generating objective labor data; the tariff outlook as Washington and Beijing continue to negotiate a trade deal and Trump announced South Korea accepted a 15 percent tariff and gave Mexico 90 more days to make a deal, but hit Canada with a 35 percent trade tax, Switzerland with 39 percent, and Brazil with a 50 percent trade tax to punish the prosecution of former President Jair Bolsenaro who launched an insurrection to try to remain in power; European leadership criticism of the EU’s decision to accept a 15 percent tax on its goods sold in America; the president’s decision to hit India with secondary sanctions for buying Russian oil in violation of US and international sanctions as he increases pressure on Moscow to end the Ukraine war; a look at earnings as AerCap, Airbus, Boeing, Hensoldt, HII, L3Harris, Leonardo — and Leonardo DRS — Rolls-Royce, Safran, Teledyne, and Textron; and strike outlook as Boeing machinists at the company’s St Louis operation consider striking.

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 new records on Wall Street as Washington strikes a tariff deal with Japan that raises baseline tariffs to 15 percent as a similar trade deal with the EU looms; the trade deal between Britain and India Booz Allen Hamilton, Dassault, Hexcel, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, MTU, Northrop Grumman, RTX, Textron, and Thales report second quarter 2025 earrings; Southwest CEO Bob Jordan’s statement that he expects the company’s 737 Max jets to be certified later than expected sometime next year as Boeing prepares to report earnings next week; the German government considers buying a stake in vehicle maker KNDS; Turkey’s decision to acquire up to 40 Eurofighter jets; the Trump administration’s 10-year, $151 billion “Golden Dome” missile defense program — now officially known as SHIELD or Scaleable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense — and the cause of the growing number of near misses between US commercial and military aircraft.