Dr. Arun Seraphin, the executive director of the National Defense Industrial Association’s Emerging Technologies Institute, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the defense ecosystem the nation needs to more quickly equip the force; legislation that can help DoD accelerate the fielding capabilities; how to thoughtfully trim government labs and federally funded research and development centers; the importance of open architectures to help ensure a more interoperable force and challenges associated with adopting closed ecosystems; how much of the innovation ecosystem that’s blossomed across DoD in the wake of Defense Secretary Ash Carter’s founding of the Defense Innovation Unit; and the vital importance of robust national investment in education and technology across all disciplines to advancing national security.

On today’s program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners and Chris Servello, the co-host of our Cavas Ships podcast joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss growing concern of a year-long continuing resolution; the industrial impact of budget and program uncertainty especially on suppliers still recovering from pandemic impacts; takeaways from President Trump’s address to Congress; defense spending impact of $4.5 trillion in tax cuts, negative impact of economic uncertainty, IRS cuts and Trump’s acknowledgement that his policies likely will cause a recession before growth; administration’s decision to suspend US participation in NATO military exercises and prospect American troops will be withdrawn from Europe; some positives and negatives investors should consider as European defense spending surges; whether Ukraine can survive without US weaponry and intelligence support; and a look at the week ahead.

Jeff Bialos, the co-chair of the Aerospace, Defense and Security Group at the Eversheds Sutherland law firm who served as a former deputy undersecretary of defense for industrial affairs, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s effort cut 8 percent a year for five years from current spending to pay for new Trump administration priorities; why the cuts are significant and threaten to undermine US capabilities absent additional spending; the reality that 25 to 30 percent more spending may be needed to modernize the force, improve readiness and bolster weapons stocks; industrial strategy recommendations at a time when administration leaders advocate for startups over heritage firms; clarifying the rationale for the defense industry consolidation in the wake of the Cold War; how supply chains became steadily more global; the defense trade impact of Trump and his team’s rhetoric and policies on Ukraine, Europe as well as allies and partners; and  implications of tariffs and wholesale job cuts on program performance and costs.