Defense & Aerospace Daily Podcast [Aug 17, 2026] Look Ahead w/ Byron Callan

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 budget impact of debt, deficits, customs duties and refunds; prospect of higher food prices as Russia destroys Ukraine’s grain stocks; US brain drain and national security; the Mecca deal and midterms; what’s next for the Iran war; low-cost weapons and deterrence; the budget impact of Deputy Secretary Steve Feinberg’s demand to accelerate weapons production; President Trump’s order that the Navy establish a fifth government shipyard, buy warships from overseas firms, and replace the electromagnetic catapults on the Ford-class aircraft carrier with steam ones; Trump’s order that the Pentagon dial back military exercises with South Korea to punish Seoul for not supporting the Iran war and claim that North Korea is a nonthreatening power; earnings takeaways; today’s announcement that Chris Kubasik was replaced with Sam Mehta as L3Harris’ CEO; and a look at the week ahead and in Washington and beyond.