Defense & Aerospace Report

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 discuss another big week on Wall Street after a larger than expected Federal Reserve rate cut; the industrial impact of President Biden’s decision to use US arms export regulations to veto Britain and France’s desire to allow Ukraine to use their weapons against Russia; with Boeing machinists on strike, CEO Kelly Ortberg initiates a furlough plan suggesting a longer work stoppage; news report that Ted Colbert will be replaced by Steve Parker at Boeing Defense Space and Security; China Development Bank’s order 80 Airbus A320 and 50 Boeing Max jets; duration of strike by workers at Textron’s Cessna and Hawker; the US Army picks Anduril’s Ghost X and Performance Drone Works’ C-100 as the service’s company-level “attritable” drone; Rob Dewar, father of the Bombardier C series, joins JetZero; outlook for the penetrating counter air element of the US Air Force’s Next-Generation Air Dominance family of programs in the wake of the Air and Space Forces Association’s annual Air Space Cyber conference last week and possible substitutes for the high-end manned fighter; what a new USAF plan means for the UK-Italy-Japan Global Combat Aircraft Program or the SCAP effort involving France, Germany and Spain; the USAF’s request for information for a next-generation tanker; the credit rating implications of a lengthy Boeing strike; and the Boeing-Embraer agreement after the American company called off its union with the Brazilian firm.

Join Dr. Patrick Cronin from the Hudson Institute, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon official Jim Townsend, and ex-Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim as they tackle pressing global issues. They dissect Congress' struggle with budget issues, Ukraine's urgent call for military aid, and escalating tensions in the Asia-Pacific from China. The conversation also highlights the upcoming Quad Leaders Summit and Israel's innovative strategies against Hezbollah. Dive into the intricate web of military dynamics and geopolitical challenges!

We spent three days at the Air and Space Forces Association conference. What did we learn? We review the biggest airpower event of the year with John Tirpak of Air and Space Forces magazine and Dean David Deptula of the Mitchell Institute. Plus we catch up on CCAs and the F-35 with Matt Milas, President of Defense and Space at Honeywell Aerospace Technologies. And airpower headlines beyond AFA. Powered by GE!

On this innovation conversation to highlight key topics in the countdown to the Apex technology and innovation conference next January in Washington, sponsored by Clarion Defence, Raj Shah, the former director of the Defense Innovation Unit who is a cofounder of Shield Capital, and Dr. Chris Kirchhoff, the former director of strategic planning at the National Security Council during the Obama administration who founded the Pentagon’s Silicon Valley office, join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss their new book — Unit X: How the Pentagon and Silicon Valley are Transforming the Future of War — their concern the United States isn’t ready for a new era of warfare, the most important lessons from the Ukraine war, whether the Pentagon has identified the big problems it needs to solve to prevail in wars against China and Russia, the importance of presidential leadership in driving change across DoD, progress since DIU was founded, the venture capital environment, and role of allies and partners. To learn more about the Apex conference, sponsorship and attendance opportunities please visit apexdefense.org

Adm. Mike Rogers, USN Ret., 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, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the recent revelation that Chinese hackers have for the first time taken the provocative step of installing malware in key US infrastructure; how Washington must respond to restore deterrence, the range of actions the Biden administration should consider including a targeted cyber operations to damage the Chinese economy; actions Congress should take to curb Chinese access to US technology and networks; countering the growing coordination among China, Russia, Iran and North Korea; increasingly sophisticated Russian efforts to undermine US elections; and why creating an independent cyber force is a bad idea.

On today’s program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners discusses the potential impact of the “Future of European Competitiveness” report drafted by former Italian prime minister and European Central Bank President Dr. Mario Draghi on behalf of the European Union; takeaways from the Chamber of Commerce’s Aerospace Summit, the Future of Defense event by New America and Arizona State University, and Morgan Stanley’s Laguna conference including analysis of Northrop Grumman CEO Kathy Warden’s comments that the company could reenter the stealthy fighter element of the Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance effort if the service makes requirements changes; what to expect at the Air and Space Forces Association’s Air Space Cyber conference and tradeshow Sept. 16-18; 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 discuss Wall Street’s best week of the year as Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell announces roadmap to cut short-term borrowing rates; Boeing’s International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers overwhelmingly vote to strike; analysis of the market prospects for the innovative RISE engine developed by GE and Safran through their CFM partnership that just celebrated its 50th anniversary; Northrop Grumman CEO Kathy Warden says that the company is willing reenter the Air Force’s Penetrating Counter-Air program as service leaders reconsider the requirements for the key element of the Next Generation Air Dominance effort; Netherlands is buying six more F-35 fighters; the dual between Lockheed Martin’s C-130 and Embraer’s KC-390 transports; and what to expect at the Air and Space Forces’ Association’s annual Air Space Cyber conference next week.

Join prominent defense experts Dr. Patrick Cronin, Michael Herson, Jim Townsend, and Dr. Dov Zakheim as they dissect Congress's chaotic return. They delve into Senator Tuberville's blockade on military promotions and the national security ramifications of recent political debates. The discussion highlights the ongoing U.S. support for Ukraine and growing tensions in the Indo-Pacific, including North Korea's nuclear ambitions. Expect sharp insights on international alliances and the challenges posed by China and Russia amid shifting political dynamics.

The US Air Force is conducting simultaneous, ambitious programs to build aircraft, missiles, and other systems, all while reoptimizing for great power competition. The head of Air Force Materiel Command, General Duke Richardson, gets into the details, including Sentinel news. And the week’s headlines in airpower. Powered by GE!

On this month’s innovation conversation to highlight key topics in the countdown to the Apex technology and innovation conference next January in Washington, sponsored by Clarion Defence, Greg Allen, the director of the Wadhwani Center for AI and Advanced Technology at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and Doug Berenson, a partner in the Aerospace, Defense and Government Services Practice at the Oliver Wyman consultancy, to discuss their commentary — “Why Is the U.S. Defense Industrial Base So Isolated from the U.S. Economy?” — the historic benefits of having a unitary national industrial base; how the defense industry became increasingly isolated from commercial industry and its implications on innovation, competition as well as scaling production;  how the US government can attract more commercial firms to the fold; importance of presidential leadership and the government making clear the big military problems it needs to solve to spur industry to find solutions; the challenges faced by the current innovation ecosystem; and the need to tap allied industrial capacity. To learn more about the Ap ex conference, sponsorship and attendance opportunities please visit apexdefense.org