Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The Merge
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| E62 – Rethinking Aircraft Maintenance with Perfect Point EDM | 04 Oct 2026 | 00:27:09 | |
Buying a fighter jet is the cheap part. Mike sits down with Jim Becker, President and CEO of Perfect Point EDM, to talk about the biggest line in any defense program: keeping the fleet flying. Perfect Point builds the E-Drill, which uses electro discharge machining (EDM) to pull aircraft fasteners. Founded in 2005, it turned a lab curiosity into a fielded tool that removes a rivet in about 30 seconds instead of 10 minutes, with no debris and almost no rework. Jim's take is blunt. The aircraft modernized, the maintenance tooling did not, and the industry keeps papering over it by leaning on a shrinking pool of skilled mechanics. Topics include:
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Chapters 00:00 00:28 intro 02:06 the MRO space 02:53 the founding story 04:38 from the Marine Corps to Boeing 06:10 framing the rivet problem 07:01 tooling stuck in the 60s 07:43 titanium and steel fasteners 08:54 no FOD, no mess 09:46 the three step process 10:27 four to five times faster 10:49 killing the rework 11:52 problems everybody just accepts 13:49 the miracle-worker culture 14:55 the aging workforce 16:49 winning over the engineers 17:32 the launch that fell flat 20:21 SBIRs and the valley of death 21:39 fall in love with the problem 22:09 conventional wisdom that's wrong 24:47 making do with less 26:03 go talk to the mechanics 28:29 the stance he'll defend 30:12 where to learn more 31:03 outro | |||
| E61 – Rebuilding the Test Playbook with Nominal | 30 Aug 2026 | 00:36:42 | |
Test is where new military hardware goes to wait. Mike sits down with Jenn Wilson, Head of Federal at Nominal, to talk about test and evaluation, the least glamorous gate between a program and the warfighter. Nominal builds test data infrastructure for hardware. Founded in 2022 by Anduril, Palantir, and Lockheed Martin alumni, it reached a $1 billion valuation in March. Jenn’s take is that acceleration comes from optimizing what you test for. Cutting test points is the wrong lever. Topics include:
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Chapters: 00:00 00:32 intro 01:47 why this, why now 02:32 test is not sexy 03:47 test as an afterthought 05:40 more data, less insight 07:18 where the name comes from 07:54 the founding story 10:43 Mike is a user 11:16 streaming telemetry in real time 13:14 design of experiments 15:17 the Fid Labs acquisition 16:31 DARPA CIPHER Forge 19:35 closing the sim to real gap 20:21 the commercial side 23:31 lessons from Ukraine 25:00 F-35 crowdsourced flight data 27:15 fleet bugs found in days 29:07 combined test force 31:50 experimental operations unit 32:34 speeding up test 33:09 the pilot taking fire 34:21 knowledge parity with the primes 35:18 a billion dollar valuation 36:03 hiring at Nominal #defensetech #podcast #military #testandevaluation #flighttest #digitaltwins #darpa #f35 #autonomy #nationalsecurity #airforce #dualuse #militarytechnology | |||
| E60 – GPS-Free Navigation | 12 Jul 2026 | 00:43:40 | |
How do systems operate when GPS disappears? Mike sits down with Kara Kramer, Vice President ofRaptor Sales at Vantor (formerly Maxar Intelligence), to discuss one of the most important challenges facing modern autonomous systems: operating when GPS is jammed, spoofed, or completely unavailable. We discuss vision-based navigation (VBN), 3D geospatialintelligence, and why resilient autonomy depends on more than just the drone itself. From electronic warfare to contested operations, this conversation examines how software and spatial intelligence are enabling unmanned operations, and Vantor’s unique approach. This isn’t just about navigation—coordinate generation and targeting elements are equally important. Topics include: • Vision-based navigation • 3D geospatial intelligence • Targeting without GPS BONUS: Kara also shares her professional journey and how she got into the defense industry! Whether you're building autonomous systems, working indefense technology, or simply interested in where drone technology is headed, this episode provides an inside look at one of the fastest-moving areas in aerospace. TOGETHER WITH VANTOR. SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE to get more intel on defense tech, news, and happenings.
Links • Sign up for the newsletter! • Support us on Patreon! • Vantor home page • Vantor Raptor product page • Raptor inquiries • Vantor on LinkedIn • Kara Kramer on LinkedIn
---- Follow us on... • X ---- 00:00 00:01:11 intro 00:01:54 Vantor history 00:03:26 Raptor origins 00:03:59 Vantor backstory 00:05:39 The SpaceX of VBN 00:06:32 Raptor VBN 00:10:11 issues with GPS 00:12:44 pre-GPS terrain nav 00:13:46 the Hub 00:15:20 no hardware? 00:17:57 how it all works 00:20:47 geo-registered coordinates 00:26:27 Kara's journey in defense 00:28:24 Vantor in Drone Dominance 00:35:19 Vantor partnerships 00:39:02 contrarian takes 00:40:37 fast cheap good triangle 00:42:01 final thoughts
#defensetech #dronetechnology #autonomy #gps #jamming #electronicwarfare #uas #drones #militarytechnology #geospatial #navigation #navigation #pnt #isr #aerospace #defenseinnovation #nationalsecurity #intelligence #intel #military | |||
| E59 – Business Breakdown: Anduril | 04 Jun 2026 | 00:42:44 | |
Anduril Industries raised $5 billion at a reported $61billion valuation—putting a nine-year-old defense tech company in the same conversation as legacy primes that have been building weapons for generations. How did they do it, what is their strategy, and does the math make sense? In this episode, Mike and Matthew take a deep dive inside Anduril’s products, revenue, contracts, and business strategy. They break down the Series H raise, the company’s rapid valuation climb, the difference between contract ceilings and booked revenue, and why visible federal obligations onlytell part of the story. They also examine Anduril’s expanding product portfolio, anddebate the core question behind the company’s $61B price tag: Is Anduril the future of defense industrial production, or is the market pricing in near-flawless execution? Topics include: - Anduril’s $5B Series H and $61B valuation - The gap between reported revenue and visible federalobligations - Why Special Operations and the Border Patrol matter morethan most people realize - The $20B Army enterprise vehicle—and why it is a rail, not acheck - Barracuda, Fury, Arsenal-1, and hyperscale defensemanufacturing - How Anduril compares to Lockheed, Northrop, GeneralDynamics, RTX, and Palantir - The bull and bear case for Anduril’s long-term strategy - What to watch next: IPO timing, task orders, deliveries, andrevenue growth - The real bet: for Anduril to justify today’s valuation, ithas to grow from a $2B revenue company into a $20B+ revenue company very quickly. SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE to get more intel on defense tech, news, and happenings.
Links • Sign up for the newsletter! • Support us on Patreon! ---- Follow us on... • X ---- 00:00 00:34 intro 01:20 Premium newsletter! 02:10 Anduril intro 02:26 Matthrew intro 04:32 Anduril 101 06:52 Anduril's fundraising 07:25 the next 24 months 07:38 revenue breakdown 08:23 happenings between the raises 14:10 last 5 years of sales 15:47 counter-UAS 18:22 Steve vs Steve approach 19:14 C-UAS durability? 21:04 Altius 21:52 comparing valuations 23:21 sources of new revenue 23:33 Barracuda 24:08 CCA program 27:28 Lattice 28:20 Eagle Eye 31:18 Golden Dome 35:08 Anduril's strategy 38:53 next acquisition? 41:25 wrap-up | |||
| E58 – Dcode the Pentagon Buying Machine | 26 Apr 2026 | 00:51:22 | |
What does it actually take to get new technology into thehands of warfighters—and why is it still so hard? In this episode, Mike sits down with the co-founders ofDcode, Meagan Metzger and Meg Vorland, to unpack the reality behind defense innovation, acquisition reform, and the flow of capital into the sector. Dcode operates at a unique intersection—working withstartups, investors, and the Pentagon—giving them a rare, inside-out view of how the system really works. We break down why most acquisition reform efforts fallshort, whether recent policy changes are hitting the right targets, and what conventional wisdom in defense innovation is simply wrong. If you’re trying to understand how defense actually getsbuilt, funded, and fielded—this is the inside baseball. Links • Sign up for the newsletter! • Support us on Patreon! • Dcode website • Dcode Capital portfolio • Dcode LinkedIn • Meagan Metzger LinkedIn • Meg Vorland LinkedIn • CTRL + ALT + DEFENSE podcast ----
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00:00 00:44 intro 01:19 Dcode origin story 04:55 founders, funders, and fighters 09:27 acquisition reform 12:32 risk vs the no-monster 15:58 buying speed vs rigor 16:44 contracting officer shortage 17:55 bigger worse contracts 21:04 defense catalyst 21:57 leadership and training 23:05 the bigger picture 25:33 budget line-item consolidation 28:16 pass a budget 30:41 investing in companies 36:05 misconceptions 38:28 colors and fallout 39:33 conflicts of interest 41:03 RAIC 41:30 300 42:12 pilot programs 46:42 fielding 47:29 magic wand 48:49 crystal ball 50:19 outro | |||
| E57 – The War on Bad Software (Defense Unicorns) | 28 Mar 2026 | 00:42:21 | |
All modern hardware depends on good software, but in theU.S. military, most software sucks. Rob Slaughter, co-founder and CEO of Defense Unicorns, joins the show to unpack why this is happening and what they are doing to fix it. We dive into the rise of “software as a weapon system,” therole of open-source software in national security, and how Defense Unicorns is building an air-gapped, platform-agnostic software delivery model designed for real-world military environments. This episode is a must for anyone in defense. You’ll learn a ton about software—we guarantee!
Links • Sign up for the newsletter! • Support us on Patreon! • Rob LinkedIn • Defense Unicorns website • Defense Unicorns LinkedIn • Defense Unicorns X • Defense Unicorns YouTube ----
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00:00 00:43 intro 01:09 Defense Unicorns name 04:28 origin story 06:38 the 3 I's 08:46 software sustainment burden 09:13 wrong incentive structure 12:31 software as a weapon system 14:39 rising tech debt 16:18 open source 18:46 open is more secure? 20:43 SBOM 22:24 solutions 23:05 fighter jet software updates 24:43 submarine software 25:52 UDS 27:05 disconnected software 28:34 Chinese software underneath US systems 30:48 competition 33:43 crystal ball 35:15 $136M fundraise 37:56 magic wand - fixed price contracts 40:14 McDonald's ice cream
#AI #Technology #Tech #Innovation #Cybersecurity #youtube #Military #DefenseTech #MilitaryTech #Startup #Software #Business | |||
| E56 – The Fury Origin Story | 01 Feb 2026 | 00:53:59 | |
This is the untold origin story of the Fury CollaborativeCombat Aircraft (CCA), as told by those who lived it. Scott Bledsoe and Joe Murray join Mike to talk about Fury’s very beginning—way back to 2016. Now known as Anduril’s YFQ-44, Fury originated as an SBIR project from Blue Force Technologies and may go on to become a poster child of SBIR success stories. But it’s not all good news. The experience—and the decision to sell to Anduril—motivated Scott and Joe to start a new type of investment fund called the DoD Accelerator. DoD Accelerator bridges the gap between venture capital and private equity, addressing the ‘funding valley of death’ they faced and the factors that led to the decision to sell their company—and Fury—to Anduril. This is packed with never-before-revealed details and serves as the backdrop for a broader conversation about the realities of having a company in the defense industry.
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00:00 00:26 intro 01:50 Scott and Joe 07:21 DoD Accelerator 09:51 Fury origin story 11:24 SBIR 16:28 the high-low mix 17:11 writing to understand 18:29 F-117 19:04 no part 3 19:41 red air use-case 24:29 Bandit and ADAIR-UX 25:10 funding and the valley of death 28:04 the capital void 31:11 programs consolidate 32:28 Anduril acquisition 33:37 the small business divide 34:14 DoD Accelerator fit 36:12 Baxter Aerospace example 41:19 the cheat code 44:26 crystal ball 45:17 the prime cartel? 46:32 magic wand - IR&D policy change 49:10 policy hurts start-ups 52:51 DoD Accelerator focus areas | |||
| E55 – Christine Fox: the REAL Charlie | 18 Jan 2026 | 00:41:33 | |
There is a strange set of organizations that live betweenindustry and government called Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) and University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs). They play an important—but largely misunderstood role—in national security. What better way to understand it all than with a guest who’sone of the most famous pop-culture examples: Christine Fox. She was the real person who was portrayed as ‘Charlie’,Maverick’s civilian love interest, in Top Gun! She spent 40+ years working as an analyst in UARCs and a civilian leader at the Pentagon, culminating in serving as the acting Deputy Secretary of Defense. Today, she continues to serve as a Fellow at Johns HopkinsUniversity’s Applied Physics Lab (JHU APL), which is the nation’s largest UARC. This interview has a ton of inside baseball that you won’t find anywhere else!
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---- Follow us on... • X ---- 00:00 intro 00:35 Top Gun 01:33 Christine Fox 02:53 origin of FFRFC & UARC 05:36 access to classified info 08:30 tech transfer 11:33 independence 14:42 threat analysis story 16:35 misunderstandings 20:29 software and competition 24:32 fix the gray 27:11 what if they disappear? 27:39 Navy Red Sea support 28:29 hypersonics 30:08 Golden Dome 31:01 whole of nation approach 38:20 2026 resolutions 39:42 closing remarks | |||
| E54 – Pryzm: AI to understand the Pentagon | 14 Dec 2025 | 00:55:57 | |
Mike sits down with Matt Hawkins and Nick LaRovere,co-founders of Pryzm. Pryzm is building an Operating System for defense innovation—software that uses AI to generate capture intel to make sense of Pentagon budgets, Congressional legislation, program offices, and much more. It’s AI to understand the Pentagon. They help connect the dots between missions, markets, andpeople to power the future of national security.
Links • Sign up for the newsletter! • Support us on Patreon! • Pryzm homepage https://pryzm.io
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00:00 01:43 intro 02:30 origin story 05:57 disclosure 07:07 2 PMs 08:47 Air Force tanker program 21:47 Golden Dome 28:12 sales vs business development 33:04 proactive vs reactive 34:59 intel to flip the script 37:56 a bubble? 41:18 flat toplines 43:05 requested vs executed 46:38 fundraise 48:27 DIU project 50:58 2026 outlook 55:29 outro | |||
| E53 – The Fighter Pilot Spirit | 10 Dec 2025 | 00:58:27 | |
Chris "Snooze" Kurek, Rob “Trip” Raymond, and Erik“EZ” Brine chat with Mike “Pako” Benitez on all things fighter pilot culture—toast, roast, and lore. Better known as Dos Gringos, Snooze, and Trip put out 4albums of fighter pilot songs that are famous (and infamous) in squadrons around the world. EZ joined the duo to form Operation Encore in 2012, a non-profit that helps veterans get their music into the world. We dig into a century of fighter pilot history and traditions, from the origins of Dos Gringos, the squadron culture, roll call,Jermiah Weed, the ribbing and roasting, and all the camaraderie associated with military aviation. They recently brought all of that into their latest venture, Winglore Spirits, and are doing it in a unique way that brings you into the fold.
Links • Sign up for the newsletter! • Support us on Patreon! • Winglore Spirits investing • Dos Gringos YouTube channel
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00:00 01:47 Dos Gringos 17:22 Operation Encore 24:03 AI music 27:27 The culture and bar origins 34:27 Jermiah Weed 38:13 Winglore Spirits 42:03 Bogey Dope 43:16 Nickel on the Grass 45:29 Winglore squadron 50:42 the Nellis Club 52:02 Dos Gringos concert? 54:45 outro 55:04 Carlos jumps in 56:23 I wish I had a gun like the A-10 | |||
| E53 – The Fighter Pilot Spirit | 25 Nov 2025 | 00:56:43 | |
Chris "Snooze" Kurek, Rob “Trip” Raymond, and Erik“EZ” Brine chat with Mike “Pako” Benitez on all things fighter pilot culture—toast, roast, and lore. Better known as Dos Gringos, Snooze and Trip put out 4 albums of fighter pilot songs that are famous (and infamous) in squadrons around the world. EZ joined the duo to form Operation Encore in 2012, a non-profit that helps veterans get their music into the world. We dig into a century of fighter pilot history and traditions, from the origins of Dos Gringos, the squadron culture, roll call, Jermiah Weed, the ribbing and roasting, and all the camaraderie associated with military aviation. They recently brought all of that into their latest venture, Winglore Spirits, and are doing it in a unique way that brings you into the fold.
Links • Sign up for the newsletter! • Support us on Patreon! • Winglore Spirits investing • Dos Gringos YouTube channel
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00:00 01:47 Dos Gringos 17:22 Operation Encore 24:03 AI music 27:27 The culture and bar origins 34:27 Jermiah Weed 38:13 Winglore Spirits 42:03 Bogey Dope 43:16 Nickel on the Grass 45:29 Winglore squadron 50:42 the Nellis Club 52:02 Dos Gringos concert? 54:45 outro 55:04 Carlos jumps in 56:23 I wish I had a gun like the A-10 | |||
| E52 – Top Secret Offices | 25 Oct 2025 | 00:51:53 | |
Nooks co-founder and CEO Sean Blackman spills all thesecrets about what it takes to do classified business with the Pentagon. Nooks is a venture-backed startup founded in 2021 to solve amassive pain point: access to classified offices and networks to perform sensitive national security work. Nooks is attacking the problem in an innovative way called Classified-Infrastructure-as-a-Service (CIaaS), which is a subscription access to a nationwide network of classifiedworkspaces and IT. If you are in the defense industry—or even thinking about it—and there is even a sliver of a chance you will touch classified work, this episode is everything you need to know.
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00:00 00:46 intro 01:49 Nooks 02:52 origin story 09:49 name and logo 12:30 locations and spaces 13:30 location and the real value unlock 17:57 COVID 19:20 fractional labs 20:06 fundraising for a weird company 22:01 information disadvantage 23:33 myth of hiring security clearances 30:00 SCIF 34:09 mobile SCIF 39:23 touchpoints and impact 42:13 security in shared spaces 46:48 the real impact 47:36 magic wand - crystal ball 49:50 make the problem go away secrets, top secret, military, technology, tech, defense, national security, air force, navy, army, marine corps, usmc | |||
| E51 – Red 6 and the Military Metaverse | 05 Oct 2025 | 00:58:01 | |
Red 6 CEO and co-founder Dan Robinson discusses augmented reality for pilots, the military metaverse, and the future of high-end training and tactics development. Red 6 was founded in 2018 around a revolutionary approach to military flight training called ATARS—the Advanced Tactical Augmented Reality System—that creates virtual outdoor worlds to deliver threat-relevant,near-peer-level training scenarios. It’s much more than an augmented reality helmet—it's rethinking the entire pilot training and readiness experience.
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00:00 00:42 intro 01:41 origin story 05:22 thesis of Red 6 06:17 co-founder meeting 10:43 lack of adversaries to train against 16:03 realism that gets missed 17:58 surface threats 21:03 progress and iteration 25:25 all of the technical challenges 27:20 suspension of disbelief 30:37 replacing helmet-mounted cueing 32:09 Enders Game 34:18 the Red 6 name 35:59 UK Royal Air Force 38:33 manned + unmanned 45:08 validating tactics and training 51:34 quality vs quantity training 54:30 the technology is coming 55:21 flying 56:43 the chief morale officer | |||
| E50 – JDAM: the GPS-Guided Bomb | 14 Sep 2025 | 00:47:09 | |
Mike sits down with Steve “Wingie” Wingfield to discuss the Joint Direct Attack Munition, aka the JDAM—the world’s first operational GPS-aided bomb. Wingie played a big role in the Air Force, doing weaponsflight testing and requirements writing, then went on to have another career at Boeing working on JDAM and other weapons. He’s one of the few people who got to see the entire storyarc, from the pain points in Desert Storm that started the whole thing, to other evolutions like Laser JDAM and extended range JDAM, and how those programscame to be. If you want a rare inside look at how one of the most successful acquisition programs in the past 30 years happened, this episode is for you.
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00:00 01:02 intro 05:43 JDAM name origin 06:56 accuracy spec origin 10:43 Desert Storm McPeak Memo 11:16 GAM before JDAM 12:29 Kosovo combat debut 14:39 40k for 40k competition 17:44 JDAM adoption 22:50 production feast & famine 25:19 9/11 demand signal 26:33 surging with standards 28:43 Iraqi Freedom GPS jamming 29:53 Laser JDAM origins 33:38 the impact 36:01 hitting moving targets 37:54 106 mph! 39:39 MOP 41:33 JDAM-ER 41:47 Ukraine 42:53 integration and modularity 43:41 aerial mining 46:22 outro
#military #airforce #navy #aviation #tech #technology #JDAM #boeing #GPS #defense #desert storm #iraq #syria #afghanistan #miltech #engineering #USA #security | |||
| E49 – Ursa Major Solid Rocket Motors | 31 Aug 2025 | 00:31:01 | |
In this episode, Mike sits down with Dan Jablonsky, CEO ofUrsa Major, to discuss solid rocket motors and how Ursa Major is doing it differently. Once dominated by just two suppliers, America’s SRM propulsion base has been stretched thin—leaving gaps exposed by today’s conflicts. Dan explains how Ursa Major is tackling that challenge withmodular production, 3D printing, Highly Loaded Grain propellants, and advanced manufacturing using what they’ve learned from their liquid motor product lines. We also talk about the big picture: hypersonics, cruisemissiles, and upcoming programs with RTX (Raytheon), the U.S. Navy (SM-2, SM-3, SM-6), the Army, and Stratolaunch. If you want to understand why missile production is one of the biggest defense challenges of our time—and how new entrants like Ursa Major are building solutions—this episode is for you.
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00:00 00:42 intro 01:04 Ursa Major 02:22 company name 03:48 getting into the SRM business 05:29 SRM industrial base 07:15 doing SRMs differently 09:14 SRM 101 12:07 Highly Loaded Grain 13:08 increasing missile range 15:34 rapid development 16:44 scale with safety 22:25 rapidly adapting SRMs to the threat 23:03 3D printing everything? 24:59 hypersonic motors 27:20 missiles in space 27:47 affordable mass 29:14 outro | |||
| The Future of Air Warfare: Offensive Electronic Attack (Sponsored) | 13 Jul 2025 | 00:25:50 | |
Electronic warfare is a crucial element of armed conflict involving controlling and protecting the electromagnetic spectrum, which is vital for communication, navigation, and target identification. EW also permits the disruption and denial of adversaries' use of the spectrum, hindering their ability to operate effectively. Benjamin “Chuck” Angus, Director of Business Development in Naval Power at Raytheon, a business of RTX, joins us this week to discuss Raytheon's involvement in EW, specifically offensive electronic attack, with its NextGeneration Jammer—an advanced electronic attack system that denies, disrupts, and degrades enemy technology, including communication tools and air-defense systems. | |||
| E48 – Golden Dome, DIU, and the Innovation Reckoning | 22 Jun 2025 | 00:54:04 | |
In this episode, Mike and Jake catch up on defense techhappenings.
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00:36 intro 03:31 defense tech investing 17:25 Anduril & Golden Dome 18:13 Golden Dome 25:51 frequency auctioning 28:12 Ukraine forcing a US reckoning 34:27 DIU criticism 42:24 the 4th offset? 46:39 Sun Tzu terrain 47:45 the torpedo 50:05 Ukraine drones and Israeli pagers | |||
| The Future of Air Warfare: Modeling & Simulation (Sponsored) | 05 Jun 2025 | 00:30:07 | |
Tomorrow’s fight will be fast, complex, and contested. Victory won’t come from a single platform, weapon, or payload—it will depend on how well everything works together. That’s where modeling and simulation (M&S) matters. This week, Raytheon (an RTX company) joins us to discuss how they are leading the way with Rapid Campaign Analysis and Demonstration Environment (RCADE), a campaign-level M&S capability built to help decision-makers think beyond individual systems and enables them to see the entire operational ecosystem. | |||
| E47 – Cumming's Hellhound | 27 Apr 2025 | 00:38:16 | |
Don’t miss our newsletter!That's where we drop weekly knowledge bombs to help you make sense of defense! In this episode, Mike sits down with Sheila Cummings,founder, president, and CEO of Cummings Aerospace. Cummings Aero started in 2009 supporting the Huntsville,Alabama missile market, but recently decided to launch their own product—the Hellhound. The Hellhound S3 is a man-portable, 3D-printe,d jet-powered kamikaze drone...and we have the FIRST-PUBLIC views of the actual drone—audio and video! BREAKING NEWS: Sheila also announced a new variant—theHellhound S4. It’s tube-launched, bigger, better, and even faster than the S3! If you're into military drones, cutting-edge tech, and thestart-up culture of finding ways to help the warfighter—this episode is for you.
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00:00 start 01:18 intro 01:56 origin story 05:03 high speed background 06:34 Hellhound origin story 10:54 introducing the Hellhound 11:27 3D-printed 12:31 finding an engine 13:34 See the Hellhound 21:20 naming the Hellhound 22:39 family of drones 24:38 supersonic variant 29:22 China & Industrialization 32:32 Industrial Mobilization Board 35:47 outro | |||
| The Future of Air Warfare: Radars (Sponsored) | 03 Mar 2025 | 00:38:09 | |
Joe “Grip” Beissner, Director of Requirements and Capabilities for Radio Frequency Solutions at Raytheon, a business of RTX, joins us to discuss the cutting-edge AESA radars Raytheon delivers for our warfighters. | |||
| The Future of Air Warfare: Weapons (Sponsored) | 23 Feb 2025 | 00:22:04 | |
Jon "Stormin" Norman, Vice President of Requirements & Capabilities at Raytheon, a business of RTX, joins us to discuss the cutting-edge air-to-air and -surface weapons and effectors Raytheon delivers for our warfighters. | |||
| E46 – Expendable Tech for F-35 Threat Training | 16 Feb 2025 | 00:53:00 | |
Don’t miss our newsletter! That's where we drop weekly knowledge bombs to help you make sense of defense! In this episode, Mike sits down with Brett “Snappy”Abbamonte, a former Marine Corps F-35 pilot now at Advanced Strategic Insight (ASI) Inc. Snappy is the program manager for ELITE (ExpendableLower-cost Integrated Training Emitter), a compact, cost-effective system designed to mimic high-end surface-to-air missile (SAM) threats. Dive into how this innovative tech is reshaping training,enhancing readiness, and solving a critical warfighter problem—offering a firsthand look at how operators are using ELITE in the field to sharpen their edge. If you're into military training, cutting-edge technology,and boosting warfighter readiness—this episode is a must-listen.
Links • Sign up for the newsletter! • Support us on Patreon! • Mike Benitez on LinkedIn • Brett “Snappy” Abbamonte on LinkedIn • ASI company • ELITE product
---- Follow us on... • X ---- 00:00 start 01:11 intro 03:08 Snappy 04:49 F-35 magnifies a growing problem 07:21 the 3-solution problem 10:31 good-enough solution space 12:12 ELITE 13:51 size and power 15:35 as a target 17:45 customers 20:27 remote controlled 22:00 how to keep it low cost 23:34 creative training 25:09 how the training looks 26:47 RAF Lakenheath 31:19 SBIR experience 38:02 valley of death 38:34 end of year money 40:27 squadron innovation funds 42:14 expendable concept validated 42:50 Marine Corps weapons school example 44:40 expendable allocation 46:14 tools for innovative training 49:30 memory lane 49:45 callsign story 51:40 outro #military #nationaldefense #warfare #nationalsecurity#defense #nationaldefense #tech #technology #defensetech #army #navy #airforce #usmc#innovation #war #strategy #aerospace #china #airpower #f35 #training #readiness #electronicwarfare | |||
| E45 – Operational War w/ John Warden | 17 Jan 2025 | 01:20:19 | |
Don’t miss our newsletter! That's where we drop weekly knowledge bombs to help you make sense of defense! In this episode, Mike interviews retired Air Force Colonel John Warden. John is an Air Force pioneer who shaped how the modern world thinks about warfare—specifically the concepts of the operational level of war, parallel attack, and centers of gravity. He is most noted as the creator of Warden’s Five Rings and the architect of the Gulf War air campaign—but there’s much more than that. We talked about how his thoughts were shaped in Vietnam and the 1980s, how he ended up in the Pentagon, and what series of events led to his framework being used to create Operation Desert Storm. We applied the real lessons from Desert Storm to discuss China, why it’s a strategic threat, and the blind spot in US national security. If you’re into history, strategy, warfare, military tactics, and national security—this episode is for you.
Links • Sign up for the newsletter! • Support us on Patreon! ---- Follow us on... • X ---- Show Notes 01:31 intro 03:31 Vietnam experience 05:56 Vietnam reshaped the Air Force 10:36 post-Vietnam thinking about the Middle East 13:56 command structure in the 1980s 16:14 Bitburg to Georgia to Italy 17:38 the 5 Rings - War College origins 18:13 missing the operational level of war 26:17 Warden's 5 rings 29:36 the other usefulness of the 5 rings 32:13 Checkmate 34:25 Checkmate, 5 Rings, and the Soviet Union 35:20 Fuel and the Fulda Gap 39:37 context for Desert Storm 42:44 Checkmate and Desert Storm 45:34 Checkmate gets into Desert Storm 48:26 the original 3-week plan 54:01 Not learning from Desert Storm? 57:24 today's challenges 58:29 China revelation #1 1:00:44 The Gulf War...on US soil 1:02:41 The US cyber vulnerability 1:06:52 China 2027 2035 2049 1:08:36 homeland defense blindspot 1:09:49 coastal defense 1:11:38 self-deterrence? 1:14:42 global reach global power 1:17:48 commitment to defense 1:18:51 outro #military #nationaldefense #warfare #nationalsecurity #defense #nationaldefense #tech #technology #defensetech #army #navy #airforce #usmc #innovation #war #strategy #aerospace #china #desertstorm #gulfwar #airpower #militaryhistory #militarypower #iraq #middleeast #desertstorm #gulfwar | |||
| E44 – Silent Arrow | 22 Dec 2024 | 00:42:53 | |
Check out our newsletter, where we drop weekly knowledge bombs to help you make sense of defense! In this episode, Mike interviews Chip Yates, founder of Yates Electrospace Corporation. With a background in racing, Chip has made a name for himself by setting numerous world records as a pioneer in electric-powered motorcycles and airplanes. His journey took a strategic turn when he encountered a complex military challenge, leading to the inception of his company. Chip pivoted to defense, launching Silent Arrow—disposable cargo drones deployed from planes like the C-130. These drones must fly dozens—even hundreds—of miles yet be cost-effective enough to be discarded after just a single use. Chip shares his decade-long journey in defense tech, offering insights into affordable, executable innovation in an industry full of giant companies and complex technology.
Links • Sign up for the newsletter! • Support us on Patreon! ---- Follow us on... • X ---- Show Notes 00:50 intro 01:47 Chip's racing background 03:03 company origins 03:41 getting involved in defense tech 04:11 the idea and 1st concept vehicle 06:53 the Smithsonian 08:34 2,000 glider drone 08:48 how Silent Arrow works 10:14 the need for more standoff 12:10 operational evals of prototypes 13:50 crawl walk run 15:03 the Pacific Pivot? 15:52 Airbus partnership 17:26 powered cargo drones 19:29 interesting payloads 20:42 the C-130 of drones 20:59 design and looks 23:10 raising money in defense tech 24:27 more requirement creep 25:37 using a Tesla?! 28:34 timeline for Tesla-launch 29:28 advertising in defense 30:46 2025 expectations 31:26 a super size version 33:50 adaption vs invention 35:36 keeping the cargo intact 38:46 powered version 39:50 advice 40:37 raising money 42:21 outro For those interested in #military #nationaldefense #warfare #nationalsecurity #defense #nationaldefense #tech #technology #defensetech #army #navy #airforce #innovation #aviation #airplanes #aerospace #c130 #cargo #mobility #logistics #supply #resupply #drones #unmanned #drone | |||
| E43 – The Laser-Guided Bomb | 26 Nov 2024 | 00:38:14 | |
Sign up for our newsletter, where we drop weekly knowledge bombs to help you make sense of defense! Speaking of knowledge bombs, Mike hosts Ed Cobleigh to talk about Paveway: the laser-guided bomb. Ed flew 375 combat missions during the Vietnam War in the F-4 Phantom and was one of the first people to drop the Paveway laser-guided bomb in combat. He earned two Distinguished Flying Crosses and went on to attend Fighter Weapons School, where he remained in order to stand up the guided weapons division and teach Paveway LGB employment. Ed’s had a wild life beyond the Air Force and is now an author with 5 books (and counting). This episode covers not just the tech and tactics but also a first-person account of dropping LGBs in combat 56 years ago! ---- Links • Support us on Patreon! ---- Follow us on... • X
---- Show Notes 00:34 intro 01:58 How Ed got to Vietnam 02:31 background of guided bombs 03:35 Paveway history 07:19 Project White Lightning 09:03 the first laser designator 10:19 Dropping the LGBs 12:15 results from the first tests 14:00 training for the first LGB drop 15:04 Zot nickname 17:49 Ed's 2nd tour 20:17 Navy gets Paveway 22:21 teaching LGBs at Nellis 23:45 Red Flag 25:16 Targeting Pods 26:57 Linebacker 1972 27:56 Dragons Jaw Bridge 29:51 Paveway’s legacy 30:46 F-117 and Paveway 32:37 Paveway III 34:29 Paveway lawsuit 35:26 Ed's books 37:45 outro For those interested in #military #nationaldefense #warfare #nationalsecurity #defense #nationaldefense #tech #technology #defensetech #army #navy #airforce #innovation #F4 #vietnam #aviation #airplanes #aerospace | |||
| E42 – B-52 BUFF modernization | 20 Oct 2024 | 00:53:45 | |
Don’t miss our newsletter! That's where we drop weekly knowledge bombs to help you make sense of defense! Mike hosts Col. Joseph Little, callsign “Little Joe,” to discuss how the US Air Force is modernizing the legendary B-52 BUFF to keep it flying into the 2050s—100 years after its first flight. Col Little is a B-52 Weapons Systems Officer, a US Air Force Weapons School graduate, a former test squadron commander, and currently serving as the Detachment 5 Commander of the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center (AFOTEC), where he oversees the B-52J program. The B-52J modernization program is a $48 Billion transformation designed to extend the bomber's life into the 2060s. It includes new engines, advanced cockpits, upgraded radar, and more, making it the most significant overhaul in the aircraft's history. This episode covers not just the tech but also tactics, weapons, historical milestones, and untold war stories. Whether you're a fan of military aviation or interested in strategic operations, this insider’s look at the B-52 is a must-listen! For those interested in #military #nationaldefense #warfare #nationalsecurity #defense #nationaldefense #tech #technology #defensetech #army #navy #airforce #innovation #b52 #BUFF #bomber #aviation #airplanes #aerospace
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---- Show Notes 00:49 intro 03:24 yesterday vs today 04:57 B-52 in 2024 05:17 changing the crew roles 05:53 bombardier wings 06:12 The youngest oldest B-52s 08:04 BUFF origins 08:39 Orange BUFF 10:14 test units 11:13 test lessons from Vietnam 13:32 B-52 modernization 14:40 the B-52J 16:18 radar upgrade 21:15 quad crew concept 23:29 Fox-4 kill 24:30 new engines - why 8? 28:22 fixing the tanker bill 28:46 Iraqi Freedom tankers 30:10 engine nacelle issues 32:20 testing validated the model 33:05 rest of the engine mods 35:10 alert start requirements 36:21 cockpit upgrades 38:15 BUFF legacy - James Earl Jones 39:01 culture and change 42:49 the nuke consideration 43:29 AEHF radio upgrade 44:50 B-52 nose job? 46:54 Story 1 - aerial mining 48:44 Story 2 - CBU-105 combat drop 52:05 brakes? 52:51 outro | |||
| E41 – Firestorm | 15 Sep 2024 | 00:42:08 | |
Don’t miss our newsletter! That's where we drop weekly knowledge bombs to help you make sense of defense! Mike and Jake host Dan Magy, co-founder and CEO of Firestorm. Firestorm’s mission is to democratize the air by re-imaging the way drones are built. They developed a method to 3D-print modular drones at the point of need, using a combination of shipping-container-based factories and localized supply chains. Best of all, the drones themselves are modular—from props to jets, AI to sensors, etc. The conversation went deep into “the why”: how Ukraine led to Firestorm, the real-time changing of the guard on how the Air Force thinks about building a credible force in light of all this, the exciting concept of attritable mass, rapidly innovating via crash-and-learn, and some history to boot. This is an episode you don’t want to miss! For those interested in #military #nationaldefense #warfare #nationalsecurity #defense #nationaldefense #tech #technology #defensetech #army #navy #airforce #innovation #ukraine #drone #drones #battlefield #warfare
Links • Sign up for our amazing newsletter! • Support us on Patreon! ---- Follow us on... • X
---- Show Notes 01:00 intro 01:28 counter-UAS startup 01:59 Ukraine starts Firestorm 03:43 the future is RF-denied 04:43:05 Firestorm name origin 05:22 competing in a crowded drone market 06:39 air superiority in the future 06:49 rapid iteration 07:09 Dan’s LinkedIn 08:16 adversaries are sharing tech and tactics 08:51 battle lab of the world 09:36 the pace of evolution - on LinkedIn 10:22 2-week evolution cycles 12:35 drones as physical decoys 13:28 cardboard drones must be honored 14:02 thermite dropping drones 14:32 keeping pace with battlefield innovation 16:00 Investors growing weary? 17:44 high-low mix 19:43 jet-powered drone 20:17 modular propulsion 20:58 autonomy differentiator 21:52 solving for non-recurring engineering 23:23 product iteration 24:08 crash and learn 25:47 failing fast - cost-effectiveness 26:48 VC investing 28:05 attritable mass 28:15 Ukraine's drone capacity 29:59 expeditionary manufacturing 31:15 localizing supply chains 33:47 attrition, reconstitution, and risk 36:25 attrition and operations 38:19 changing of the guard moment 39:50 personal risk? | |||
| E40 – Air Force Weapons Czar | 25 Aug 2024 | 00:42:00 | |
Don’t miss our newsletter! That's where we drop weekly knowledge bombs to help you make sense of defense! Mike and Jake host Andrew Hunter, the US Air Force’s chief weapons buyer. As the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (ATL), he oversees Air Force research, development and acquisition activities totaling an annual budget in excess of $60 billion for more than 550 acquisition programs. He is the principal adviser to the Secretary of the Air Force and the Air Force Chief of Staff for research and development, test, production and modernization efforts within the Air Force. We talked about how he’s driving acquisition innovation and shaping the Air Force for great power competition. The discussion ranged from the good and bad on specific weapons programs—the B-21 bomber and Sentinel ICBM—negotiating the E-7 Wedgetail deal, workforce development, industry incentive alignment on price vs value, and a ton more. He even shared some new Collaborative Combat Aircraft insights that have not been made public before. This is an episode you don’t want to miss! For those interested in #military #nationaldefense #warfare #nationalsecurity #defense #nationaldefense #tech #technology #defensetech #army #navy #airforce #innovation
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---- Show Notes 00:34 intro 01:07 why a civilian weapons buyer? 02:07 how to keep track of 500+ programs 02:42 PEOs 03:48 the aquisitions perfect storm 06:02 cost plus vs fixed price contracts 08:01 E-7 Wedgetail negotiations 09:46 phone-a-friend negotiator 12:23 B-21 bomber 14:13 B-21 active management 15:47 B-21's unique hybrid contract 19:41 commercial vs defense markets 20:18 maintaining competition in industry 21:15 competition and investing signals 22:32 structuring the market for industry 25:00 government architectures to lower switching costs 27:13 workforce development 29:58 Sentinel ICBM cost over-run 30:07 Nunn-Mccurdy Breach 31:01 too big for 1 company? 33:44 New 'Quickstart' authority 35:58 watching the CCA engineering 36:16 non-traditionals forced to traditional prime? 37:46 Elon Musk for Pentagon processes? 39:10 CCA landing gear development 40:19 what keeps you up at night? 40:36 the pacing challenge 41:17 outro | |||
| E39 – Anduril & General Atomics CCAs | 29 Jun 2024 | 00:43:18 | |
Don’t miss our newsletter! That's where we drop weekly knowledge bombs to help you make sense of defense! Mike hosts an exclusive episode to discuss the Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program with the 2 companies selected to build the first platforms: Anduril and General Atomics. We discuss what the companies have in common and how they both view that as one of their superpowers. We also explore the origins of the CCA program, the origins of the winning vehicle design, how the program structure is a model for innovation and more. Though they won the hardware contracts, both companies have unique software and autonomy insights, so we also discussed software as the enabler and the integration challenges of bringing these ‘loyal wingmen’ into the force. While there was a ton to agree on, they also shared unique and varying perspectives—something that you can only get when you have them in a discussion together. This is an episode you don’t want to miss! For those interested in #military #nationaldefense #warfare #nationalsecurity #defense #nationaldefense #tech #technology #defensetech #army #navy #airforce #sofware #startup #innovation #drones #ai #autonomy #anduril #ga-asi #airplanes #airpower #airsuperority
Links • Sign up for our amazing newsletter! • Support us on Patreon! • Anduril • Diem Salmon - Vice President, Air Dominance and Strike at Anduril • Mike Atwood - Vice President, Advanced Programs at General Atomics ---- Follow us on... • X
---- Show Notes 00:48 CCA intro 02:00 company intros 06:01 why the push for CCAs? 07:26 exploring the CCA space 09:09 origins of the winning designs 10:16 2 for 1 - win win 11:55 software 12:43 the software part is the hardest 14:33 the shift in trust in kill chains 15:01 Skyborg 15:40 trust and blending 16:25 delegation via trust or necessity 17:53 the need to get it into operators hands 18:47 DOTMLPF-P 19:11 teaming 19:44 starting simple 20:29 starting with complexity 22:09 iteration is the pathway 22:55 CCA program structure 26:56 capability efficiency vs resiliency 28:35 groundbreaking challenges 29:04 solving system-level optimization 31:13 culture change 31:36 F-16 Auto GCAS 32:50 MAGIC CARPET 34:14 composites for scale? 38:31 the future 41:27 closing thoughts 42:43 outro | |||
| E38 – Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar: REAL defense innovation | 16 Jun 2024 | 00:54:15 | |
Don’t miss our newsletter! That's where we drop weekly knowledge bombs to help you make sense of defense! Mike and Jake host Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar to talk about software-defined warfare, defense modernization, and all the things we’d change to drive innovation to help the warfighter. Shyam started as employee #13 at 23 and slowly climbed the ranks of the largest and fastest-growing US defense software company. No topic is off limits—including how and why Palantir sued the Army…and won. For a conversation with a software tech executive, we spent most of the time talking about culture, leadership mentalities, history, and structure changes that are as relevant in the Pentagon as they are in any other industry. Of course, no episode would be complete without some lively banter and spicy takes! For those interested in #military #nationaldefense #warfare #nationalsecurity #defense #nationaldefense #tech #technology #defensetech #army #navy #airforce #sofware #startup #leadership #innovation #palantir
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---- Show Notes (00:58) intro (2:07) Shyam early years (02:59) Palantir early days (04:56) security clearance moat (06:43) Palantir's software thesis (07:51) outspoken CTO (09:12) urgency without panic (10:16) WWII ramp to production (11:06) best at software (12:24) suing the Army (18:14) focus on winning (19:14) hard-headed leadership (20:16) the real tragedy of the last supper (21:36) consolidation of opportunities (23:55) F-35 Joint Program Office (24:25) flourishing ideas to deal with uncertainty (25:04) process creates mediocracy (25:24) the power of options (27:01) software-defined warfare (27:16) deductive vs inductive reasoning (27:48) hardware vs software company structures (28:53) The Army’s TITAN program (30:28) when govt left the engineering to industry (33:33) business idea - help 0 to 1 (34:11) multi-vendor ecosystems (36:19) government-provided tools for success (38:10) commercial R&D explosion (38:21) conviction with commercial tech (38:53) military labs (39:34) DJI vs General Atomics (40:07) wild idea - make the primes more valuable (41:47) value vs cost (44:16) the next few years (45:23) kill chains and value chains (46:03) car sensors to tank sensors (46:57) sustainment incentive mismatch (47:58) attacking the sustainment tail (49:04) spicy take (49:15) creating multiple buyers (49:39) multiple program offices competing (49:58) make programs compete with each other (52:12) undeclared state of emergency (52:39) save the shire (53:26) more LOTR geekery (53:51) outro | |||
| E37 – High Power Microwave Weapons | 02 Jun 2024 | 01:09:43 | |
Don’t miss our newsletter! Mike hosts Andy Lowery to dig deep into directed energy weapons—specifically high-power microwave (HPM) systems. Andy is the CEO of Epirus, a venture-backed defense tech startup inverting the cost equation of drone defense and swarm protection. We talk about the tech, how it affects electronics, and how Epirus’ flagship product—Leonidas—is designed with adaptability and scale in mind. Turns out that HPM systems share more in common with an F-35 radar and an EA-18 jammer than a kitchen appliance! The Army is currently in a rapid buy-and-try phase of these counter-UAS (CUAS) systems and is sending them to the Middle East. The systems have a host of other applications, though—the Navy is experimenting with them to disable boat motors, and the Air Force is also interested. This episode is a defense tech episode you don’t want to miss! For those interested in #military #nationaldefense #warfare #nationalsecurity #defense #nationaldefense #tech #technology #defensetech #army #navy #airforce #drone #drones #swarm #HPM #DEW #microwave #directedenergy ---- Links • Sign up for our amazing newsletter! • Support us on Patreon! • Epirus ---- Follow us on... • X (Twitter) • LinkedIn • Website ---- Show Notes (00:47) Intro (01:36) Epirus (02:11) the “prime problem” (02:43) 3 disruptions in modern warfare (07:07) asymmetric advantage and cost imposition (09:57) inverting the equation (11:40) $1 billion in weapons (11:59) Congressional hearing (12:32) microwaves (14:53) name origins (17:04) serial killer vs mass murderer (17:46) Star Trek (18:26) Leonidas (18:46) wicked fast tech development (19:42) speed of technology (20:19) inventory investment (20:29) needs vs requirements (22:02) Andy’s 3 careers (29:19) product vs services (24:32) 80/20 business model (25:08) Thor HPM (25:25) old school HPM (26:03) new way of HPM (26:20) like the next-gen jammer (27:06) like an AESA radar (27:32) GaN-based AESA (30:09) designed to adapt (31:02) how HPM actually works (34:07) like radar jamming techniques (35:13) YouTube video controversy (35:58) copper tape vs HPM myth (37:20) faraday cage concept (38:41) copper tape studies (40:10) a systems approach (41:32) ballistic missile defense (BMD) (41:57) Army IFPC program (43:26) Army base defense charter (43:50) SHORAD (44:21) scenarios (44:48) layers of SHORAD (45:49) Anduril Industries (46:12) layered defense problem (46:41) GWOT killed SHORAD (47:08) Syria and Jordan (47:58) company culture (49:33) government pain points (49:59) export restrictions (50:35) the “MRAP response” way (51:26) 1990 policy blocker (51:56) The FAA (52:03) NOARD issue (52:33) homeland defense issue (53:45) pre-mortem (54:43) team-of-teams approach (56:43) the government’s budgeting problem (58:55) boats! (1:00:00) HPM vs other electronics (1:02:18) airborne HPM? (1:04:06) Epirus, the next few years (1:06:04) factory and scale (1:08:37) outro | |||
| E36 – Revolutionizing Ukraine's Defense Tech Industry | 26 May 2024 | 00:44:03 | |
Don’t miss our newsletter! Mike hosts Perry Boyle to dive into Ukraine’s rapidly developing defense industry. Perry co-founded MITS Capital (Military Innovation Technology Solutions), a US venture that just established the first defense tech accelerator in Ukraine. MITS’ vision is to revolutionize Ukraine’s defense industry by investing in Ukrainian defense tech startups, nurturing and developing the ecosystem, and rapidly maturing and scaling military tech solutions to the front lines. They are raising a $50M fund and just selected the first cohorts for the accelerator. We talk about the industry's ins and outs, compliance and regulatory blockers, the promising upside, Ukraine’s insanely fast innovation cycle, key investing insights, “winning” vs. “losing” the war, investing in peace, and much more. This episode is PACKED with insights, but we still had some fun along the way. You should expect nothing less! For those interested in #military #ukraine #warfare #nationalsecurity #defense #nationaldefense #investing #venture #vc
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---- Show Notes (01:40) Intro (02:27) Y Combinator for Ukraine defense tech (03:10) what is an accelerator? (04:01) what problem is MITS trying to solve (05:28) MITS origin story (09:11) we do read the emails (10:43) MITS first investment (11:32) US companies in Ukraine (11:57) investing in Ukraine (12:54) buy when the cannons are firing (13:40) International support (14:19) the US role (14:31) Defense Innovation Unit (15:58) US defense budget pie (16:23) tech cycle vs. budget cycle (17:21) adaption and iteration in Ukraine (17:52) key investing insight (18:15) tanks (19:30) winning and losing (22:35) relevancy through proximity (23:26) grain and Kevin Bacon (24:22) 1000 to 5 (25:33) virtuous cycle (26:20) like Stanford and Silicon Valley (27:52) red lines and promises (28:51) partners and allies (29:29) fixing corruption (29:57) “new Ukraine” (31:23) MITS vs Brave1 (33:17) Brave1 year 1 metrics (34:47) Ukraine’s $10 Billion investing challenge (39:11) magnets (40:59) investor beware (42:17) investing in the victory (43:10) investing in the peace (43:23) outro | |||
| E35 – US Merchant Marine | 19 May 2024 | 00:42:59 | |
Don’t miss our newsletter! Mike and Jake host Captain John Konrad to talk all things Merchant Marine. We talked about the Merchant Marine Academy, being a merchant mariner, and how they fit into national security. What is the Military Sealift Command thing, and why does it keep confusing the counting of Navy ships? What is the Jones Act, and why is it so political? The US has a ghost fleet of ships staged on both US coasts in case WWIII kicks off—but where are the people? Who were the most famous merchant mariners? What went wrong with the USS Bonhomme Richard fire response? Why is Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge still not cleaned up? Which US military branch is the biggest merchant mariner customer? Hint….its NOT the Navy. Tune in for answers to all of the above—and more! John is the founder and CEO of gCaptain and author of Fire on The Horizon. He is licensed to captain the world's largest ships, has sailed from ports worldwide, and managed billion-dollar offshore construction projects in some of the world's harshest marine environments. This episode is PACKED with intel, but we still had some fun along the way. You should expect nothing less! For those interested in #military #navy #mariner #sealift #warfare #shipping #nationalsecurity #defense #nationaldefense
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Show Notes (01:21) Intro (03:01) larger than aircraft carriers (04:15) Military Sealift Command (05:30) peacetime vs wartime (06:18) WWII merchant mariners (09:54) counting ships (10:58) US-flagged ships (11:25) Captain Phillips (11:48) the shift away from US flags (12:17) 85 of 50,000 ships (13:10) The Jones Act (14:57) railway to nowhere (18:02) where are the people? (20:28) Secretary Pete (21:00) manning crisis (23:59) 3,000 people short (25:56) WWIII (27:46) divested support ships (28:58) USS Cole attack (29:51) USS Bonhomme Richard fire (31:19) Baltimore bridge cleanup (32:33) USNS ship shortages (33:28) no support, no projection (34:26) the Air Force!?! (35:06) the miracle of shipping containers (35:50) Vietnam logistics log jam (37:20) famous merchant mariners (39:30) sea story time! (42:27) outro | |||
| E34 – Drones in Ukraine | 28 Apr 2024 | 00:46:31 | |
Don’t miss our newsletter! Mike hosts Dr. Stacie Pettyjohn to discuss her new report: Evolution Not Revolution, Drone Warfare in Russia’s 2022 Invasion of Ukraine Stacie is a Senior Fellow and Director of the Defense Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). Her expertise includes defense strategy, posture, force planning, the defense budget, airpower, and wargaming. Her current projects focus on the effect of drones on warfare, munitions stockpiles, and nuclear deterrence in a multipolar world. We talked about drone tech, adaption since the 2022 invasion, innovation on both sides of the conflict, and despite all of that—what critical drone technology is still notably absent on the battlefield. This isn’t just about air drones…we chat drone boats too! For those interested in #military #technology #drones #warfare #russia #ukraine #war #nationalsecurity #defense #nationaldefense ---- Links • Sign up for our amazing newsletter! • Support us on Patreon! • Dr. Stacy Pettyjohn (LinkedIn) • CNAS ---- Follow us on... ---- Show Notes (00:41) Intro (03:28) drone report (06:59) 4 bins of drones (08:25) drone changes during the war (10:28) Turkish TB-2 drones (12:02) drones for air superiority? (13:51) drone dogfighting (14:46) the “air littoral” (16:25) coordination altitudes (18:57) evolution in the war (21:16) 50,000 drones per month? (23:37) drones vs. artillery (26:32) wargaming (27:26) battlefield innovations (29:26) why not a revolution? (31:18) where’s the AI? (35:27) drone boats (39:10) new largest air drones (41:48) buying drones for war (44:36) drones as cruise missiles (45:41) outro | |||
| E33 – Keeping up Foreign Relations | 07 Apr 2024 | 01:01:00 | |
Don’t miss our newsletter! Former Australian diplomat John Fowler joins Mike Benitez to discuss what’s happening around the world through the lens of international relations. John is a repeat guest—check out episode 16 to get caught up. In this episode, we discuss China, the South China Sea, the Taiwan elections, Russia in Ukraine, and even cautiously venture a bit into how US domestic politics is muddying the waters with Ukraine aid. Should we even be involved? Why or why not? We look at both sides from a few perspectives you won’t hear anywhere else. We also make a detour into AUKUS, Japan’s rebuilding of its military, and discuss what the real superpower of the US is. John Fowler runs International Intrigue, a daily newsletter written by a team of former diplomats (link below!). It’s packed with great, easy-to-consume content and helps you keep a pulse on what’s happening in the world—and why it matters. For those interested in #military #technology #strategy #diplomacy #china #asia #security #government #nationalsecurity #defense #nationaldefense #russia #ukraine
---- Links • Sign up for our amazing newsletter! • Support us on Patreon! • International Intrigue newsletter ---- Follow us on... ---- Show Notes (01:04) Intro (05:06) China’s economic shifts (08:14) China’s real estate crisis (11:48) Taiwan elections (18:22) South China Sea (19:40) the “9-dash line” (21:30) the Second Thomas Shoal (31:08) coalitions and consensus (34:37) Russia in Ukraine (36:55) Ukraine aid in Congress (41:02) the real superpower of the US (45:06) the risk of hedging (46:21) AUKUS, Japan, and China (53:54) good for Russia, good for China (55:11) China using history as a weapon (58:02) outro | |||
| E32 – Lowdown 3.26.24 | 26 Mar 2024 | 00:12:02 | |
Our lowdown of the week's military tech happenings. We release these in between our more in-depth discussions to keep our audience up to speed. Don’t miss our newsletter! Support us on Patreon! ---- Follow us on... | |||
| E31 – The plan to fix the US military's industrial base | 03 Mar 2024 | 01:01:06 | |
Don’t miss our newsletter! Mike and Jake host Dr. Christine (Chris) Michienzi, supply chain expert and former senior Pentagon executive, on the US government’s recently released National Defense Industrial Strategy—plan to revive its fragile defense industrial base. With 30 years of experience in this sector, she was recently the Chief Technology Officer for the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy and the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition & Sustainment. Chris knows all the ins and outs of the woes of the industrial base—she saw the issues first-hand when she led the Pentagon’s efforts to surge munition production lines to support Ukraine after Russia’s 2022 invasion. Hear just how big the problem is—and how it’s WAY harder to fix than it may sound. For those interested in #defense #military #business #technology #nationalsecurity #industry #supplychains #logistics ---- Links! • Sign up for our amazing newsletter! • Support us on Patreon! • 2023 National Defense Industrial Strategy ---- Follow us on... ---- Show Notes (01:27) Intro (02:36) investing supply chains (6:26) CTO of the supply chain office (8:11) what is the Defense Industrial Base? (9:52) the 2023 NDIS (17:16) efficiency vs resiliency (23:40) don’t compare this to WWII (26:52) multi-year buy authorities (30:28) reverse engineering obsolete parts (31:40) ball bearings (33:28) incentivize companies? (35:05) the investor side of the equation (37:10) solid rocket motors (40:15) what does success look like? (42:10) the F-35 magnet story (44:03) how supply chain visibility doesn’t work (45:58) Chinse brushless motors (48:31) COVID-19 raised supply chain awareness (49:31) crystal ball of badness (51:33) isolation the solution? (54:11) magic wand for Chris (56:21) metrics for success (59:30) outro | |||
| E30 – Lowdown 2.20.24 | 20 Feb 2024 | 00:11:37 | |
Our lowdown of the week's military tech happenings. Don’t miss our newsletter! Support us on Patreon! mandatoryfunday IG post we refer to at the end ---- Follow us on... | |||
| E29 – Inside Look on Selling Tech to the Pentagon | 11 Feb 2024 | 01:01:49 | |
Don’t miss our newsletter! Mike and Jake host John Ferry to discuss the ins & outs and the highs & lows of trying to sell tech to the Pentagon, and the US government—how it really works. Warning: We had a ton of fun—maybe a bit too much. This episode is full of spicy takes and unvarnished thoughts and opinions based on 15+ years of experience and scar tissue. Hang on for a ride deep down the rabbit hole of govcon and fedtech nerdiness, but we make it out ok at the end—discussing the next AI vs. AI front. For those interested in #defense #military #business #technology #nationalsecurity ---- Links • Sign up for our amazing newsletter! • Support us on Patreon! ---- Follow us on... ---- Show Notes (01:10) John Ferry (08:30) coming out of the shell (10:52) selected not funded (wtf!) (11:22) confessions of a SBIR scorer (14:06) GovCon Merit Badges (17:57) SBIR “consultants” (19:50) SBIR mills (21:56) founder horror story (26:05) John’s creative process (29:48) PowerPoint Ranger (32:43) change the industry vs change yourself (34:17) the same, but also never easier (43:38) play the game, roll the dice (44:50) pump those numbers up! (cost plus) (46:06) recent fixed-price pushback (50:42) using AI to write government proposals (54:57) AI vs AI proposal writing/scoring (1:00:10) outro | |||
| E28 – Lowdown 2.8.24 | 08 Feb 2024 | 00:11:56 | |
Our lowdown of the week's military tech happenings. Don’t miss our newsletter! Support us on Patreon! ---- Follow us on... | |||
| E27 – Lowdown 1.30.24 | 30 Jan 2024 | 00:13:27 | |
Our lowdown of the week's military tech happenings. Don’t miss our newsletter! Support us on Patreon! ---- Follow us on... | |||
| E26 – Lowdown 1.23.24 | 23 Jan 2024 | 00:11:31 | |
Our lowdown of the week's military tech happenings. Don’t miss our newsletter! Support us on Patreon! ---- Follow us on... | |||
| E25 – Ground-Launched AIM-120s! | 22 Jan 2024 | 01:12:03 | |
In the latest episode of The Merge Podcast, Mike sat down with Joe DeAntona, Raytheon vice president, Requirements & Capabilities, Land & Air Defense Systems, to discuss the NASAMS (National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System) a product that re-purposes AIM-120 and AIM-9X missiles for air defense. They cover various topics, including the system's capabilities, its deployment in different countries, its success in combat situations (including Ukraine), and its potential applications. They also talk about system flexibility, collaboration with partners like Kongsberg, recent developments, and a demo conducted to enhance the system's capabilities, especially in countering cruise missiles.
Show notes: ● Introducing Mike [01:05] ● Joe’s background [03:30] ● Overview of NASAMS and its capabilities [04:29] ● The key part of NASAMS [06:39] ● Different generations of NASAMS, and where it is in the U.S. military [11:13] ● The key elements of NASAMS [19:45] ● Discussion on ground-based air missiles [23:20] ● Raytheon’s history, and the IRAD project [33:13] ● NASAMS’ successful demonstration supported by the U.S. Air Force [38:00] ● Discussion on radars [41:57] ● NASAMS involvement in the IFPC [48:00] ● NASAMS' combat success and its deployment in Ukraine [54:53] ● On developing a counter cruise missile solution [01:05:18]
Links: ● Sign up for our newsletter ● Support us on Patreon ● Mike Benitez (LinkedIn)
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| E24 – Lowdown 1.16.24 | 16 Jan 2024 | 00:06:36 | |
Our lowdown of the week's military tech happenings. Don’t miss our newsletter! Support us on Patreon! ---- Follow us on... | |||
| E23 – Lowdown 1.9.24 | 09 Jan 2024 | 00:10:10 | |
Our lowdown of the week's military tech happenings. Don’t miss our newsletter! Support us on Patreon! ---- Follow us on... | |||
| E22 – The legend that reshaped the 1990s military tech industry | 07 Jan 2024 | 01:38:20 | |
Don’t miss our newsletter! Mike and Jake host defense industry legend Norm Augustine in a rare interview! He started as an aeronautical engineer in the 1950s and rose to become the first CEO of Lockheed Martin, before leaving it all. He lived through the 1980s defense industry heyday, wrote a hilarious book called ‘Augustine’s Laws ’ and led the industry through a massive consolidation in the early 1990s after the infamous ‘Last Supper.’ This is a first-hand account of how it all went down—he was in the room when it happened. Norm shares his professional experiences and some amazing personal stories—like how he almost bought Northrop Grumman. This is an interview you don’t want to miss. If you need any more reasons to listen, his resume and achievements are so incredible they sound made up: - Co-founded In-Q-Tel, the venture capital arm of the CIA - Chairman of the Red Cross - President of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics - President of the Boy Scouts of America - Chairman of the Aerospace Industries Association - President and Chairman of the Association of the United States Army - Chairman of the National Academy of Engineering - Served 16 years on the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology - traveled to 130 countries - holds 34 honorary degrees - received dozens of accolades, including the Pentagon’s highest civilian decoration, the Distinguished Civilian Service Award---FIVE TIMES. For those interested in #defense #military #business leadership ---- Links • Sign up for our amazing newsletter! • Support us on Patreon! ---- Follow us on... ---- Show Notes (01:06) intro (03:48) 1950’s at Boeing & Douglas (04:59) Sputnik (05:45) becoming Under Secretary of the Army (08:59) working for Robert McNamara (14:24) Martin Marietta (15:47) Space shuttle story (22:23) 1980’s defense industry hey day (23:49) $600 roll of tape (29:25) Augustine’s Laws (40:04) The Last Supper (51:04) The industry consolidates in the 1990s (54:17) The ramifications today (1:02:12) How Norm became CEO of Lockheed Martin (1:05:34) Norm almost bought Northrop Grumman? (1:13:41) How Lockheed Martin got its name (1:16:16) the lawsuit (1:20:32) Why Norm left the defense industry (1:25:12) Norm’s passion now (1:26:18) 2 life-changing encounters (1:29:21) A call from the CIA leads to creating In-Q-Tel (1:36:44) outro | |||
| E21 – Leading the Blue Angels & Thunderbirds (replay) | 17 Dec 2023 | 01:16:01 | |
Sign up for our amazing newsletter! As the year comes to a close, enjoy (or re-enjoy) one of our favorite episodes of 2023. Mike "Pako" Benitez joins forces with John “Rain” Waters to co-host a first-of-its-kind interview with the Commander of the Air Force Thunderbirds AND the Executive Officer of the Navy Blue Angels. We go behind the scenes with both teams to learn about leadership, flying, teamwork in a way you’ve never heard before. It’s an epic discussion not to be missed! For those interested in #military #leadership #teamwork #flying ---- Links • Sign up for our amazing newsletter! • Support us on Patreon! ---- Follow us on... ---- Show Notes (01:20) intro (2:45) icebreaker (10:06) sitting in the same room (12:53) learning from each other (13:55) T-birds rough period (14:47) sometimes you can see culture (15:40) cultural waves in the two teams (16:36) the T-birds T-38 cultural era (19:02) President Carter’s Crisis of Confidence (26:02) Blue’s “glad to be here” culture (27:59) how tough is the flying? (29:44) there is no off-season (33:37) team dynamics of an exemplar squadron (35:08) The T-birds’ hangar (36:27) contagious culture of excellence (36:42) Agile Combat Employment (37:27) Blue Angels' hangar (39:57) how they travel (43:28) authority and trust are key (45:19) Fat Albert (46:12) Van Halen M&Ms (47:15) they’ve never canceled due to maintenance (48:47) Angels on arrival (50:01) debrief culture (50:52) Fat Albert JATO (52:18) Top Gun Maverick (54:10) new Super Hornets (57:30) T-Birds’ tricks to flying that good (1:03:00) Angels’ tricks to flying that good (1:04:43) counting feathers (1:06:17) aiming to crash (1:07:57) most memorable experience on the teams (1:08:59) Chris Darnell (1:14:12) outro | |||
| E20 – Canada’s Air Force Crisis | 26 Nov 2023 | 00:58:37 | |
Don’t miss our newsletter! Mike hosts Billy Flynn to discuss everything you need to hear about the Royal Canadian Air Force. All is not right in Canada; their Air Force has atrophied in several key areas. What happened? Why are the fighter pilots quitting? Can they still contribute to NATO? Is it too late to fix it? Tune in for answers! For those interested in #military #technology #strategy #airforce #NATO ---- Links • Sign up for our amazing newsletter! • Support us on Patreon! Billy Flynn •• website •• X (Twitter) ---- Follow the Merge! ---- Show Notes (01:29) intro (07:48) the Royal Canadian Air Force (08:45) how Canada got F-18s (17:54) NORAD and Canada (21:40) why Canada matters to US defense (24:27) the RCAF’s key maritime mission (32:50) Canada’s F-35 debacle (44:33) losing the fighter pilot (52:25) how to fix the RCAF? (56:48) outro | |||
| E19 – Seagliders: The Next Innovation in Mobility | 12 Nov 2023 | 00:41:05 | |
Don’t miss our newsletter! Mike and Jake host REGENT Co-founder & CEO Billy Thalheimer to discuss Wing-In-Ground-effect (WIG) vehicles. Why do they refer to them as seagliders? What is the science and technology that makes them work? Why is there no pilot? Why is the Marine Corps is interested? Tune in for answers! For those interested in #military #technology #strategy #innovation #business #transportion ---- Links • Sign up our amazing newsletter! • Support us on Patreon! ---- Follow us on... ---- Show Notes (01:12) intro (03:11) What are WIGs (07:43) Flown by a captain? (10:52) full scale mockup (14:30) $60M Series A fundraise (16:35) Marine Corps application (22:03) electric vehicles in a Pacific fight? (24:30) building a strong board of advisors (25:57) certification and safety (31:10) scale (34:30) dual-use development (36:14) Coast Guard interest? (37:26) Why Rhode Island? (40:15) outro | |||
| E18 – NEWS: Israel, Congress, $1B defense tech bet, & more | 29 Oct 2023 | 01:10:00 | |
Sign up for our newsletter! Mike, Jake, and Tim reunite to discuss the latest defense-related news and happenings: Israel at war, Congress elects a Speaker, growing support for the $1B tech hedge against China, and how innovation really works. For those interested in #military #technology #strategy #china #israel #innovation ---- Links • Sign up for the Merge’s amazing newsletter! • Support us on Patreon!
---- Follow us on... ---- Show Notes (00:40 ) intro (01:37) Israel/Gaza War (33:07) Congress – the House gets a new Speaker (44:30) the $1B defense tech hedge (51:49) how innovation happens (59:36) Air Force STRATFI-TACFI (1:09:08) outro | |||