On today’s Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Barbara Matthews, a US Treasury Department veteran and first Treasury attache to the European Union who is the founder of BCM Strategy, discusses why the US dollar is the world’s reserve currency and the power that status confers, how the reliance on the dollar subjects the world to US laws and oversight, why allies and adversaries are interested in alternatives to the dollar that Washington has increasingly “weaponized” to influences friends and foes especially during the first Trump presidency, how the advent of new digital currencies and alternatives could undermine the power of the dollar and US influence, whether President-elect Trump’s threat to impose 100 percent tariffs on any nation that participates in a dollar alternative will stop such moves, what circumstances could drive allies to break from the dollar, and how the growing US debt and threats of default threaten the dollar with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On today’s program, sponsored by HII, Sam Bendett of the Center for Naval Anlyses, discusses Russia’s grinding advance on Ukrainian positions in Kursk and Donbas and Luhansk, importance of Germany’s new $700 million pledge and US efforts to surge weapons to Kyiv, Vladimir Putin’s challenges as casualties mount and Russia’s economy falters, statements by leading European officials that Moscow may be behind the deadly crash of a DHL cargo plane over Lithuania, Putin’s call for a new Russian unmanned force, the unmanned air warfare lessons Syrian and other rebel groups have learned from Ukraine; and Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners discusses the “headline risk” that defense and aerospace firms will be subjected to in a second Trump administration whether from the president or his acolytes, impact of possible tariffs on companies in Canada and Mexico that are integral to the US aerospace and defense industrial base, what Trump’s personnel picks may mean, balancing manned and unmanned capability, the good and bad characteristics of the “tech bro” venture capital mindset, an update on the budget and appropriations as Congress returns to DC, and a look at the week ahead with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

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 week of gains on Wall Street, but worries mount as Donald Trump pledges to hike tariffs by 25 percent on Canada and Mexico and 10 percent on China, Elon Musk takes aim at the F-35 Lightning II fighter and argues it’s time that drones replace unmanned systems, the prospect of greater change at the Pentagon as the incoming administration taps outsiders with little defense experience for key jobs — like John Phelan, founder of the Rugger Management investment firm — as navy secretary, a Boeing 737 freighter operated by DHL crashed in Lithuania killing one and injured three as senior officials suggest Russia may be behind the incident, Emirates CEO Tim Clark expresses frustration over the five-year delay in the delivery of Boeing’s new 777X, MTU’s new 2025 guidance showing a strong engine aftermarket, takeaways from this year’s Atlantic Future Forum, and a look ahead to Safran’s capital markets day.

On today’s Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Dr. Darrell Bricker, the CEO of Ipsos Public Affairs and adviser on the annual agenda of the annual Halifax International Security Forum, discusses the results of the HISF-Ipsos Threat Index derived from polling 22, 000 people in more than 30 countries; and retired US Navy Adm. Mike Rogers, a 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, discusses China’s Salt Typhoon attack on US and allied communications systems, the cutting of a fiber-optic cable between Finland and Germany, and takeaways from this year’s Halifax Forum with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On today’s program, sponsored by HII, Dr. Evelyn Farkas, the executive director of MccAin Institute at Arizona State University who helps pick the honoree of the annual John McCain Prize for Leadership in Public Service awarded each year at the Halifax International Security Forum, discusses takeaways from this year’s gathering, the importance of Ukrainian victory over Russia for democracies worldwide, the two leaders honored with the McCain Prize this year — Vladimir Kara Murza in 2024 for his courage against Vladimir Putin and former Taiwanese President Tsai Ing Wen in 2020 for her stance against an increasingly belligerent China — the best outcome for Ukraine as Donald Trump vows a fast end to the war, the role of American leadership and a look ahead to Halifax organizers HFX’s conference in Taipei Feb. 20-21, 2025; and Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners discusses the latest on the transaction to a second Trump administration including possible deputy defense secretary picks including investor Stephen Fineberg and Anduril co-founder Trae Stevens, Elon Musk’s tweet that F-35 Lighting II fighter maker Lockheed Martin are “idiots” and that more armed drones are needed in the future, how the Department of Government Efficiency will deliver savings, the importance of process reforms over merely cutting workforce, the importance of cutting cycle times in executing big projects whether building the Pentagon or designing the iPod, and a look at the week ahead with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

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 Wall Street’s new highs continuing a year’s long winning streak; Boeing job cuts as CEO Kelly Ortberg is quoted saying his staff spends more time arguing than strategizing how to beat Airbus; the US Air Force order for 15 more KC-46 Pegasus tankers that only entered full operational service in October; as the world ponders whether Donald Trump will continue to support Ukraine, Rheinmetall tells investors at its capital markets day that defense spending is on an upswing, Britain makes defense cuts, retiring 31 helicopters, Watchkeeper UAVs, and three Royal Navy ships; British and French authorities launch a bribery probe into Thales, worries that a Chinese cable-laying ship captained by a Russian may have cut a fiber optic undersea capable between Finland and Germany; and AeroVironment’s $4.1 billion of Blue Halo.

This week features Patrick Cronin, an Asia-Pacific Security expert, Michael Herson from a key lobbying firm, Kathleen McInnis, a leader in women's defense initiatives, and Dov Zakheim, a former Pentagon comptroller. They dive into Trump’s stalled cabinet transition and its implications, the fallout from Ukraine's missile strikes on Russia, and rising nuclear rhetoric from Moscow. The discussion highlights China's provocative undersea actions and India's hypersonic missile advancements, revealing the intricate web of global defense dynamics.

With a new administration headed for power, we’re gathering recommendations for priorities in military aviation. This week, Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies executive director Doug Birkey. A little bit of Antiques Airshow. And the week’s top airpower headlines. All powered by GE!

On today’s Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, 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 President Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to fire US-made precision missiles into Russia, Vladimir Putin’s escalating nuclear threats and increasing Russian sabotage operations including suspected cutting of undersea cable between Finland and Germany, recommendations for the new administration on cyber as well as AI and science investment, the need for a stand-alone Cyber Force, the wisdom of Taiwan’s recent statement it would buy US destroyers and F-35 Lighting II fighters to curry favor with President-Elect Trump, and the problematic nature of the incoming administration’s reported plans against senior military officers.

On this innovation conversation to highlight key topics in the countdown to the Apex technology and innovation conference next year in Washington, sponsored by Clarion Defence, retired Adm. Sir George Zambellas, the Royal Navy’s 100th First Sea Lord who now advises small innovative companies, discusses lessons from the Ukraine war, a “Darwinian” approach to the development of cutting edge technologies including AI without artificial constraints, the need to envision how adversaries will weaponize breakthrough technologies, determining the right balance between manned and autonomous systems, preparing the force to better exploit AI and autonomous capabilities, how allies and partners can work together in more competitive environment and where mutual trust is weakened and more with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. To learn more about the Apex conference, sponsorship and attendance opportunities please visit apexdefense.org