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On today’s Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Sam Bendett of the Center for Naval Analyses and Dr. Eugene Rumer, the director of the Russia and Eurasia program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, discuss the cou tours of the war as Moscow presses its offensive and Ukraine responds with new Western weapons and permission to use them against targets in Russia, how Ukraine is using Western weapons to change the strategic dynamic in Crimea, Russian forces learn lessons but still relies on artillery and manpower, the G7’leaders key to supporting Ukraine will survive elections as Russia and China undermine support for them, whether efforts to undermine Putin will succeed, how newly appointed Defense Minister Andrey Belousev is revamping Russia’s military, new tactics and weapons in war, Putin visits North Korea for more support and if Washington can pressure Beijing to halt its military assistance for Moscow, and where Putin’s red lines truly lie as the Russian leader once again resorts to nuclear saber rattling with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On today’s program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners discusses the Senate Armed Services Committee’s decision to increase proposed 2025 defense spending by $25 billion — $30 billion less than Ranking Member Sen. Roger Wicker proposed in his recent plan — to more quickly improve US military capabilities to better deter China and Russia — and whether the added funding will also be approved by the House that just passed its $895 billion National Defense Authorization Act, the Air Force recently equivocation about its centerpiece Next Generation Air Dominance program and tight 2026 budget and threat factors that may be driving the change, implications of the rise of the hard right particularly French right on European defense, takeaways from the G7 meeting in Italy, 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 holds gains as defense and aerospace stocks are battered, European markets plunge after far right political parties fared in European Parliament elections prompting French President Emmanuel Macron to announce a snap election, facing budget pressures the US Air Force is considering slowing or even cancelling its centerpiece Next-Generation Air Dominance program just weeks before picking whether Boeing or Lockheed Martin will win the contract prompting frustration across companies that invested billions of dollars in technology to win and facilities to execute the program, the FAA investigates fake titanium parts from a Chinese supplier that made it into Airbus and Boeing jetliners, the G7 toughens its stance on Russia and China as Vladimir Putin vows retaliation, takeaways from the ILA Airshow in Berlin and what to expect from the Eurosatory ground systems show in Paris next week.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim join host Vago Muradian to discuss the House Armed Services Committee’s $895 billion National Defense Authorization Act that includes “poison pills for Democrats,” the House’s defense appropriations measure as the Senate Armed Services Committee finishes marking its version of the NDAA, speculation that pressures in the 2026 budget that’s now under construction is forcing the US Air Force to reconsider its flagship Next-Generation Air Dominance program, former President Trump’s meeting with GOP lawmakers on Capitol Hill as they vow revenge against the justice system and hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt, a consequential G7 meeting that provides $50 billion in assistance to Ukraine backed by seized Russian assets, new sanctions on Russia, the new 10-year security pact signed by President Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Vladimir Putin vows retaliation saying the West has “crossed the point of no return” while sending a frigate and submarine to Cuba to intimate Washington as the US Navy docks the attack submarine USS Helena at Guantanamo Bay, China harasses a Dutch ship in the East China Sea, and what’s next as Israel presses ahead with its Gaza campaign and Hezbollah increases rocket fire into Northern Israel.

Hot wars mean a very hot air power market. Fortunately, the number one aerospace market analyst in the world just happens to be our friend Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic Advisory consultancy. We focus his global strategic expertise on airpower, with illuminating results.  Powered by GE!

Amb. Jim Cunningham, former ambassador to Afghanistan, Israel, the United Nations, and consul general to Hong Kong and Macau, discusses the flaws with Israel’s strategy against Hamas in Gaza that’s undermined global support for the Jewish state, whether the damage is lasting, the importance of a two-state solution to lasting peace and implications of a one-state solution, whether Israeli strategy would change under new leadership in Jerusalem and why American efforts to pressure Israel are so difficult, and countering Iran’s malign efforts in the region and beyond as Tehran grows steadily more emboldened as it inches closer to a nuclear capability with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.