Capital Alpha Partners Defense Look Ahead Air Force Factors. Interest Rates and Defense September 6, 2026

Defense Look Ahead: Air Force Byron Callan Factors. Interest Rates and Defense.

RELATED RESEARCH Iran War: Episodic Flare-ups Likely to Continue Until Markets React The Top Line September 02, 2026

Higher interest rates have weighed on defense sentiment. We assess September 2026 Defense Scorecard interest outlays if rates are higher than CBO projections. September 01, 2026

Reports on how military units fare against drones in exercises need to be DefenseNews Top 100. Stable at the placed in context. An essay by an Army Captain published last week who Top. Entrants Still Small. Some Firms Missing participated in one of those exercises is worth a read. September 01, 2026

An exhibition and conference that starts Sept. 14 should spawn newsflow Defense Look Ahead: Cost and Price on U.S. Air Force issues and contractor positioning. Data. China Defense Shock. Russian Mass Precision August 30, 2026

Defense and Related Events of Interest to Analysts, Investors, and Planners

RELEVANT TICKERS NDIA holds its Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference Sept. 9-10. HXL, TDY, AIR FP, AVAV, TKMS MSPO is a defense trade show that takes place in Poland on Sept. 8-10. GR, BA, BAH, BA/LN, BWXT, CACI, CW, DRS, ERJ, FCT IM, GD, HO FP, We are attending and speaking at the AeroOne conference in Rochester Hills, HII, KBR, KOG NO, KTOS, LDO IM, Michigan on Sept. 10. LDOS, LHX, LMT, NOC, OSK, PSN, QQ/LN, RHM GY, RTX, SAABB SS, On Sept. 8, the Hudson Institute holds an event discussing the state of SAIC, CSG NA, ASELS TI, TXT, U.S.-South Korea relations, including the security relationship. HONA, GE

The Billington Cybersecurity Summit runs Sept. 8-10.

“Space Launch Capacity and Contenders” is a Sept. 9 event at CSIS.

“How Viable are Orbital Data Centers?” is discussed at a CNAS event on Sept. 9.

PIIE holds a Sept. 10 event on “What’s Really Going on With Global Supply Chains.

Carnegie Endowment holds an event on 9/11 on Sept. 10, as does CNAS. RUSI holds a Sept. 11 event on the impact of 9/11, and Brookings also has speakers discussing 9/11’s legacy. The Washington Institute for Near East Policy discusses counterterrorism since 9/11.

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The Arms Control Association discusses “Mitigating the Risks of AI in Nuclear Operations” on Sept. 11.

The GOP holds its “Midterm Convention on Sept. 9-10.

For Capital Alpha clients attending upcoming investor conferences, we can provide bespoke questions and background to prep for 1:1 and small group meetings.

Congress is back on recess. On Sept. 1, the House passed the Senate version of a continuing resolution on a 370-48 vote. We don’t expect much news on FY27 appropriations.

The GOP Midterm Convention may bear on midterm expectations. VP Vance is to speak on Sept. 9 and Trump on Sept. 10. Their comments should appeal to GOP base voters, but a watch item is whether they can appeal to independents and if their comments suggest any change in posture and priorities before the Nov. midterms. We are not expecting changes.

The NDIA Conference includes keynote addresses by senior DoW/DoD officials on Sept. 10. There are multiple panels on different aspects of technology and defense innovation, and an industry panel with speakers from Booz Allen, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon. The Billington Cybersecurity conference includes speakers from multiple branches of the U.S. government.

MPSO may generate news on Polish defense industry developments and European defense plans. The AeroOne event is convened by the Aerospace Industry Association of Michigan. We are moderating a panel on geopolitical factors, but other panels and speakers could illuminate supply issues in aerospace and defense.

The 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks takes place this week. I worked at Merrill Lynch at 250 Vesey Street, which was across the street from the World Trade Center, and was in the office that morning. As some of the events above will discuss, it was the aftermath and all that changed, not just the horrors of that day, that have mattered for defense. I will always remember and honor all of the innocent souls, firemen, and other first responders who…