Farnborough last looks, plus how the Iran war is affecting arms sales
Release Date: 08/04/2026
Farnborough last looks, plus how the Iran war is affecting arms sales
The Weekly Break Out
In this week’s episode of The Break Out, Breaking Defense’s Multimedia Director Daniel Woolfolk tours the grounds around the Farnborough Airshow. Then we turn to Breaking Defense Middle East Contributing Editor Riad Kahwaji for a glimpse into how the war in Iran is reshaping regional military modernization. Underwritten by Leonardo DRS.
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AIA chief Eric Fanning on the budget and the health of America’s defense industry
The Weekly Break Out
In this week’s episode of The Break Out, Breaking Defense Editor-in-Chief Aaron Mehta brings you an interview from the Farnborough Airshow, located outside of London. At the conference, he talked with Eric Fanning, the former Army Secretary who now leads the Aerospace Industries Association. Fanning discussed a wide range of topics relevant to the US defense industry — all as airshow action was taking place above their heads.
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Pentagon pursues space-based solar power
The Weekly Break Out
In this week’s episode of The Break Out, Breaking Defense Editor-in-Chief Aaron Mehta and Senior Space Reporter Theresa Hitchens discuss the US military’s renewed ambition to harness solar power for missions in orbit. Can interest from Silicon Valley and venture capitalists help deliver a new solution? Then Mehta and Deputy Editor Lee Ferran recap top news from the NATO 2026 summit in Ankara before setting the scene for next week’s Farnborough International Airshow in the United Kingdom. Underwritten by Leonardo DRS. Visit for more defense news throughout the week.
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How Trump wants to change American weapon sales abroad
The Weekly Break Out
Another week means another executive order — this time with President Donald Trump looking to . In the latest edition of The Weekly Break Out, Editor-in-Chief Aaron Mehta and Air Warfare Reporter Michael Marrow talk through how this might impact global weapon sales. Then after the break, the two preview the upcoming Munich Security Conference and how it could be a tease for the 2028 presidential election. Underwritten by Leonardo DRS. Visit for more defense news throughout the week.
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What to watch: Trump vs. Canada, Saudi F-35s, new naval tech
The Weekly Break Out
President Donald Trump has again come out swinging in a Truth Social post — this time against the in retaliation for the country’s delayed certification of US-made Gulfstream jets for use in Canada. On a new episode of , Editor-in-Chief Aaron Mehta and Deputy Editor Lee Ferran flag how the heated rivalry could affect America’s militarized variants of Canada’s Bombardier airframes. Then, they look ahead to two major conferences: World Defense Show in Saudi Arabia, where new details of the kingdom’s push to own the F-35 could emerge, and WEST 2026, the annual naval expo...
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Trump targets defense giants in Davos as Qatari Air Force One nears takeoff
The Weekly Break Out
President Donald Trump used the in Davos to escalate his pressure campaign on the US defense industry to . Meanwhile, new reporting reveals the controversial , intended to serve as an interim Air Force One, could fly as soon as this summer, raising fresh questions about security upgrades, contractors and timelines. On a new episode of , Editor-in-Chief Aaron Mehta and Deputy Editor Lee Ferran break down what Trump said, why it matters for heading into earnings call season and what to watch next in the Air Force One saga. Underwritten by Leonardo DRS. Visit for...
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Who’s who in Air Force acquisition, and new surface Navy tech
The Weekly Break Out
What’s in a name? Here’s who the Air Force has tapped to be program acquisition executives as the Pentagon rebrands its program executive officers. Then, tours the show floor at the Surface Navy Association’s 2026 conference for a peek at an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, a solar-powered maritime drone, a floating combat hospital and more.
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Trump takes aim at major defense firms, demands faster production
The Weekly Break Out
It was a Truth Social post that shook the defense industry: President Donald Trump lashed out at big defense contractors over stock buybacks and CEO pay. Get caught up, and then see what there is to "sea" at this week's Surface Navy Association conference.
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Lessons learned from the US raid on Venezuela
The Weekly Break Out
The United States carried out what may become one of the most consequential military raids in modern history. In this episode of The Weekly Break Out, CSIS defense expert Mark Cancian analyzes the US operation in Venezuela, explaining how American forces penetrated Russian-made S-300 air defense systems, leveraged Cyber Command and Space Command and executed a complex joint mission without American losses. The discussion explores what the raid reveals about Russian air defense weaknesses, lessons learned from past US failures and what China and Russia can — and cannot — replicate,...
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New National Security Strategy drops as Congress floats $901B NDAA
The Weekly Break Out
This week on The Weekly Break Out, Aaron Mehta and Lee Ferran break down the Trump administration's new National Security Strategy, what it signals for Europe, Russia and homeland defense — and how it aligns with what we heard at the Reagan National Defense Forum. Then after the break, the hosts dig into the compromise 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, including why lawmakers added $8 billion above the Pentagon’s request and why this year’s bill stayed clean. Underwritten by Leonardo DRS.
info_outlineIn this week’s episode of The Break Out, Breaking Defense’s Multimedia Director Daniel Woolfolk tours the grounds around the Farnborough Airshow. Then we turn to Breaking Defense Middle East Contributing Editor Riad Kahwaji for a glimpse into how the war in Iran is reshaping regional military modernization. Underwritten by Leonardo DRS.