We attended the Air and Space Forces Association Warfare Symposium so you didn’t have to. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems president Dave Alexander gives us the latest on a slew of programs. We review the event and Air and Space Forces magazine editor Tobias Naegele and Mitchell Institute Dean David Deptula add their views. Plus a headline or two. All powered by GE!
Mesh Feigenbaum, a managing partner at Engineered Metal Tech who is one of the world’s leading experts on the gigantic forging presses that are critical for the worldwide aerospace and defense supply chain, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss an updated version of his 2018 benchmark study of global industrial capacity that rings alarm bells for major commercial and military programs; the importance of forging facilities; the problematic nature of depending on gigantic pieces of equipment that are aging and when they fail are out of action for years, derailing supply chains; China’s strategic approach of investing in sovereign capacity and capability; why the business is so challenging commercially one without government support; and the investment necessary for the United States to revitalize a critical industry.
On today’s Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Sam Bendett of the Center for Naval Analyses and Dr. Eugene Rumer, the director of the Russia and Eurasia program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss an assessment of Russia’s war Ukraine as the conflict enters its fifth year; update on the fighting and impact of SpaceX’s decision to suspend Russian access to StarLink data; whether Vladimir Putin as more vulnerable as the war takes its toll on Russia’s finances and economy; what will convince Moscow to back off its maximalist demands; key transformations in warfighting over the past four years as both sides have struggled to gain advantage; prospect an economic deal with Moscow that would see US industry rebuild Russia would convince Russian leaders to turn away from Beijing; whether it’s reasonable to expect Ukraine to hold elections in May as demanded by President Trump; and what to expect in year five of the conflict.
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 defense industrial implications of the Supreme Court’s rulings against most of President Trump’s tariffs and his reaction to impose an additional 15 percent tariff across the board; prospect the administration will retaliate against European nations that shift rapidly increasing spending away from US weapons in favor of domestic ones; Canada’s new defense strategy; consequences of a possible Iran attack and Britain’s decision to deny US forces use of bases in UK and Diego Garcia; analysis of Russia’s war on Ukraine as the conflict enters its fifth year; a changing competitive US defense industrial landscape; and a look at the week ahead.
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 an up week on Wall Street on the Supreme Court’s decision that some of President Trump’s tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act were illegal; what’s next for nearly $200 billion in tariff revenue collected over the past year as the president imposes new tariffs under other legislation; US threat of retaliation if Europe shifts away from buying American systems in favor of domestic weaponry; India’s Rafale order including 31 naval variants of the Dassault fighter; Canada’s new National Defense Strategy; Northrop Grumman partnership with Embraer to help market the KC-390 tanker-transport in the United States; impact on Leonardo’s C-27 production line after Saudi Arabia’s ordered for four of the transports in a maritime patrol configuration for delivery in 2029; Airbus earnings including frustrations with Pratt & Whitney; and BAE Systems’ investors call.
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…as the US moves a second carrier strike group into the Middle East for potential military action against Iran, Rear Admiral retired Mike” Nasty” Manazir joins us to discuss the state of Naval Aviation.
On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, 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 Supreme Court’s ruling against the Trump administration’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to justify tariffs; outlook for ending the Ukraine war as Washingon increases pressure on Kyiv as Russia touts $14 trillion in business for America; in advance of his trip to Beijing, President Trump said he’s talking Xi Jinping about US arms sales to Taiwan; the confirmation by a US official that China appears to have conducted an unground nuclear test in 2020; Japan and South Korea make good on their promises to invest in the United States in exchange for lower tariff rates; Washington’s efforts to improve relations with India and make new friends in South and Central Asia; the president’s “Board of Peace” and the future of Gaza; after massing the biggest US military buildup in the Middle East since the 2003 Iraq invasion, Trump gives Tehran an ultimatum to make a nuclear deal in 10 days or “really bad things will happen;” Britain balks at letting US forces using bases in the UK and Diego Garcia to strike Iran as the president criticizes London’s decision to turn over control of Diego Garcia to Mauritius; and Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu pushes for a pardon for a corruption charges as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich says the next government should “encourage migration” of Palestinians living on the West Bank.
How should the US Air Force design itself to meet today’s challenges – and tomorrow’s? Tim Walton and Dan Patt of the Hudson Institute have a new report out with answers, and we’ll take a good look at it. Plus the week’s headlines in airpower. All powered by GE!
On today’s Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Mike Rogers, a retired US Navy admiral and former director of the National Security Agency and commander of US Cyber Command who is now the chairman of the advisory board of cybersecurity firm Claroty, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss his commentary in The Hill, “America is dangerously unprepared for a GPS attack,” including how the current network the nation depends on for its military and economic security is under “duress;” the variety of threats its faces from jamming, cyber, spoofing as well as physical damage; how to create a new systems by leveraging 5G investment as well as thoughtful spectrum allocation; and the Trump administration’s approach to cyber security.
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 takeaways from the Munich Security Conference; what transatlantic cooperation will look like as Europe works to decouple from its historic dependence on the United States; Canada’s new defense industrial strategy from buying 75 percent of its weapons from the United States to directing 70 percent of military purchases to domestic firms with the goal of increasing exports to 50 percent; outlook for reconciliation 2.0 as President Trump abruptly opposes the funding maneuver; what Amentum, Parsons and SAIC say about the future of the services market; Mike Cadenazzi, the assistant secretary of defense for industrial base, addresses the Hudson Institute; and a look at the week ahead.