Defense & Aerospace Report
Defense & Aerospace Report, sponsored by Bell
Welcome to the Defense and Aerospace Report podcast, our weekly podcast on the global defense and aerospace business sponsored by Bell, and hosted by Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. Each week, we’ll bring you interviews with industry leaders and the business’ best analysts to put events in context, identify trends and keep an eye on what’s next in a fast-moving world. Defense & Aerospace Report is your global source for national security and aerospace news, thought leadership and analysis, founded and edited by Vago Muradian.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 1, 2026 • 1h 2min
Defense & Aerospace Report Podcast [Mar 01 ’26 Business Report]
Richard Aboulafia, aerospace consultant known for market and program analysis; Sash Tusa, equity analyst focused on European aerospace and defense; Dr. “Rocket” Ron Epstein, senior defense analyst at Bank of America Securities. They discuss Wall Street turmoil over AI and jobs, the U.S.-Israel strike on Iran and regional fallout, pressure on weapons stocks and energy prices, Anthropic-DoD tensions over AI, UK defense funding fights, and B-21 and CCA production challenges.
Feb 27, 2026 • 1h 2min
Defense & Aerospace Report Podcast [Feb 27, ’26 Washington Roundtable]
Dr. Dov Zakheim, former Pentagon comptroller and CSIS senior fellow, offers defense budgeting and Middle East security perspective. Jim Townsend, ex-DoD Europe chief now at CNAS, assesses NATO and European reactions. Michael Herson, defense industry adviser, discusses congressional politics and budgets. Dr. Patrick Cronin, Indo-Pacific strategist at Hudson, covers China, Korea, and supply-chain risks. They debate tariffs, Iran posture, force strain, Ukraine aid, and rare-earths moves.
Feb 26, 2026 • 53min
Defense & Aerospace Air Power Podcast [Feb 26, 26] Season 4 E7 Wild, Wild West
Dave Alexander, president of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and unmanned aircraft leader, talks programs like CCA, MQ-9 Bravo, production capacity and tooling. He outlines Dark Merlin flight progress and GA’s Long Shot X-68A demonstrator. He also discusses trainer teaming, scaling production to 12–18 aircraft/month, export and acquisition hurdles, and growing international MQ-9 demand.
Feb 25, 2026 • 30min
Defense & Aerospace Daily Podcast [Feb 25, 2026] Mesh Feigenbaum on Global Industrial Capacity
Mesh Feigenbaum, managing partner at Engineered Metal Tech and authority on giant hydraulic forging presses. He discusses aging mega-presses and how failures can cripple aerospace and defense supply chains. He contrasts China’s new investments with older U.S. infrastructure. He outlines timelines, costs, and the case for public–private facilities to restore sovereign forging capacity.
Feb 24, 2026 • 38min
DEFAERO Strategy Series [Feb 24, 26] Bendett and Rumer on Latest Russia-Ukraine Headlines
Eugene Rumer, Russia expert and former national intelligence officer, and Sam Bendett, analyst of UAVs and electronic warfare, discuss the war’s strategic stalemate and Putin’s political calculus. They cover frontline tactics, the rise of long-range drones and air defense, Starlink’s operational impact, rapid battlefield innovation, and whether reconstruction or elections could change Moscow’s course.
Feb 23, 2026 • 35min
Defense & Aerospace Daily Podcast [Feb 23, 2026] Look Ahead w/ Byron Callan
Byron Callan, managing researcher at Capital Alpha Partners and Washington defense analyst, offers sharp analysis on tariffs, transatlantic tensions, and shifting European defense spending. He covers UK basing limits and Iran strike risks. Canada’s push for sovereign capabilities and the changing U.S. defense industrial landscape, including a recent IPO wave, round out the discussion.
Feb 22, 2026 • 59min
Defense & Aerospace Report Podcast [Feb 22 ’26 Business Report]
Richard Aboulafia, aerospace strategist and analyst; Sash Tusa, European defense equity specialist; Dr. Ron Epstein, Bank of America defense market analyst. They discuss Supreme Court tariff fallout and what comes next. Transatlantic procurement tensions and buy‑American pressure. India’s Rafale naval order and impacts on production. KC-390 partnerships and tanker role versus C-27 dynamics. Airbus earnings and engine supplier disputes.
Feb 20, 2026 • 1h 7min
Defense & Aerospace Report Podcast [Feb 20, ’26 Washington Roundtable]
Jim Townsend, former DoD Europe chief and transatlantic security expert; Dr. Dov Zakheim, ex-Pentagon comptroller and defense budget specialist; Dr. Patrick Cronin, Asia-Pacific strategist focused on U.S.-China ties. They debate the Supreme Court tariff ruling and allied credibility. They parse Russia-Ukraine prospects, China’s alleged nuclear testing, Taiwan arms politics, Japan/South Korea investment in the U.S., Iran tensions, and UK base access.
Feb 19, 2026 • 53min
Defense & Aerospace Air Power Podcast [Feb 19, 26] Season 4 E6 Designs on Victory
Tim Walton, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute who specializes in force design and defense policy, discusses redesigning the U.S. Air Force for decisive advantage. He outlines edge, pulsed bomber, and core mission areas. Topics include runway‑independent offensive options, resilient airfields, and the tradeoffs between current readiness and future modernization.
Feb 18, 2026 • 41min
DEFAERO Strategy Series [Feb 18, 26] Retired Admiral Mike Rogers on America's Unpreparedness for a GPS Attack
Mike Rogers, retired U.S. Navy admiral and former NSA and U.S. Cyber Command director, now advising cybersecurity firm Claroty. He lays out how GPS went from military tool to critical economic infrastructure. He describes jamming, spoofing, physical and orbital threats. He argues replacement is unrealistic and discusses augmenting GPS with 4G/5G, spectrum policy, and the stakes for autonomous systems.
