Operation Epic Fury continues targeting Iran, principally with airpower. Last week, we looked at the air campaign from the planner’s perspective. This week, we get the operator’s view from former Air Combat Command chief Gen. Mike “Mobile” Holmes. Plus the week’s headlines in airpower. Powered by GE!
On today’s Technology Report program, Dr. Jim Lewis of the Center for European Policy Analysis and Mark Montgomery of the Defense of Democracies and a Cyberspace Solarium Commission senior adviser join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to analyze the Trump administration’s new National Cyber Strategy; whether strategy weighted toward offensive operations will succeed; how the administration will execute an interagency approach to cybersecurity when cyber capabilities across government and law enforcement have been gutted; the implications of issuing a strategy that doesn’t name Russia and China that are America’s leading cyber threats; whether commercial cyber firms can fill the gap in diminished government cyber capacity; takeaways from the Pentagon’s feud with Anthropic; and an update on CMMC.
On today’s Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomic Aeronautical Systems, Dr. Eugene Rumer, the director of the Russia and Eurasia program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the implications of the US-Israel war on Iran on Moscow; how Washington should respond to Moscow’s sharing of intelligence to help Tehran strike US forces and allies in the region; update on Russia’s war on Ukraine as Kyiv works with allies and partners to develop capabilities to better defend itself; the message lifting of US energy sanctions on Russia would send and how such a move would improve Moscow’s financial prospects; Ukraine’s pledge to help Washington and allies better defend themselves against attack drones like Iran’s Shahed; whether US operations worldwide including in Venezuela and Iran bolster Washington’s hand in negotiating with Moscow; Lithuania’s assessment that Russia is increasing forces on NATO’s borders; and Russia’s efforts to fight corruption.
On today’s Look Ahead 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 second week of the US-Israel war on Iran and what to expect as President Trump demands unconditional surrender and hints at the use of ground troops; implications of a protracted closure of the Strait of Hormuz that’s already driven oil prices past $100 per barrel for the first time since the post-covid surge of 2022; whether US industry is going to be able to quadruple production of exquisite weapons that President Trump demanded during a White House meeting on Friday with US defense executives; industry frustration that the administration didn’t move more quickly to accelerate weapons orders; US budget outlook as the administration prepares its 2026 budget and a reported $50 billion supplemental request to cover war costs; and a look ahead to the big events of the coming in Washington and beyond.
The wake of the U.S.-led bombing campaign of Iran – Operation Epic Fury – has rattled markets around the world and inspired some public equity investors to adjust their positions and to more critically assess space companies with a speculative return on investment. Laura Winter speaks with Lou Whiteman, a space investor and a Motley Fool stock analyst covering aerospace and defense.
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 another down week on Wall Street on an unexpectedly low employment figures combined with the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran; expectations the Trump administration will ask Congress for $50 billion in supplemental funding to cover the cost of a conflict; a 35 percent jump in energy prices as Washington considers letting Russia resume oil sales; Ukraine’s offer to counter Iranian air attacks; resilience of the global commercial air transport system as regional air traffic has been derailed and energy prices soar; President Trump convenes US defense executives at an emergency meeting at the White House on Friday to “quadruple” production of “exquisite” weapons; whether the supply chain can support can surge defense production as commercial aerospace orders also peak; reports that Boeing is closing in on a 500-jet order with China in advance of Trump’s April meeting with Xi Jinping in Beijing; Europe’s response to the war as Lithuania warns Russian forces are increasing along NATO’s borders; French President Emmanuel Macron’s pledge to increase nuclear weapons production and field a new ballistic missile submarine by 2036 as Britain, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden join Paris’ new forward deterrent strategy; Switzerland’s decision to pared back its F-35 Lightning II order from 36 to 30 planes on rising costs; Embraer’s earnings; and takeaways from the commercial edition of Joanna’s Speed’s Aerospace Event this week in LA. The Defense & Aerospace Report is a proud media partner on the defense edition of The Aerospace Event in October in Washington, DC.
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…an expanded edition of the CavasShips Podcast. First up: war in the Middle East, as Operation Epic Fury pits the US and Israeli militaries against Iran. Former US Navy Central Command force commander, retired Vice Admiral John Fozzie Miller, will be here with his insights to how the war is being fought. Then noted commercial shipping analyst Sal Mercogliano is back to talk about the war’s effect on merchant shipping, the Strait of Hormuz, and expanding worldwide efforts to rein in the so-called Shadow Fleet of illegal tankers.
On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the US-Israel war on Iran and the Trump administration’s supplemental funding request to cover mounting operations costs as well as growing weapons needs as the stocks of precision air defense and strike weapons diminishes in the wake of campaigns over the past year; the administration’s shifting goals for the Iran war from the president’s call for regime change — and now unconditional surrender — to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s goal of destroying Tehran’s military and nuclear capabilities; analysis of the administration and its alies’ stance that the Venezuela and Iran operations are about pressuring China and curbing Beijing’s global influence; the failure of Senate and House war powers resolutions; European reaction to the war and impact on India after a US submarine sinks an Iranian ship invited by New Delhi to participate in naval exercises; France’s plan to increase nuclear weapons stocks and field a new ballistic missile submarine by 2036 and discussions with Britain, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden join Paris’ new forward deterrent strategy; impact of Iran war on Ukraine as Kiev deploys air defense specialists to help counter Iranian attacks; Trump’s decision to replace Kristie Noem as Homeland Security secretary with Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla.; and Beijing’s decision to pare its economic growth target to 5 percent or below for the first time in decades, but boost defense spending by 7 percent to counter a “grave and complex security environment.”
Airpower is in action, with the U.S./Israeli Operation Epic Fury targeting Iran, and many countries defending themselves from Iranian retaliation. The architect of the Desert Storm air campaign, retired Lieutenant General David Deptula, joins us to look at the operation so far, how long it will last, how to put together an air campaign, friendly fire, and much more. Plus headlines. All powered by GE!
Richard Aboulafia and Dr. Kevin Michaels of the AeroDynamic Advisory consultancy join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the economic impacts of the Iran war and their new book on the history of business aviation, “Time Machines: Business Aviation’s Dynamic Journey.”