Defense & Aerospace Report

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 former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the appropriations process as the Senate Armed Services Committee finishes its version of the National Defense Authorization Act and the outlook for reconciliation and an Iran war supplemental; prospects for the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act after President Trump directed his nominee to become the next Director of National Intelligence, US attorney Jay Clayton, to skip his confirmation hearing clearing the way for housing chief Bill Pulte to serve in an acting capacity; Washington and Tehran’s 14-point ceasefire memorandum of understanding giving the two sides 60-days to negotiate a lasting deal that reopens the Strait of Hormuz that lawmakers and Israel blast as too generous toward Iran; Vice President Vance’s warning to Jerusalem; G7’s support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and impose more sanctions on Russia as Britain and France organize nations for a military mission to restore traffic through the strait; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth launches another broadside at the alliance as Washington considers withdrawing key withdrawing air and naval capabilities; South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s invitation for Trump to lead a peace talks with North Korea; Beijing’s ability to strike Australia; and the Pentagon’s decision to change the US Indo-Pacific Command back to the US Pacific Command.

On this Land Warfare episode, sponsored by American Rheinmetall, Franz-Stefan Gady, a defense analyst and consultant in Vienna who is also an adjunct fellow with Center for a New American Security think tank and author of several books including his newest, “Surprise Attack: When War Comes to Us” available in German and “How the United States Would Fight China,” joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the latest on the Ukraine war; why it’s hard to judge progress or advantage in the conflict; lessons European powers should be learning from the conflict as they seek to bolster their land forces; how the war will change the design land vehicles and how they are employed in concert with unmanned air capabilities; why Russia remains a threat to Europe despite the bloodying it’s taken in Ukraine; and the applicability of Ukraine lessons to the Indo-Pacific;

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 prospect of a ceasefire deal between Washington and Tehran, including best and worst scenarios; the need for investment in drones as well as manned platforms; the House Armed Services Committee’s $1.15 trillion 2027 National Defense Authorization Act as House appropriators mark to $1.07 trillion; dim outlook for the $350 billion Reconciliation 3.0 for the Pentagon; President Trump’s planned meeting with top US defense executives to accelerate weapons production to restock depleted stocks; and the SpaceX initial public offering and defense capital market.

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 what’s next as Washington and Tehran appear on the verge of a ceasefire deal; energy price impact given disruption to global energy flows and facilities; prospect US industry will get contracts to help rebuild Iran; analysis of the House Armed Services Committee chairman’s markup for the Trump administration’s proposed $1.15 trillion 2027 defense spending request; outlook for passage of the budget, Reconciliation 3.0 and an Iran war supplemental; SpaceX’s initial public offering that’s expected to hit a record valuation of $1.8 trillion; and a look at the week ahead in Washington and beyond.

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 former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss prospect of a US-Iran ceasefire deal after both sides exchange fire; Israel ramps up strikes on Hezbollah in South Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza; Russia pounds Ukraine, warning foreigners to leave Kyiv lest they be targeted as a Russian drone overshoots Ukraine to hit an apartment building in Romania; Moscow ramping up of threats and intimidation against the Baltics as America shifts its force posture in Europe and reduce capabilities devoted to NATO; Ukraine’s decision to buy Saab’s Gripen fighter as Stockholm opts for French frigates and Canada buys Swedish radar planes; what to expect from the International Institute for Strategic Studies’ 24th annual Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore; South Korea’s decision to pursue nuclear attack submarines; the Quad — America, Australia, India and Japan — launches its first security organization, the Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Cooperation Initiative; and the latest rift between the Israel and the UN.

On this Land Warfare episode, sponsored by American Rheinmetall, Dr. Gian Gentile, a retired US Army colonel who is now a senior historian at the Rand Corporation think tank’s Arroyo Center, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the latest on the Ukraine war including on the role of unmanned ground vehicles, lessons from the conflict, how armies learn lessons and whether the US Army is inculcating those lessons in its $252 billion 2027 spending request, how the need for more powerful electromagnetic and air defense capabilities as well as drones for surveillance will shape future vehicles, his new Korea Regional Review article “Ukraine War Ground Combat and its Implications for a Possible Future War Along the Korean DMZ,” the threat posed by Russia as Moscow continues to fight in Ukraine and increasingly provoke NATO’s Baltic nations, priorities for Europe as nations rebuild their ground combat capabilities, and the role of land forces in the IndoPacific.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. “Rocket” Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, Sash Tusa of Agency Partners, and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss a roaring Wall Street despite rising inflation and worries about higher interest rates; energy prices drop as Washington and Tehran again are on the verge of a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as nations led by Britain and France prepare to participation in an international mission to help reopen the critical waterway; the prospect of ongoing operations prompts the US Air Force to cancel the RAF Benevolent Fund’s annual Royal International Air Tattoo, the weekend before the Farnborough International Airshow in July; after President Trump’s visit to Beijing, China said it would order 200 Boeing jetliners and GE Aerospace engines; GOP senators rebel over Trump’s $1.8 billion fund to compensate allies and $1 billion White House ballroom, blocking a reconciliation package to bolster Pentagon spending; after cutting 5,000 US troops from Germany and canceling the rotational deployment of 4,000 soldiers to Poland, Trump says 5,000 American troops will be permanently based in Poland to reward right-wing President Karol Nawrocki as Washington reconsiders capabilities it will make available to NATO; Sweden picks Naval Group’s Amiral Rona’ch-class FDI frigate over Babcock’s Type 31 for four-ship, $4 billion contract; mounting pressure for British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to resign; Airbus production delays as a French court holds the company and Air France accountable for a 2009 crash that killed 228; and a Seattle jury found Boeing not guilty of wrongdoing in a suit brought by Poland’s LOT airlines after the company’s 737 Max jetliners were grounded in the wake of two deadly crashes that killed 346.

The US Air Force has ambitious plans, which even the proposed budget increases for fiscal 27 might not cover. Former Air Force acquisition chief Andrew Hunter joins us with the analysis, including looks ahead at how CCAs, a new heavy bomber, and a future airlifter might not be what we think. Plus the week’s headlines in airpower. Powered by GE Aerospace!