Aerospace Defense Forum

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“Aero Markets: The Road Back”

Ventura County Chapter virtual meeting on February 18, 2022

As the COVID-19 pandemic begins to wear off (hopefully) the world of aviation is expected to return to a level of normalcy. Some segments have suffered more than others, but none have been untouched by the social restrictions and the resulting economic slowdown. As we begin to shift our thinking to the future and an understanding what business will look like as we come out of COVID-19, there is no better source than Richard Aboulafia, Managing Director at AeroDynamic Advisory (formerly with the Teal Group) to get a broad understanding of how the aviation and defense markets will recover.

Please join us online Friday, February 18, 8:00–9:00am PST when Richard will join us for a discussion of how key aviation market segments are still being affected by the pandemic and by the economic downturn, and the way different sectors are inching towards a ‘new normal’. We will look at key indicators to watch, including the big variables that could impact the shape of the long-term recovery. There will also be a discussion of key programs, and winners and losers in the context of a changing market.

The meeting is free for members and $25 for non-members. For more information and to register to attend the meeting go to http://adfvcfeb22.eventbrite.com.

Information about joining The A&D Forum is at https://aerospacedefenseforum.org.

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“Space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing: The Future is Now”

National Online Forum webinar on 8-9:00am Pacific Time, Wednesday, February 16, 2022

In Arthur C. Clarke’s famous 2001 A Space Odyssey a world was imagined with space clippers, an orbiting space station with a hotel, bases on the Moon, and missions to Jupiter. While the timing is a bit off, we are making great strides in space exploration along these lines. Key elements of our progress in space exploration and utilization are servicing, assembly, and manufacturing in space.

Please join us at 8:00-9:00am Pacific Time on Wednesday, February 16, 2022, when John Grunsfeld, Founder and President of Endless Frontier Associates, former Associate Administrator for Science, and Chief Scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., and Astronaut/Astrophysicist/Explorer will show some of the recent past accomplishments, current programs, and the great potential for using these tools to advance our knowledge of the cosmos

The meeting is free for members and $25 for non-members. For more information and to register to attend the meeting go to https://adfnofjan22.eventbrite.com.

Information about joining The A&D Forum is at https://aerospacedefenseforum.org.

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“The Supply Chain Risk Conundrum: Rethinking the Network and Its Risks”

National Online Forum webinar on 8-9:00am Pacific Time, Wednesday, January 26, 2022

Current information security and risk mitigation approaches are ineffective, and this failure is nowhere more apparent than in critical supply chains – defense, energy, health services, and other key industries. The source of much of the persistent failure to secure supply chains and the concomitant success of hackers compromising these vital arteries of commerce is that most organizations do not recognize the components and connections that comprise their information networks and do a poor job identifying and evaluating risks.

Please join us at 8:00-9:00am Pacific Time on Wednesday, January 26, 2022, when Michael Gold, Partner and Chair of the Cybersecurity & Privacy Group, Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP, will address 5 critical gaps in supply chain cybersecurity and the measures necessary to effectively address these gaps:

The meeting is free for members and $25 for non-members For more information and to register to attend the meeting go to https://adfnofjan22.eventbrite.com.

Information about joining The A&D Forum is at https://aerospacedefenseforum.org.

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“An economic outlook for 2022 and the possible impacts on the Aerospace and Defense Industry”

Virtual Meeting of the Santa Clarita Valley Chapter on January 20, 2022

Please join us online on Thursday, January 20, 2022, 8:00–9:00am Pacific Time, when Paul Single, Managing Director, Senior Economist, City National Rochdale, and Katie McDowell, Senior Vice President, Relationship Manager, Aerospace and Defense, City National Bank will address the critical elements impacting the global and US economies such as the supply chain, inflation, borrowing costs and hiring challenges and how could they impact the Aerospace and Defense industry.

The meeting is free for members and $25 for non-members. For more information and to register to attend the meeting go to https://adfscvjan22.eventbrite.com/.

Information about joining The A&D Forum is at https://aerospacedefenseforum.org.

The Santa Clarita Valley chapter of The Aerospace & Defense Forum is sponsored by the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation.

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The A&D Forum’s Second Annual Holiday Networking Event

National Online Forum event on Thursday, December 16, 2021, 4:00PM – 5:30PM Pacific

The year 2021 has continued the challenges of 2020 for A&D. The 737Max grounding and COVID-19 pandemic have created disruptions within the A&D industry unlike any other year. Many have experienced hardships and unexpected transitions. At the same time there have been positive events within private industry. For example, the start of America’s commercial human launch capability to space.

During this past year, the A&D Forum has experienced its own challenges. We continued the focus on events based on Zoom. We lost the pre- and post-meeting networking time that we all appreciate. That networking has been a foundational element of the A&D Forum since its inception. In an attempt to re-establish the in-person networking experience we are hosting the A&D Forum’s Second Annual Holiday Networking Event.

No speaker, just networking in small groups. And to keep it interesting, we’ll do multiple group sessions with Zoom mixing up the groups randomly. Obviously, we still can’t meet in person and no one really knows when we’ll be able to do so, but by using Zoom breakout rooms we can recapture the ability to connect with our colleagues.

Each small group session will last around 20 minutes and contain about 5 people. We would also like the discussion to be something that lifts people’s spirits since this has been such a challenging year. Each of the three sessions will suggest discussion around one of the following questions:
• What new trends, challenges and/or opportunities do you see for your business in 2022?
• What lessons did you learn from navigating almost two years of pandemic?
• If you could have dinner with three people (living or dead), who would they be and why?

PLEASE NOTE: this will be an afternoon event, 4:00PM – 5:30PM Pacific, so feel free to bring your favorite “adult beverage” if you so desire, but no smoking please.

This event is open to both members and non-members, no recording, no cost to non-members and we’ll share your contact information if you allow us to do so.

The meeting is free for all Register at https://adfnofdec21HolidayEvent.eventbrite.com/.

We’re look forward to seeing you on December 16!

Information about joining The A&D Forum is at https://aerospacedefenseforum.org.

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“Inside the eVTOL Industry”

AZ Chapter meeting in Apache Junction on December 6, 2021

Meeting location: Mammoth Steak House and Saloon
4650 N Mammoth Mine Rd, Apache Junction, AZ 85119
Meeting Date: Monday, December 6, 2021
Meeting Time: Dinner & Presentation: 6:00-7:00pm
Networking: 7:00-7:30pm

In recent years, more than 100 aircraft makers have begun developing electric, vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) designs. These efforts are being funded by some of the biggest names in transportation, from Airbus and Boeing to auto makers like Toyota and Hyundai. Some eVTOL startups, like Joby and Lilium, have debuted on stock exchanges with valuations in the billions of dollars.

Phoenix-based Honeywell Aerospace recent launched a business unit aimed at serving this fast-growing market, and has quickly chalked up more than $3.6 billion in contracts for avionics, fly-by-wire computers and other systems.

Please join us 6:00-7:30 pm at Mammoth Steak House and Saloon in Apache Junction, AZ, on Monday, December 6, 2021, when Chris Hawley, Honeywell Aerospace’s director of marketing for new technology, will give an overview of the company’s strategy and describe how Honeywell is helping customers overcome the considerable technical challenges of electric flight.

This in-person meeting is $35 to cover the cost of the dinner. Attendees are requested to maintain social distancing and wear masks. Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/holiday-burger-beer-inside-evtol-industry-by-chris-hawley-honeywell-tickets-216868187587.

Click here for more information about and to join The Aerospace & Defense Forum.

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“Spaceport America, Fits and Starts”

Los Angeles Chapter virtual meeting on November 11

Spaceport America was created and funded by the State of New Mexico to support the partnership with Virgin Galactic and its promise of space tourism. The spaceport now encompasses 18,000 acres and is surrounded mostly by BLM and other state land. The campus supports horizontal launch with a 12,000 x 200 ft concrete runway, vertical launch with a remote site 5 miles away, and advanced aerospace technologies like kinetic launch in another area over 10 miles away.

Yet, as in virtually all space-related endeavors, its success has been a long time coming with many fits and starts along the way. With Virgin Galactic now having gone to space twice from New Mexico, and with regular use by other tenants, Spaceport America is finally coming into its own in the “new space,” “Space 2.0” economy.

Please join us online on Thursday, November 11, 8:00–9:00am Pacific Time for an inside look at the world’s first purpose-built commercial spaceport when Scott A. McLaughlin, Executive Director, New Mexico Spaceport Authority, will share some of the history of Spaceport America along with some of the successes and hiccups felt along the way.

The meeting is free for members and $25 for non-members For more information and to register to attend the meeting go to https://adflanov21.eventbrite.com/.

Information about joining The A&D Forum is at https://aerospacedefenseforum.org.

The Los Angeles Chapter of The Aerospace & Defense Forum is hosted by Jeffer, Mangels, Butler & Mitchell and sponsored by Chubb, Bolton & Company Insurance Brokers, Stanton Chase, Moss Adams, and Fifth Third Bank.

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“The A&D Industry from the Middle Market View Point”

National Online Forum webinar on 8-9:00am Pacific Time, Thursday, October 28, 2021

Please join us at 8:00-9:00am Pacific Time on Wednesday, September 15, 2021 when Alex Krutz, Managing Director, Patriot Industrial Partners, will give an A&D market overview with a special emphasis on headwinds and tailwinds from the middle market perspective. Alex will go into industry trends, commercial and defense production rates and volumes and considerations for middle market suppliers. There will be an emphasis on what programs provide opportunities, what segments will have M&A activity focus and companies M&A influencers. Additional supply chain deep dive topics of the OEM/Tier 1 and middle market priorities and associated headwinds.

The presentation will wrap up with thoughts around how manufacturers can gain a competitive advantage coming out of the market downturn.

The meeting is free for members and $25 for non-members For more information and to register to attend the meeting go to https://adfnofoct21.eventbrite.com.

Information about joining The A&D Forum is at https://aerospacedefenseforum.org.

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“USTDA 101: USG tools to support U.S. exporters”

Virtual Meeting of the Santa Clarita Valley Chapter on October 21, 2021

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency, or USTDA, connects the U.S. private sector to infrastructure projects in emerging markets. We achieve our mission by funding feasibility studies, technical assistance and pilot projects that integrate the innovation and expertise of American companies. We also connect overseas project sponsors with U.S. partners through our reverse trade missions, industry conferences and expert workshops.

Please join us online on Thursday, October 21, 8:00–9:00am Pacific Time, when Jillian Foerster, Country Manager, West Africa, U.S. Trade and Development Agency, and Brent Harrison, Country Manager, Indo-Pacific, U.S. Trade and Development Agency, will review the agency’s mission and ways that U.S. companies can benefit from the agency’s tools. The presentation will also include specific examples of projects and activities in the satellites/aerospace sector and an open, informal discussion on U.S. company priorities in the markets where USTDA is active.

The meeting is free for members and $25 for non-members. For more information and to register to attend the meeting go to https://adfscvoct21.eventbrite.com/.

Information about joining The A&D Forum is at https://aerospacedefenseforum.org.

The Santa Clarita Valley chapter of The Aerospace & Defense Forum is sponsored by the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation.