Defense & Aerospace Report Defense & Aerospace Report, sponsored by Bell

On this episode of the Defense & Aerospace Report Strategy Series, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Dr. Todor Tagarev, Bulgaria’s former defense minister who is now a professor at the Institute of Information and Communication Technologies of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and Head of its IT for Security Department and Centre for Security and Defence Management, discusses the interdisciplinary nature of the threat Russia poses to European security, whether efforts to counter Moscow are being successful, lessons from the Ukraine war that are shaping the alliance’s actions, the stakes of the war and whether Vladimir Putin’s calls for ceasefire signify a change in his imperial ambitions, the Russian threat in the Black Sea and how Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey have deepened their partnership, Putin’s nuclear rhetoric and whether nations should heed any of his “red lines,” why more nations should follow France in allowing its weapons to be used by Kyiv against legitimate military targets in Russia that are involved in striking Ukraine, Bulgaria’s sharp rise in defense spending and sweeping military modernization, and more with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On today’s program, sponsored by HII, Sam Bendett of the Center for Naval Analyses discusses the latest in Russia’s new offensive against Ukraine as Moscow deploys glide bombs to strike military and civilian targets alike, whether Russia broke through the lines or Ukraine left a gap that was exploited, prospect of peace as Vladimir Putin suggests freezing lines where they are and Volodymyr Zelenskyy calls on President Biden and Xi Jinping to join a peace conference, Ukraine’s ever deeper strikes into Russia, and Putin’s crackdown on “corruption” after replacing his defense minister; and Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners discusses former President Trump’s defense plans should he return to the office, America’s role on the naval export market, 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 investor worries that after dropping inflation and soaring markets the Federal Reserve won’t cut rates as quickly as hoped, Boeing releases third annual safety report as CFO Brian West says the company will post negative cash flow this year, how the new financial outlook will impact the company plans to acquire Spirit AeroSystems and continue costly efforts to restore commercial and defense confidence, Sierra Nevada plan to use former Korean Air 747s as the Pentagon’s next generation Doomsday planes, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak schedules snap elections for July 4, and British intelligence finding that China is sending lethal aid to Russia and the merits of allowing Kyiv to use US weapons to strike targets in Russia.

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 Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim join host Vago Muradian to discuss the House Armed Services Committee markup of the National Defense Authorization Act as the 2025 spending debate continues, what’s next for Iran after president and foreign minister are killed in a helicopter crash, China launches military exercises to intimidate Taiwan as Lai Ching-te is inaugurated, Britain accuses Beijing of sending lethal aid to Russia as the White House balks as it debates letting Kyiv use US weapons to strike targets in Russia, Victor Orban wants all the benefits of NATO membership but opt out of helping Ukraine, President Biden hosts Kenyan President William Ruto, Emmanuel Macron’s surprise visit to New Caledonia as the territory has plunged into strife after Paris expands voting for French citizens, and Israel launches Rafah operation despite international and domestic pressure prompting Ireland, Norway and Spain to join Sweden in recognizing a Palestinian state as the international criminal court indicts Hamas and Israel’s leaders, and House and Senate expected to invite Bibi Netanyahu to address lawmakers.

General Mike Minihan is the new boss at Air Mobility Command, managing the Department of Defense’s global reach at a time of global turmoil. We ask him about AMC’s warfighting culture, keeping up with demand, the future of its platforms, and more. And the week’s headlines in airpower. Powered by GE!

On this episode of the Defense & Aerospace Report Strategy Series, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Dr. Seth Jones, the Harold Brown Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies who leads the think tank’s International Security Program, discusses the status of the Ukraine war as Russia exerts its manpower and weapons advantage to gain ground from weary defenders show on weapons, what’s next in the war, Russia’s shortcomings despite two years of war, lessons China is learning from the war and the West’s sanctions on Russia, a more coordinated strategy to cope with a China, Russia, Iran and North Korea that are working ever more closely together, and more with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.