The Weekly Break Out

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Latest Episodes:

Aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford and a review of Trump’s first weeks in office. The Weekly Break Out Ep. 12 Apr 01, 2025

In this episode of the Weekly Break Out, Lee speaks to naval reporter Justin Katz about his recent trip aboard the USS Gerald Ford as it prepares for an upcoming voyage, plus, Aaron Mehta and Lee Ferran review the whirlwind first few weeks of the Trump administration.

Trump announces F-47: What that means for Boeing. The Weekly Break Out Ep. 11 Mar 25, 2025

In this edition of the Weekly Break Out, President Trump announced that Boeing won the competition to build the sixth-generation fighter, the F-47. Aaron Mehta and Valerie Insinna break down the announcement and what the historic win means for Boeing as a company.

DoD shutters historic Pentagon office, orders contracts null. The Weekly Break Out Ep. 10 Mar 18, 2025

In this episode of the Weekly Break Out, we discuss the Pentagon’s “disestablishing” of the Office of Net Assessment. Plus, air warfare reporter Michael Marrow discusses his reporting on the future of foreign military contracts with the F-35.

Army's new guidance on lost drones and a major contractor is out of a Navy contract. The Weekly Break Out Ep. 9 Mar 11, 2025

In this week's episode of The Weekly Break Out, we discuss major Navy news out of an Air Force show. Plus, the Army issues new guidance on dealing with lost drones. And finally, we look at upcoming shows.

The state of Trump’s Pentagon nominees. The Weekly Break Out Ep. 8 Mar 05, 2025

Senior Reporter Valerie Insinna speaks to Aaron Mehta about the state of President Trump’s nominees within the Department of Defense. Plus, we preview the Air Force Association meeting this week in Colorado.

Who will replace the CQ Brown as the chairman of the joint chiefs? The Weekly Break Out Ep. 7 Feb 25, 2025

In a surprise move on Friday, President Trump fired CQ Brown, the chairman of the joint chiefs and nominated Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, a little-known general, as his replacement. Plus, the Pentagon seeks to reprioritize $50 billion. Aaron Mehta and Lee Ferran break it down and let you know what they will be looking out for as departments propose cuts.

Land vehicles and UAVs take center stage at IDEX 2025: The Weekly Break Out Ep. 6 Feb 19, 2025

Lee Ferran and Agnes Helou travel to Abu Dhabi to get you the latest from the IDEX 2025: International Defence Exhibition & Conference as well as a glimpse from the nearby maritime NAVDEX show.

Decoding the Pentagon memo on Trump's 'Iron Dome for America': The Weekly Break Out Ep. 5 Feb 13, 2025

In this episode of The Weekly Break Out, space reporter Teresa Hitchens and Aaron Mehta take a deep dive into her coverage of how President Donald Trump’s “Iron Dome for America” plan is beginning to form. Plus, The Marine Corps makes a surprise shift in its F-35 strategy.

Contracting chaos and congressional dollars: The Weekly Break Out Ep. 4 Feb 05, 2025

It’s an industry-heavy episode of The Break Out this week, as Congressional and Industry Reporter Valerie Insinna joins Aaron Mehta to discuss the latest, including the state of defense contracting after some uncertainty.

Plus, a discussion on Valerie’s exclusive interview with Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. Roger Wicker and a roundup of first quarter reports from the big defense primes.

Hesgeth arrives and SDA drama: The Weekly Break Out Ep. 3 Jan 28, 2025

In this week’s episode, we talk about what to expect from the new defense secretary, plus run through a pair of industry conferences happening this week. And in the final segment, we swap Lee out for our own Michael Marrow to discuss the drama around the Space Development Agency.

The funding fight and exclusive interviews: The Weekly Break Out Ep. 2 Jan 21, 2025

In the second episode of Breaking Defense's web series, Editor-in-Chief Aaron Mehta and Managing Editor Lee Ferran take a look at looming battles as Trump comes back into office.

Will Elon Musk's DOGE come for the Pentagon? The Weekly Breakout Ep. 1 Jan 14, 2025

In this inaugural episode of The Break Out, we discuss if Elon Musk’s DOGE, or Department of Government Efficiency, might end up setting policy. Plus, we dive into fleet issues as the Surface Navy Association symposium starts off. And finally, we will tell you more about this show, The Break Out and where to find it.

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