Russia’s ambitions extend far beyond Ukraine.

In this episode, we’re joined by two experts with deep regional and strategic insight: former Army intelligence officer Matt Tavares, and Anna Borshchevskaya, Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute and author of Putin’s War in Syria.We unpack how Russia uses frozen conflicts as long-term leverage, why much of the Global South rejects the Western narrative on Ukraine, and what’s next for Russian arms exports. The conversation also explores Putin’s worldview, the limits of Western sanctions, and the future of Syria post-Assad.If you care about how great powers actually operate outside of public view, this episode is for you.

⸻Article: https://jstribune.com/borshchevskaya-tavares-russias-defense-ties-in-the-middle-east/Matt Tavares: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-tavares/Anna Borshchevskaya: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaborshchevskaya/---Links to the show:https://www.youtube.com/@thedroneultimatumhttps://open.spotify.com/show/3F1sc8yzQIF9WcdHQ3w7kf?si=3af8082184104062https://thedroneultimatum.substack.com/https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541https://www.instagram.com/thedroneultimatum/https://x.com/droneultimatumhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/the-drone-ultimatum?trk=public_post_feed-actor-nameFollow Steve:⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevensimoni/https://x.com/StevenSimoni⁠https://www.allencontrolsystems.com/

Andrew Peterson is the co-founder and CEO of Array Labs, a startup building 3D imaging radar satellites to compete with billion-dollar airborne ISR platforms at a fraction of the cost. In this episode, Andrew breaks down why government customers don’t just want imagery—they want hardware—and how selling into the defense ecosystem really works.We dig into the startup journey, the realities of firm fixed-price contracts vs. cost-plus, and what it takes to build scalable space systems that the Pentagon actually wants to buy. Andrew also shares candid lessons from founding the company, fundraising, and navigating the misunderstood world of defense innovation.Whether you’re deep in dual-use or just SAR-curious, this one’s packed with hard-won insights.Andrew Peterson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-peterson-array-labs/Array Labs: https://www.arraylabs.io/Links to the show:https://www.youtube.com/@thedroneultimatumhttps://open.spotify.com/show/3F1sc8yzQIF9WcdHQ3w7kf?si=3af8082184104062https://thedroneultimatum.substack.com/https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541https://www.instagram.com/thedroneultimatum/https://x.com/droneultimatumhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/the-drone-ultimatum?trk=public_post_feed-actor-nameFollow Steve:

⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevensimoni/https://x.com/StevenSimoni⁠https://www.allencontrolsystems.com/

Venture capitalist and Anomaly Fund founder Patrick Blumenthal joins the pod to talk frontier tech, reindustrialization, and the future of defense.

(0:00) - Intro

(0:52) - Defense Spending and Threats from China

(2:18) - Patrick Blumenthal and the Anomaly Fund

(4:21) - Defense-Focused Venture Investing

(10:24) - Pulsar L and Counter-Drone Innovation

(13:01) - Fiber-Optic Drone Tactics on the Frontline

(17:22) - Ukraine’s Military-Driven Startup Culture

(20:02) - FPV Drone Proliferation and Manufacturing

(26:10) - North Korean Labor in Russia and Info Ops

(28:18) - Manpower Limits and Evolving Russian Tactics

(31:16) - Reconnaissance-Strike Complex Doctrine

(34:06) - Deep Strikes and Ukrainian Drone Capabilities

(39:36) - The Ukrainian Defense Tech Ecosystem

(42:07) - Chinese Supply Chains and Semiconductor Risks

(47:10) - Domestic Reindustrialization and Defense Supply Chains

(50:00) - SMRs and the Politics of Nuclear Investment

(57:36) - U.S. Bureaucracy and Defense Delivery Failures

(1:00:19) - Defense Startups and Former Military Talent

(1:05:45) - Power Generation and Strategic Infrastructure

(1:14:35) - Deterrence, Cold War Logic, and the Role of Industry

(1:18:01) - Closing Thoughts

From meme-driven funding to man-portable EW systems like the Pulsar L, this episode is a deep dive into where warfighting and innovation intersect.

Patrick shares firsthand insights from Ukraine’s decentralized drone factories, discusses U.S. industrial base gaps, and breaks down why America remain unprepared for China despite massive defense budgets.

We cover drones, fiber optic warfare, SMRs, counter-UAS trends, and more.

Follow Pat on X: https://x.com/PatrickJBlum

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#podcast #defensetech #drones #startups #venturecapital #govcon #counteruas #ukrainewar #reindustrialization #militaryinnovation #frontiertechnology #pulsarl #fiberopticdrones #spaceinnovation #founderinsights #anomalyfund #airdefense #EW #miltech #TSMC #china

Government contracting, but with zero fluff.

In this episode, we sit down with Travis James—former Army contracting officer and now Head of Contracts at Fortera—for a brutally practical breakdown of how to actually win defense contracts.

From underused authorities like 10 USC 4023 to what really happens behind the scenes with sole source justifications, Travis gives founders the roadmap most never get. We also talk autonomous vehicles, program of record dynamics, price vs. performance tradeoffs, and how venture-backed companies can play offense inside the slow-moving machine.

(0:00 - Intro

(1:12) - From Army Contracting Officer to Defense Startup

(3:46) - How Government Contracting Actually Works

(5:27) - Understanding 10 USC 4022, 4023, 4025

(8:19) - Leaving Government for Fortera

(10:12) - Inside Fortera’s $93M Autonomous Breaching Contract

(13:22) - How Defense Demos and Competitions Really Work

(15:57) - Price vs. Performance in Government Contracting

(18:33) - Program of Record and the Future of Ground Autonomy

(20:21) - Selling to the Government as a Venture-Backed Startup

(23:13) - Sole Source Contracts and Acquisition Flexibility

(26:17) - Role of Dr. Matthew Willis in DoD Awards

(29:31) - How to Win With the Right Acquisition Path

(31:44) - Lessons From the CROWS Program

(34:41) - Retrofitting Autonomy on Legacy Vehicles

(36:58) - Planning for Conflict in the Pacific

(40:06) - Dual-Use and Fortera's Commercial Autonomy Business

(43:39) - Weaponizing Robots and the Case for Autonomy

(47:19) - Nuclear Deterrence and Existential Risk

(50:44) - Sci-Fi, Pop Culture, and Fallout Scenarios

(53:18) - China’s Robotic Systems and Resource Warfare

(55:36) - Why Autonomy Solves the Military Recruiting Crisis

(57:13) - Positioning Fortera as an Autonomy Prime

(59:42) - Congressional Engagement and Reforming 4023

(1:01:23) - Outro

Follow Travis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travistjames/

Check out Forterra: https://www.forterra.com/

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Check out Allen Control Systems (ACS): https://www.allencontrolsystems.com/

What does it feel like to be under fire? How are drones changing warfare? And why does modern military tech so often miss the mark?

In this episode, special operations veterans Chris “Gus” Jennings (5th Special Forces Group) and Mike “Rod” Rodriguez (Marine Raider) join us for a raw, unfiltered conversation about battle, culture, and the evolution of combat.

We talk about their first experiences getting shot at, how FPV drones are the new IEDs, what’s wrong with defense procurement, and why tanks aren’t obsolete—just vulnerable.

Plus: nuclear deterrence, alien life, and why U.S. warfighters always find a way to win. Podcast #28.

Follow Gus on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-%E2%80%9Cgus%E2%80%9D-jennings-61972491/

Follow Mike on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-rodriguez-b23a4146/

Aeon Industries: https://www.aeonindustrial.com/

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Most VC-backed defense startups stall, pivot, and eventually die. John Ferry has a few ideas why.As President of Trenchant Analytics and a deeply connected defense insider, Ferry pulls back the curtain on what’s really going on in GovCon.

We talk pivot traps, why most military customers aren’t actually looking for innovation, and why founders need to get real about the slow, messy path to contracts.

Also in this episode: drone warfare, EW hype cycles, defense memes, investor delusions, and how Signal group chats are changing how the industry talks.Follow John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnferry1/Timestamps:(0:00) - Intro

(0:57) - “Be Honest” Meme and Pivot Cycle in GovTech

(2:26) - SLED, FedCiv, and the Struggle to Gain Traction

(4:37) - Disconnect Between Government Narrative and Reality

(6:01) - Policy Shifts and Startup Expectations

(8:38) - Surviving the State of Play in Defense

(11:06) - Selling to State and Local? Not Worth It

(13:05) - Generational Bonding and Green Beret Background

(15:43) - Why Founders Need Problem Intimacy

(17:27) - Customer Discovery and the Agile Trap in Defense

(19:11) - Bridging the Valley of Death

(20:53) - The Signal Group Origin Story

(23:00) - VC-Backed Startups in Defense: Hot Takes

(26:48) - The Realities of EW Startups and Investor Hype

(30:48) - How to Actually Win in GovCon VC

(34:00) - PE vs. VC: Who Really Wins?

(37:09) - Golf Talk and the LIV Analogy

(38:23) - FPV Drone Economics and Threat Evolution

(40:37) - Naval Drones and Directed Energy Weapons

(43:51) - Drone Buster Tech and Point Defense Concepts

(48:03) - Making Soft-Kill Systems Work on the Battlefield

(51:00) - Nicotine, Focus, and Founding a Defense Company

(53:12) - Thank You for Smoking and VC Media

(55:31) - Autonomous Strike and Warzone Realities

(58:12) - Why Relationships Drive Everything in GovCon

(1:00:22) - Automating Acquisition and Spinning Out Startups

(1:03:00) - Focus, Traction, and Staying Alive

(1:05:10) - Markets Matter and Seeing Future Problem Sets

(1:07:20) - Contested Logistics and 3D Printing at the Edge

(1:10:36) - Thermonuclear War vs. Unconventional Warfare

(1:13:02) - Military Lingo, Signal Chat, and Soft Culture

(1:15:18) - Hiring Veterans and the Team Mentality

(1:18:00) - Reflections on the Early Days of Startups

(1:20:04) - Field Service Headaches and Simplicity at Scale

(1:22:00) - Pure Play Startups and Avoiding G&A Bloat

(1:23:52) - Signal Messaging, Jargon, and GovComms

(1:26:10) - The Rise of SOF VCs and Founder Culture

(1:28:28) - SEALs, Athletes, and Engineering Talent

(1:30:00) - DevTech Founder Personas and Sales Realities

(1:33:05) - Final Thoughts and Outro Follow the show everywhere! 👇Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3YOfGtOApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541X (Twitter): https://x.com/droneultimatumInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedroneultimatum/Check out Allen Control Systems (ACS): https://www.allencontrolsystems.com/#podcast #DefenseTech #GovCon #StartupLife #MilitaryTech #DOD #EW #Drones #Hyperspectral #VentureCapital #Acquisition #DefenseStartups #DroneWarfare #SoftKill #HardKill #SignalChats #FPVdrones #DefenseIndustry #VCbacked #Contracting #StartupStruggles

What if satellite imaging could go beyond RGB and actually see the molecular makeup of our planet?

In this episode, the former NASA engineer turned co-founder and CEO breaks down how his startup, Matter Intelligence, is creating a new class of earth observation sensors that go beyond RGB to capture the molecular makeup of the planet. We talk about hyperspectral imaging, how Matter’s satellites work, commercial vs. government go-to-market strategy, and why most of today’s satellite data is basically noise. Plus: alien life, Carl Sagan, digital twins, and why the maps of the future won’t look anything like Google Maps.

(0:00) - Intro

(0:58) - Meet Vishnu Sridhar, CEO of Matter

(2:29) - Building Cameras for Space

(4:48) - The Physics Behind Hyperspectral Imaging

(7:02) - Full-Stack Satellite Ops & Data Access

(10:57) - From NASA to Startup Founder

(13:46) - Alien Talk, Trump Quotes & Pop Science

(16:09) - Fundraising & Building a Hardware Company

(21:05) - Commercial vs. Government Sales Strategy

(26:24) - Tracking Hypersonic Missiles from Space

(30:06) - Startup Tradeoffs: Build vs. Buy

(36:58) - Terraforming Mars & Space Colonization

(43:12) - Data Moats & the Path to Monopoly

(47:00) - Building the Earth’s Digital Twin

(51:00) - Future Vision: B2C Satellite Applications

Vishnu on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vishnu-sridhar/

Matter Intelligence: https://matter.com/

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Check out Allen Control Systems (ACS): https://www.allencontrolsystems.com/

#podcast #NASA #EarthObservation #SpaceTech #SatelliteImaging #StartupLife

Luke Fischer is the Co-Founder and CEO of SkyFi, an industry-leading Earth Observation marketplace company headquartered in Austin, Texas. Before co-founding SkyFi, Luke was an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Shield Capital, focusing on investing in Space, Autonomy, AI, and Cyber. Prior to joining Shield Capital, he led Government Operations at Joby Aviation, and prior to Joby was Head of Flight Operations at Uber. Luke is also a highly decorated US Army Special Operations Aviation veteran with experience leading teams in demanding environments.

TOPICS

(0:00) Intro

(1:13) About SkyFi and How It Works

(5:20) Luke’s Background - Army to Entre

(14:00) Austin4America

(20:05) Getting into Business

(23:11) Partnering with Bill Perkins and Fundraising

(26:32) VTOL Aircraft

(29:13) SkyFi Customer Base & Use Cases

(34:43) Roadmap for SkyFi

(38:05) The Value in Satellite Imaging

(40:55) The Drone Problem + Luke's Lived Experience

(46:10) DoD innovation Must be Faster

(49:45) Supporting the American Market & Industrial Base

(53:43) Autonomous Vehicles in the Military

(1:01:49) The Drone Dual Use Dilemma

(1:08:59) Display Ads are Underrated

(1:12:43) Bill Perkins Book + TVs and Movies

(1:18:26) Aliens

(1:19:35) Outro

--Follow the show everywhere! 👇

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Check out Allen Control Systems (ACS): https://www.allencontrolsystems.com/

A proven serial entrepreneur and early defense tech investor, Jackson Moses currently serves as the Founder and Managing Partner of Silent Ventures, an early stage venture firm that invests in exceptional founders building unrivaled aerospace, defense, and national security startups. He also founded and manages Silent Capital, a private syndicate that provides its members exclusive access to leading multi-stage defense and deep tech deals. Additionally, Jackson serves as a Senior Advisor to the founding teams of Castelion and Privateer Space.

(0:00) Intro(1:09) Founder Support Systems(4:33) About Silent Ventures(8:50) Layered CUAS Defense(12:20) Hypersonics in the Pacific(13:02) Trump Changes to Defense Budget(15:59) Areas to Invest in 2025(20:10) Investing in Aeon(26:09) Banning DJI(30:49) DoD Requirements(34:22) Space Investments (38:55) Conspiracy Theories (44:45) Anduril (47:15) Sizing Checks & Investment Strategy (56:59) Defense Industry vs Other Industries (59:25) Competing with China (1:02:40) Texas is Great (1:05:44) Contested Logistics (1:07:25) Defense Guys Aren’t War Dogs (1:13:50) Steve’s 7/11 Dream (1:15:00) Outro

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Follow Jackson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacksonmoses/Silent Ventures: https://silentvc.com/

--

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Check out Allen Control Systems (ACS): https://www.allencontrolsystems.com/

Michael LaFramboise is the co-founder and CEO of Aurelius Systems, a defense technology startup building the next generation of autonomous counter-UAS. Their premier product, the Archimedes Laser Sentinel, combines high-powered directed energy with edge-deployed advanced control for unparalleled point-defense capabilities.TOPICS

(0:00) Intro

(1:06) Our First Laser Guest

(2:29) BlueHalo’s Locust

(4:29) US Navy Laser Weapons

(5:51) Steve’s Sub Experiences

(8:14) What’s Different About Defense

(11:25) A New Defense YC?

(17:14) Aurelius’ Laser, Explained

(26:45) Demo Plans + Fundraising

(32:58) Improving CROWS Weapon System

(39:46) Aurelius Growth Plan

(44:25) Importance of Lobbying

(48:08) How Long EW Will Be Effective Against Drones 

(57:31) The Path to a $1T Laser Company

(01:01:22) 7/11 Life After Defense Companies

(01:10:41) Investor Relations Life

(01:16:11) Founder Life = R&R (Raising and Recruiting)

(01:17:54) Computer Vision and Equipment Challenges

(01:24:30) Outro

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Check out Allen Control Systems (ACS): https://www.allencontrolsystems.com/

Simone Ledeen has served in various U.S. Government and business leadership positions, most recently as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Policy. Her prior US Government work, including on multiple overseas deployments, influenced key counterterrorism activities, intelligence collection and analysis, as well as military information support operations involving cyber and disinformation, irregular warfare, direct action, sensitive special operations and personnel recovery/hostage issues. She is a Senior Fellow at the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue where she works on a variety of issues including the nexus of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. Ms. Ledeen has an MBA from the Bocconi University School of Management and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brandeis University. Her writing has been featured in The Hill, the National Interest, Newsweek and the National Review. She has appeared on Al Arabiya, Al Hurra, Asharq TV and numerous podcasts.

https://www.simoneledeen.com/

Simone’s Substack: https://substack.com/@signalsandstrategies1

Vantage ROI: https://vantageroi.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simone-ledeen/

--Follow the show everywhere! 👇

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#podcast #China #Drones #Taiwan #DefenseTech #Geopolitics #AI #MilitaryStrategy #USChinaRelations #DefenseIndustry #EconomicStatecraft

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Chapters / Topics:

Intro

Epirus Fundraising Announcement

Dual Use vs. Military-Use Only

R&D and Procurement

How to get the Military to Buy Your Stuff

Defense Investor Perspective on Current Trends

Tips for Fundraising in Defense Tech

Incubation & Cap Tables

Humanoid Robots

Presentation and Collaboration

Audience Questions--Naweed Tahmas served as the Special Assistant to the President and Associate Director of the White House.He advised the President, and advanced the Administration's key policy and personnel priorities in coordination with over 15 federal departments and agencies, including the Office of Management and Budget, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Department of Interior, General Services Administration, National Science Foundation, and others. He successfully negotiated and secured key policies that protected manufacturing jobs and critical supply chains.He has also held director roles at Firehouse Strategies and Umbra Space.--Alex Moore focuses on incubating companies through 8VC’s Build Program, Defense, building talent networks and fundamental operational support for the portfolio. Alex also focuses on enterprise and seed-stage investments. Prior to joining 8VC Alex was a startup operator for 12 years. Alex was the first employee and Director of Operations at Palantir Technologies, building the team from one room to 350 people, $100mm in sales. Alex co-founded Backplane, a social media analytics company, and NodePrime, a cloud automation company which was acquired in 2016 by Ericsson.--As Army Applications Laboratory’s executive director, Dr. Casey Perley leads the mission to reshape how the Army works with industry to provide the best tech in the world to the best Army in the world. Her vision is for AAL to work from problem inception to sustainment hand in glove with stakeholders across the Army and the Department of Defense to accelerate and assess the Army’s ability to ingest innovation.----Follow the show everywhere! 👇Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3YOfGtOApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541X (Twitter): https://x.com/droneultimatumInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedroneultimatum/Check out Allen Control Systems (ACS): https://www.allencontrolsystems.com/#podcast #DefenseTech #MilitaryInnovation #StartupFunding #VentureCapital #NationalSecurity #Lethality #DualUseTech #DefenseIndustry #AI #Robotics #Autonomy #MilitaryTech #Drones #DefenseStartups #DirectedEnergy #MissileTech #GovTech

Kirsten Bartok Touw is the co-founder and Managing Partner of New Vista Capital, a venture firm focused exclusively on aerospace, space, and defense.

In this episode, Kirsten joins to talk about investing in dual-use tech, startup momentum, and how capital is becoming a competitive moat in defense.

We discuss what founders get wrong about working with the DOD, the talent shift from Silicon Valley to DC and Austin, and why so few hardware companies reach TRL 9.

From the future of hypersonics to the realities of raising defense venture capital, this is a sharp, wide-ranging conversation about building and backing serious defense tech.

Links to the show:https://www.youtube.com/@thedroneultimatumhttps://open.spotify.com/show/3F1sc8yzQIF9WcdHQ3w7kf?si=3af8082184104062https://thedroneultimatum.substack.com/https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541https://www.instagram.com/thedroneultimatum/https://x.com/droneultimatumhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/the-drone-ultimatum?trk=public_post_feed-actor-nameFollow Steve:⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevensimoni/https://x.com/StevenSimoni⁠https://www.allencontrolsystems.com/

Is China the new global superpower?

April Herlevi, a senior research scientist at CNA and non-resident fellow at the National Bureau of Asian Research, joins us to break down China’s economic statecraft, military expansion, and defense tech strategy.

We discuss China’s growing arms exports, the role of drones in modern warfare, Taiwan’s response to military threats, and how China’s global reach extends from Africa to AI development.

• China’s military exports & influence in Africa
• The role of drones & AI in modern warfare
• Taiwan’s defense strategy & lessons from Ukraine
• The rise of China’s special economic zones
• Overfishing, economic statecraft, and global impact

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Notes on April's Work

Intersections, CNA’s US-China Technology Competition Newsletter: https://www.cna.org/our-media/newsletters/intersections

Taiwan Lessons Learned from the Russia-Ukraine War:

https://www.cna.org/reports/2024/12/taiwan-lessons-learned-from-the-russia-ukraine-warTaiwan

Lessons Learned Executive Summary:

https://www.cna.org/quick-looks/2024/10/Taiwan-Lessons-Learned-from-Russia-Ukraine.pdf

China as a Niche Arms Exporter Article:

https://www.cna.org/our-media/indepth/2021/08/china-as-a-niche-arms-exporter

Map of recipient countries:

https://www.cna.org/reports/2021/10/CHINAS-DEFENSE-EXPORTS-Small-Volume-but-room-for-growth.pdf

China’s arms export data (From SIPRI, updated for 2022-23):

https://armstransfers.sipri.org/ArmsTransfer/CSVResult

US-China Security and Economic Commission (USCC) Testimony on China’s Arms Exports:

https://www.uscc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-01/April_Herlevi_Testimony.pdf

Book Project Summary:

https://herlevi.weebly.com/current-projects.html

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April A. Herlevi is an expert on the People’s Republic of China (PRC) foreign and security policy, economic statecraft for technology acquisition, and the increasing role of PRC commercial, economic and military actors globally.

Her research focuses on PRC technology and innovation, global infrastructure development, and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).For CNA, Herlevi has published research on port operations along China’s Maritime Silk Road, PLA views of Oceania, and China-Middle East relations, and she continues to research PRC technological upgrading.

She regularly participates in CNA-led wargames and was on a team that won the CNA CEO Teamwork Award for supporting the CNA wargaming team.

Follow April on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/herlevi

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Bryan Clark is a senior fellow and director of the Center for Defense Concepts and Technology at Hudson Institute. He is an expert in naval operations, electronic warfare, autonomous systems, military competitions, and wargaming.

TOPICS

(0:00) Intro

(1:00) Bryan's Background & Hudson Institute

(4:21) Saronic & USVs Breakdown

(15:05) Impacts of Drones in Ukraine War

(18:21) Carrier Strike Group in Age of USVs

(24:00) American Drone Production Capacity

(27:01) Unitree & Humanoid Robots

(30:28) How to Counter Drone Swarms

(39:18) GPS Denied Components for Drones

(42:01) Retooling Our Arsenal & Countering China

(51:26) DOD Getting Ahead of DOGE?

(54:41) Hypersonics Are Not That Great

(57:06) Contested Logistics

(1:00:37) Lasers Are Overrated

(01:04:11) Loitering Munitions

(01:06:17) Undersea Drones

(01:11:08) Outro

Follow the show everywhere! 👇YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedroneultimatumApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541X (Twitter): https://x.com/droneultimatumInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedroneultimatum/Check out Allen Control Systems (ACS): https://www.allencontrolsystems.com/

Dr. Casey Perley joins the show to talk about the Army Applications Lab, innovation in defense, and how startups can work with the Army.👉 Watch one of our favorite episodes: https://youtu.be/fA8x9eGvaFk?si=bpFeYTM3Gz1Z12m2(00:00) Intro

(01:02) Meet Dr. Casey Pearly & Army Applications Lab

(02:13) How the Army Works with Startups & Non-Traditional Companies

(03:36) The Army’s Definition of Non-Traditional Companies

(06:00) How the Army Identifies Problems & Finds Solutions

(07:41) The Process of Getting Tech to the Warfighter

(12:06) How Many Army Tech Projects Are Active Right Now?

(14:44) Breaking Down a Real Military Innovation Cohort

(19:01) How the Army Evaluates Innovation Success

(25:02) The Rise of FPV Drones & Their Role in Warfare

(31:00) Competing with DJI: How the US Can Build a Stronger Drone Industry

(37:01) The History of Bioweapons & Biosecurity in Defense

(41:00) How Startups Should Approach Working with the Army

(46:07) What SBIR Funding Is & How Startups Can Win It

(50:26) Countering Drones: Can It Be Done?

(53:34) Final Thoughts & Where the Future of Military Innovation is Headed --As Army Applications Laboratory’s executive director, Dr. Casey Perley leads the mission to reshape how the Army works with industry to provide the best tech in the world to the best Army in the world. Her vision is for AAL to work from problem inception to sustainment hand in glove with stakeholders across the Army and the Department of Defense to accelerate and assess the Army’s ability to ingest innovation.Dr. Perley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseyperley/--Follow the show everywhere! 👇Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3YOfGtOApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541X (Twitter): https://x.com/droneultimatumInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedroneultimatum/Check out Allen Control Systems (ACS): https://www.allencontrolsystems.com/#Podcast #DefenseTech #MilitaryInnovation #Drones #ArmyStartups #NationalSecurity #DefenseStartups #MilitaryTechnology #DoDContracts #TechFunding #FutureOfWarfare #Innovation #DronesInWarfare #USArmy #DefenseIndustry #StartupFunding #GovernmentContracts #MilitaryTech #Entrepreneurship #DefensePolicy #EmergingTech

Nic Adams joins the show to talk defense, Capitol Hill, drones, and preparing for future conflicts.

(0:00) Intro

(1:20) Nic's background - Army Intel, JSOC, Capitol Hill

(5:37) The NDAA

(9:28) Getting $$ for Defense Tech

(12:19) Steve's favorite brand, Alo *not sponsored*

(13:50) NDAA and Approps

(21:40) Leaving the Hill

(23:11) Steve is training for the World Championship

(26:37) What does Washington Office do?

(29:03) Dual Use & The Defense Industrial Base

(36:50) Castelion

(46:11) Office of Strategic Capital

(48:11) The Chinese Drone Threat

(55:25) Lily Drone Fraud

(58:27) Juicero Exposed

(1:00:32) Catching Up in Drone Tech

(1:03:00) Goal of Lobbying Firms & Business Model

(1:09:45) Government Work to Private Sector

(1:11:11) Why Government People Can't Go On Podcasts

(1:12:48) OSC Loan Guarantees

(1:14:48) Palantir

(1:18:44) Outro

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Follow the show and leave a review!

Follow Nic on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nic-adams208/Washington Office: https://www.yourwashingtonoffice.com/Nic Adams is a Partner at Washington Office, a strategy firm for frontier tech companies. Nic most recently served as Professional Staff Member on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. His issue portfolio included defense, intelligence, foreign affairs, energy, science, space, and technology for numerous different members of Congress.

Nic was also a commissioned officer in the United States Army, deploying several times to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, and to Jordan and Iraq in the Global War on Terror.--Follow the show everywhere! 👇Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3YOfGtOApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541X (Twitter): https://x.com/droneultimatumInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedroneultimatum/Check out Allen Control Systems (ACS): https://www.allencontrolsystems.com/#Podcast #DefenseIndustry #NationalSecurity #MilitaryTech #Geopolitics #FutureOfWar #DefensePolicy #TechAndWar #CapitolHill #DefensePolicy #GovernmentConsulting #Congress #PolicyInsider #MilitaryFunding #DroneWarfare #MilitaryDrones #DefenseStartups #AIDefense #AutonomousSystems #EmergingTech #FutureOfConflict #ModernWarfare #GlobalSecurity #DefenseInnovation #WarfareTechnology

What do you think about AI and space warfare? Leave a comment!

(0:00) Intro

(1:08) Discussing Drone Swarm Threats

(2:45) Working for CIA & a Think Tank (Clayton’s Background)

(8:20) Space & Future Defense Strategies

(12:04) Going to Mars Debate

(15:43) Integrated Air Defense Systems (IADS)

(18:28) Space: The Future Battlefield?

(23:00) Growing Commercial Space Industry & Defense Applications

(30:25) Air Power & Drones in Russia-Ukraine

(38:00) Building Small Drones in America

(46:33) An American Iron Dome?

(52:55) Counter-Drone Arms Race & Military Innovation

(59:28) AI vs. Autonomy

(1:06:00) Opportunities in Space and Missile Defense

(1:09:14) Outro

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How will AI, drones, and space-based missile defense shape the future of war? In this episode, we dive deep with Clayton, an expert from a leading defense think tank, to explore:

- The rise of military AI & autonomous warfare

- The possibility of an “Iron Dome” in space

- How the U.S. and allies are countering drone swarms

- What a future war between the U.S. & China could look like

- Why private space companies are now key players in defense

Clayton shares insights from his CIA background and current work in defense analysis, breaking down how military technology is evolving—from counter-drone systems to AI-powered targeting solutions and the next era of air & space defense.

If you’re interested in military innovation, defense strategy, or the intersection of AI and warfare, this episode is a must-watch.

Follow Clayton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claytonswope/

Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): https://www.csis.org/

--

Clayton Swope is the deputy director of the Aerospace Security Project and a senior fellow in the Defense and Security Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

Before joining CSIS, Swope led national security and cybersecurity public policy for Amazon’s Project Kuiper, an initiative to increase global broadband access through a constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit. While at Amazon, he also worked on cloud policy issues.

Prior to his time at Amazon, Swope served as a senior adviser on national security, space, foreign affairs, and technology policy issues for a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

He also worked for more than 14 years at the Central Intelligence Agency, serving largely in the Directorate of Science and Technology. He holds a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from the University of Notre Dame.

--

Follow the show everywhere! 👇

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedroneultimatum

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541

X (Twitter): https://x.com/droneultimatum

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedroneultimatum/

Check out Allen Control Systems (ACS): https://www.allencontrolsystems.com/

Rob Thompson discusses aviation, drones, regulations, and his family legacy. Rob is one of the world’s foremost authorities on the subjects of aviation and unmanned aircraft systems for aircraft design, certification, regulation, policy and innovative flight training. He is the founder of the CUAS Coalition, an education and advocacy organization focused on the regulation and development of C-UAS technology. Follow Rob: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robthompsonpilot/

CUAS Coalition: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cuas-coalition/

Follow the show everywhere! 👇 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedroneultimatum Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541 X (Twitter): https://x.com/droneultimatum Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedroneultimatum/ Check out Allen Control Systems (ACS): https://www.allencontrolsystems.com/ #dronewars #defensetech #militaryinnovation #dronesinwarfare #defenseindustry #djidrones #emergingthreats #dronetechnology #militarytechnology #dronesinaction #nationalsecurity #techindefense #futureofwarfare #dronethreat #modernwarfare #dodtech #gamechanger #innovationinwarfare #drone #podcast #defenseindustry #aviation #faa

Gabe joins the show and talks space, satellites, defense tech, investing, and running companies.

(0:00) Intro

(0:55) How Umbra Started

(3:52) Gabe Before Umbra

(6:28) Having a "Real Job" Before Startups

(8:05) Drones over California

(9:19) Investing in Firehawk Aerospace

(13:24) Acquisitions in Defense

(20:08) Investing and Getting Funded

(23:41) Having No Money in Tech = Advantage?

(27:16) Outlook on Aeon

(28:33) Outdated Legacy Prime Contract Models

(32:19) Steve's Startup Idea & "The Valley of Death"

(36:01) The Startup Game is to Stay Alive

(38:15) DJI Changes & Drone Manufacturing

(43:05) Umbra's Plan for the Future

(47:36) TV Shows & Documentaries

(49:46) Selling "The Vision"

(52:23) More TV Shows

(54:39) Locations

(58:16) Vision for Umbra

(1:01:06) Why We Changed The Pod Name

(1:02:40) Crypto, Mentors, Naming Things

(1:10:23) Outro

Gabe Dominocielo is the President and co-founder of Umbra, a technology company specializing in advanced space systems to both commercial and government clients. Under his leadership, Umbra has distinguished itself by offering the highest-resolution commercial satellite images available, utilizing proprietary technology to capture clear imagery through clouds and at night. Before establishing Umbra in 2015, Dominocielo co-founded and served as Chief Operating Officer of a legal services firm whose panel attorneys achieved over $1 billion in verdicts and settlements. Umbra: https://umbra.space/

Follow the show everywhere! 👇 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3YOfGtO Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541 X (Twitter): https://x.com/droneultimatum Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedroneultimatum/ Check out Allen Control Systems (ACS): https://www.allencontrolsystems.com/

From WWII mine warfare to AI-powered drones - exploring next-gen military tech with defense industry insights. (0:00) Intro (1:13) CNA Origins (World War II) (5:08) IEDs in Iraq (12:58) Mines in the Pacific (15:46) Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) (24:21) Drones (29:03) Why and how to use USVs? (42:40) Drone countermeasures (45:41) CNA Funding and Info Flow (52:35) Managing a Team vs Independent Contributor (56:19) AI & LLMs (59:28) Is AI really a timesaver? (1:04:25) AI is a misnomer (1:07:25) The Future of AI (1:12:57) Separating signal from the noise (1:15:15) Synthetic Data (1:18:35) CNA's Year Ahead (1:21:35) Outro -- David Broyles, Ph.D., is a Research Program Director and specialist in cyber operations, artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomy, special operations, and information warfighting at CNA, an independent, nonprofit research and analysis organization. David has served as a CNA field representative to numerous commands, including United States Fleet Forces Command and those in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has a doctorate in chemistry from Cornell University and a Bachelor of Arts in chemistry from Washington University in St. Louis. -- Follow the show everywhere! 👇 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3YOfGtO Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541 X (Twitter): https://x.com/droneultimatum Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedroneultimatum/ -- Check out Allen Control Systems (ACS): https://www.allencontrolsystems.com/ #dronewars #defensetech #militaryinnovation #dronesinwarfare #defenseindustry #djidrones #emergingthreats #dronetechnology #militarytechnology #ukraineconflict #dronesinaction #nationalsecurity #kinetickill #techindefense #futureofwarfare #dronethreat #modernwarfare #dodtech #gamechanger #innovationinwarfare #drone #podcast #ai #artificialintelligence #llm #navy #navalwarfare

Donald Stoker discusses military history, national strategies, and today’s global state.

0:00 Intro

1:11 About Don

3:44 The Korean War

11:01 North Korea and Iran Today

13:11 War in Ukraine

23:29 Don's Class at Nat'l Defense Uni

27:33 The American Revolution

32:28 Wars of Expansion

34:35 First Gulf War & Military Buildup

40:16 Karl Von Clausewitz

47:28 Why America Loses Wars

54:50 The Impact of Drones on War

1:06:00 Academia

1:09:28 American History Rhyming?

1:14:03 Nuclear Weapons

1:16:18 Purpose and Power, Don's Book

1:22:17 Revisionist Powers & Modern War

1:33:40 Don's Future Plans

1:38:20 Outro

Donald Stoker is a Professor of National Security and Resource Strategy at the Eisenhower School at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C. He was previously a Professor for the U.S. Naval War College program. He received his PhD in Military and Diplomatic History from Florida State University and has published more than 70 books and articles on strategy and military and foreign affairs topics. Follow Professor Stoker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donaldstoker/ Buy Professor Stoker's Books! Purpose and Power: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1009257277/ref=tsm_1_fb_lk Why America Loses Wars: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1009220861/ref=tsm_1_fb_lk Clausewitz: His Life and Work: https://www.amazon.com/Clausewitz-Life-Work-Donald-Stoker/dp/0199357943 Follow the show everywhere! 👇 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3YOfGtO Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3ObLKme X (Twitter): https://x.com/droneultimatum Instagram: https://bit.ly/4hNn7Ki Steve's Company (Allen Control Systems): www.allencontrolsystems.com #dronewars #defensetech #militaryinnovation #dronesinwarfare #defenseindustry #djidrones #emergingthreats #dronetechnology #militarytechnology #ukraineconflict #dronesinaction #nationalsecurity #kinetickill #techindefense #futureofwarfare #dronethreat #modernwarfare #dodtech #gamechanger #innovationinwarfare #drone #podcast #history #militaryhistory

Dhruva Rajendra discusses autonomy, defense innovation, mergers, and lessons from Ukraine.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Intro

(0:35) This Week in Startups Podcast

(2:40) Michael Saylor & MicroStrategy

(5:36) Steve's Review of Wicked

(10:21) Company Updates

(13:33) Fuses

(17:42) BlueHalo-AeroVironment Merger

(25:55) Elon's F-35 Debate

(36:49) The Future is Autonomy

(40:58) Podcast Rebrand

(44:50) America's Missing Pieces in Defense

(50:00) Not Learning From Ukraine

(56:17) Small Drone Markets & Regulations

(1:06:40) Building Ahead of Requirement

(1:11:25) Commercial Use Case First

(1:14:40) Different Weapons for Each Conflict

(1:16:45) Could America Just Retool For War?

(1:21:09) Outro

Dhruva Rajendra is the co-founder and CEO of Deterrence, a defense tech startup company building advanced autonomous manufacturing systems. Follow Dhruva on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhruvarajendra/ Follow Dhruva on X: https://x.com/dkrajendra Dhruva's Company (Deterrence): https://www.deterrence.com/-- Follow the show everywhere! 👇 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3YOfGtO Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3ObLKme X (Twitter): https://x.com/droneultimatum Instagram: https://bit.ly/4hNn7Ki -- Check out Allen Control Systems (ACS): www.allencontrolsystems.com #dronewars #defensetech #militaryinnovation #dronesinwarfare #defenseindustry #djidrones #emergingthreats #dronetechnology #militarytechnology #ukraineconflict #dronesinaction #nationalsecurity #kinetickill #techindefense #futureofwarfare #dronethreat #modernwarfare #dodtech #gamechanger #innovationinwarfare #drone #podcast #manufacturing #reindustrialize

Austin Gray, co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Blue Water Autonomy, joins the podcast to break down the future of autonomous naval warfare.

From unmanned ships that carry large payloads to the technical and political challenges of defense procurement, Austin offers an insider’s view of building in one of the most complex arenas in defense tech.

He shares stories from his Navy intelligence days, dives into the design decisions behind Blue Water’s vessels, and explains how autonomy changes the economics of shipbuilding and warfighting.

We talk supply chains, counter-drone systems, nuclear skepticism, and the startup dynamics of this emerging sector. If you’re building in defense or just want to understand where naval innovation is headed, this is a must-listen.Links to the show:https://www.youtube.com/@thedroneultimatumhttps://open.spotify.com/show/3F1sc8yzQIF9WcdHQ3w7kf?si=3af8082184104062https://thedroneultimatum.substack.com/https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541https://www.instagram.com/thedroneultimatum/https://x.com/droneultimatumhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/the-drone-ultimatum?trk=public_post_feed-actor-nameFollow Steve:

⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevensimoni/https://x.com/StevenSimoni⁠https://www.allencontrolsystems.com/

#podcast #defensetech #navy #autonomousships #startups #militaryinnovation #dronedefense #counteruas #aiwarfare #usnavy #governmentcontracting #bluewaternavy #defensestartup #venturecapital #militarytech #indoctrination #warfighting #usdod #robotics #maritimeautonomy #militarystrategy

Mike Fiuk shares Darkhive’s vision, roadmap, and insights on selling and tech in defense. Chapters: (0:00) Intro (1:00) Who is Mike Fiuk? (4:27) About Darkhive & Obelisk (9:57) Video Games (12:43) Supply Chains (19:01) Reacting to Trae Stephens (22:04) Autonomous Teaming & Analysis (23:38) DIU Blue List (25:35) Advice for Selling in Defense (29:02) Ukraine Lessons & Scale to Win Wars (34:36) How to Get Info About Ukraine (36:30) Darkhive's 2025 Plans42:50 Keeping Products Updated (46:10) Demos and Conferences (53:11) Investors in Darkhive (54:28) T-Levels in Founders (Study) (57:35) Outro -- Mike Fiuk is the Vice President of Defense Strategy at Darkhive Inc., a company dedicated to developing U.S. produced autonomous robotic systems for defense and public safety. He is also a Veteran and current Reserve Officer in the United States Army. Previously, Mike was a consultant at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and co-founded or was involved with multiple startup companies. He is a graduate of The United States Military Academy at West Point and Harvard Business School. Follow Mike on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michalfiuk/ Darkhive: https://www.darkhive.com/ -- Follow the show everywhere! 👇 YouTube: Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3ObLKme X (Twitter): https://x.com/droneultimatum Instagram: https://bit.ly/4hNn7Ki -- Check out Allen Control Systems (ACS): www.allencontrolsystems.com #dronewars #defensetech #militaryinnovation #dronesinwarfare #defenseindustry #djidrones #emergingthreats #dronetechnology #militarytechnology #ukraineconflict #dronesinaction #nationalsecurity #kinetickill #techindefense #futureofwarfare #dronethreat #modernwarfare #dodtech #gamechanger #innovationinwarfare #drone #podcast #publicsafety

Alex Taylor shares insights on aerospace, the Thiel Fellowship, and purpose-driven American innovation. Chapters: (0:00) Intro (01:37 Why Alex Started Orb Aerospace (07:39) Reality of the Founder Life (09:07) Thiel Fellows (14:18) Exploitative vs Redemptive Entrepreneurship (17:20) Thiel Fellow as a Tribe (20:03) Trials of Success and Failure (22:45) Alex's Religious Journey (26:04) Orb's Mission and Culture (29:56) How Alex & Steve Met (31:32) Being "Normal" vs. "Different" (34:25) Our New Technological Era (40:10) Alex's Vision for Orb (51:20) Regulations & Innovation (54:10) Orb's Products (1:07:55) Orb's Plan for 2025 (1:12:12) Government Affairs & Lobbying (1:14:19) DJI & If America Turns It Around (1:19:17) ACS and the Business Landscape (1:25:20) Being Authentic (1:33:34) Outro -- Alex Taylor is a Thiel Fellow and the founder of Orb Aerospace, an electric humanitarian aerospace company he started in 2017. Orb is on a mission to revolutionize transportation by creating a global aerospace network that doesn't rely on traditional infrastructure. Follow Alex: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-taylor-06432915b/ Alex's Company (Orb Aerospace): https://www.orb.aero/ -- Follow the show everywhere! 👇 YouTube: youtube.com/@thedroneultimatum Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3ObLKme X (Twitter): https://x.com/droneultimatum Instagram: https://bit.ly/4hNn7Ki -- Check out Allen Control Systems (ACS): www.allencontrolsystems.com #DroneWarfare #DefenseTech #MilitaryInnovation #DronesInWarfare #DefenseIndustry #DJIDrones #EmergingThreats #DroneTechnology #MilitaryTech #UkraineConflict #DronesInAction #NationalSecurity #KineticKill #TechInDefense #FutureOfWarfare #DroneThreat #ModernWarfare #DoDTech #GameChanger #InnovationInWarfare #drone #podcast #AerospaceInnovation #FutureOfTech #PurposeDrivenLeadership #entrepreneurship #ThielFellows #NextGenAerospace #VisionaryFounder #TechAndFaith #InnovateWithPurpose #startup #aerospace #aeroplane #airplanes

Dan Magy, co-founder and CEO of Firestorm Labs, talks the new drone and logistics tech at Firestorm, his experiences in startups and defense tech, and more.

Chapters:

(0:00) Intro

(1:40) Changing the Podcast Name

(6:26) Firestorm Products

(9:20) Additive Manufacturing & The XCell

(14:34) Original Vision vs. Customer Requests

(18:17) Learning Appropriations and the End User

(20:44) Act Like You Belong

(22:34) Dan’s Previous Ventures

(28:20) Personal Investments & Mistakes

(34:47) Drones & Laser Landscape

(39:00) Product Strategies and Ideas

(43:13) More Drone Companies

(50:58) How Steve Got Into Startups

(57:26) Steve Story: Meeting Patrick Mahomes

(59:40) Some Favorite Backgrounds of Employees

(1:02:50) DoD: “The Mother of Enterprise Sales”

(1:05:53) The Crazy COVID ZIRP Era

(1:09:07) Ukraine & Europe

(01:13:57) Firestorm in 2025 Plans

(01:20:36) Outro

Dan Magy co-founded Firestorm Labs in May 2022 and is currently serving as CEO. In July 2022, he joined Bonsai Robotics as a Chief Strategy Advisor. Dan is also a Board Member at Beyond Capital since June 2022. In 2016, Dan founded Citadel Defense Company in 2016, which was later acquired by Blue Halo in November 2021. Follow Dan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danmagy/ Dan's Company (Firestorm Labs): https://www.launchfirestorm.com/

--

Follow the show everywhere! 👇

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedroneultimatum

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3YOfGtO

Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3ObLKme

X (Twitter): https://x.com/DroneWarspodcst

Instagram: https://bit.ly/4hNn7Ki

-- Check out Allen Control Systems (ACS): www.allencontrolsystems.com #DroneWarfare #DefenseTech #MilitaryInnovation #DronesInWarfare #DefenseIndustry #DJIDrones #EmergingThreats #DroneTechnology #MilitaryTech #UkraineConflict #DronesInAction#NationalSecurity #KineticKill #TechInDefense #FutureOfWarfare #DroneThreat #ModernWarfare#DoDTech #GameChanger #InnovationInWarfare #drone #podcast

Doug Livermore talks West Point, drones in warfare, deploying to Africa, Ukraine, and more. Chapters: (0:00) Intro

(2:06) "College Life" at West Point

(6:52)Training the Congalese Army

(12:16) Training Former Rebels in Mali

(15:33) Africa: What's Going On?

(19:41) Rare Earth Minerals In Africa

(21:27) Africa's Vicious Cycle of Turmoil

(24:04) Steve's Private Military Plan

(27:20) The Rapid Development of Drones

(30:09) Drones as Munitions

(31:50) Adventures in Russia

(35:39) ZYN & Ozempic

(37:56) Iraq is Unraveling

(42:56) Drones In Iraq

(44:49) What's "Irregular Warfare" Now

(47:51) Drones in Myanmar, Mexico, Azerbaijan

(50:43) Social Media Sharing Drone Kills

(52:22) Rethinking C-UAS and Air Defense

(54:54) Glide Bombs

(57:38) Oura Ring

(58:45) CenCore, Doug's New Company

(1:00:38) Nonprofits in Defense & National Security

(1:07:51) Alternative Drugs for Veteran PTSD

(1:10:47) More Nonprofit Work with Ukraine

(1:14:05) How Will the War in Ukraine End?

(1:20:45) Upcoming Defense Tech Trends

(1:23:19) AeroVironment, Inc. (AVAV)

(1:26:40) Lasers + Dexter TV Series

Doug Livermore is the Senior VP at the CenCore Group and Director of Special Operations, Irregular Warfare, Special Programs, and Sensitive Activities for the Deputy Under Secretary of the Navy. Multiple international affairs and security studies journals have distributed Doug’s works, including many publications in War on the Rocks, Small Wars Journal, and the Military Times. Doug is the National Director for External Communications for the Special Forces Association and is also the Director of Communications with West Point’s Irregular Warfare Initiative. Additionally, he is on the Board of Directors for both No One Left Behind and the Special Operations Association of America where he has been instrumental in the ongoing evacuation and resettlement of Afghan interpreters and their families. Doug earned his undergraduate degree in Military History at West Point, his graduate degree in International Security Affairs from Georgetown University, and exceled in the Army Command and General Staff Officer Course. Follow Doug: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dolivermore/

CenCore Group: https://cencoregroup.com/

Special Forces Association: https://www.specialforcesassociation.org/

Special Operations Association of America: https://soaa.org/

Irregular Warfare Initiative: https://irregularwarfare.org/

No One Left Behind: https://www.nooneleft.org/

Corioli Institute: https://corioli.org/

Leave a comment and review, and follow for more!

Topics: (0:00) Intro

(1:36) Matt's Warfighting & Intelligence Background

(3:30) The Future of Artillery

(8:07) Why Matt Went Into Intel

(9:49) Discovering The Drone Problem

(12:26) Trends & Insights on Drones

(15:35) Calculations of Our Adversaries

(19:20) Missteps & Brutality in Ukraine

(22:30) Weakness of Current C-UAS

(24:25) How The IED Problem Was Addressed

(27:45) Offensive vs. Defensive Combat

(29:19) North Koreans in Ukraine

(31:49) Matt's New Media Project

(34:52) New Tools For Journalists

(38:34) Prediction Markets & Media

(45:46) Additive Manufacturing

(54:35) Firestorm's xCell and Logistics

(59:11) Cana: Molecular Beverage Printer

(1:01:58) The Value of Patience in Defense

(1:03:54) Our Swanky Podcast Studio

(1:06:30) Del Ray, Alexandria, VA Is Great

(1:08:24) Polarization in Media

(1:11:22) Is Social Media Overpersonalized?

(1:17:13) The Panama Papers

(1:18:44) Social Platform Preferences

(1:20:07) Telegram CEO Issues

(1:21:48) Starting a Business, Then vs. Now

(1:24:22) Outro

Check out Matt's work: https://www.protocolmedialabs.com/

Matt Tavares is an Army veteran with two decades of experience in national security, emerging technology, and warfighting, including service as an artillery officer, Chief of Intelligence Plans for Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve, and Country Director for Russia working on Asymmetric Activities. He has now joined the tech startup world with a new company, The Protocol, which leverages blockchains to create a market for quality journalism that can survive in an increasingly censored news environment. #podcast #drone #military #defensetechnology

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Intro

(1:16) Pryzm, not sponsored

(1:56) Scott Being Early on Drone Warfare

(6:35) Drones in Urban Combat

(8:19) Takeaways From Ukraine War

(10:13) Military "Rustiness" & Turnover

(12:18) Putin's Interview with Tucker

(14:16) Acquired Podcast shout out

(15:50) How Forterra’s CEO got into the business

(18:07) Reality of DoD Procurement for Startups

(20:50) SBIRs: Pros and Cons

(23:18) Best Path for a New Defense Product

(26:37) Problems with "Cost + Fixed Fee"

(30:00) Is Building a Successful American Drone Company Possible?

(31:40) Should We Ban DJI Drones / TikTok?

(34:52) How Scott Got Into Anduril Early

(38:45) Anduril's Early Product Development

(44:02) Your Buyer Is Not Your User

(45:38) Issues with DoD's Detailed Requirements

(48:11) OSINT

(49:44) Testing Hard Tech Products

(52:02) Why a Self Driving Car on the Battlefield

(56:01) Risks of Forterra Business Model

(59:55) Buying An Autonomous Vehicle Off-the-Shelf

(1:04:16) Aliens & UFOs

(1:07:39) Outro

Scott Sanders is chief growth officer at Forterra - a leading provider of autonomous systems for ground-based movement in the working world.Before Forterra, Scott was Head of Business Development at Vannevar Labs and Senior Director for Anduril Industries’ Counter Unmanned Systems division, where he built the company’s acquisition strategy for its $1 billion SOCOM Systems Integration Partner program.

Follow, leave a review, and turn on notifications for new episodes weekly! Timestamps/Topics: (0:00) Intro (1:30) Ryan's Background (2:58) Problems with the Pentagon Process (5:01) Frustration with Lack of Innovation (9:00) Vulnerabilities on the Front Line (10:57) Drones Around Langley Air Force Base (16:26) Lasers Won't Stop Drones (WSJ Article) (24:18) Fight Drones with More Drones? (Anduril Bolt video) (26:51) Switchblade 300 vs the Bolt (29:15) Outdated Software Dev Process of Defense Primes (32:50) Engineering in Startups vs the Primes (35:30) Advice for Bootstrapping in Defense (38:59) How To Think About VC vs. Bootstrapped (40:40) AFWERKS Is Actually A Great Program (43:11) Being an Introvert & A Founder (44:14) The Issues with Big Defense Conferences/Events (45:48) The "Decade of Consequence" For China (50:43) Outro Ryan Farris is currently the co-founder and COO/CFO of Visto360.ai, a startup developing 3D computer vision applications for precise object detection. He previously co-founded and sold Orbital Effects, a small radar satellite company that revolutionized space based tactical ISR and effects. Ryan is a retired U.S. Navy officer who served at sea on several Aegis ships and in Washington DC at the White House, U.S. Senate, and Department of Defense. Post-retirement, Ryan co-founded Orbital Effects, a small radar satellite company that revolutionized space based tactical ISR and effects.

Brice Cooper is a former Green Beret, former head of SOCOM C-UAS, and the Chief Strategy Officer of Allen Control Systems. Follow for more! Leave us a review! Timestamps / Topics: (0:00) Intro (1:22) Brice's Army & Special Forces Experience (6:10) Autonomous Vehicles (8:08) SOCOM's Counter-Unmanned Systems Program Breakdown (10:12) Group 3 Interceptors (14:21) Small drone threats (Group 1 and 2) (17:35) Drone Swarms (19:06) Autonomous turrets for shooting down drones (21:55) Innovations Being Ahead of the Problem (23:32) Combining Autonomous Vehicles + Autonomous Weapons (24:04) Brice's Advice to Startups Working with the Government (30:03) How to Navigate Foreign Military Sales (31:13) The State of Ukraine & Foreign Affairs (38: 13) Conflicts Accelerating Defense Technology Usage (43:16) CCA Drama (47:01) Betting Markets & Steve's Startup Idea (51:58) Brice's Looking Ahead to Working in A Startup

Olaf Hichwa is the co-founder and CTO of Neros Technologies, a defense tech startup building vertically integrated development of unmanned aerial systems at scale. Follow for more, leave us a review, and subscribe on YouTube as well!

Our premier episode featuring Dhruva Rajendra, co-founder and CEO of Deterrence, a defense tech startup company building advanced autonomous manufacturing systems. We talk about the drone problem, Steve Jobs, Chinese drone shows, munitions, and much more! Follow and leave a review, and subscribe to our channel on YouTube!

Paul Lwin is the co-founder and CEO of HavocAI, a defense startup building collaborative autonomous surface vessels. In this episode, Paul breaks down the company’s tech stack, their strategic approach to naval warfare, and how Havoc’s 14-foot robotic boats might reshape the future of the Pacific fight.We dive into dual-use applications, investor narratives, defense procurement challenges, and the software-first strategy behind Havoc’s growth from five people to seventy in under a year.

Paul also reflects on Navy life, co-founder dynamics, and what it takes to scale real hardware in a high-stakes industry. A must-listen for anyone in defense tech or autonomy.

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Don't miss our premier episode featuring Dhruva Rajendra, co-founder and CEO of Deterrence, a defense tech startup company building advanced autonomous manufacturing systems. Full episode drops Friday, Sept. 27th. Follow us and hit the bell to be notified right when the episode goes live!

General James Rainey leads the U.S. Army’s effort to prepare for the next war. As the Commanding General of Army Futures Command, he’s focused on adapting to a battlefield shaped by drones, autonomy, and AI.

In this conversation, he breaks down how drone warfare in Ukraine is reshaping military thinking, why adaptability—not prediction—is the key to readiness, and how the Army is transforming its doctrine, org charts, and tech stack.

We also cover advanced weapons systems, IVAS, industrial base mobilization, and why the Army must stay focused on lethality above all else. If you want a clear-eyed view of how military transformation actually happens, start here.

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#podcast #generalrainey #armyfuturescommand #defensetech #militaryinnovation #drones #counteruas #autonomousweapons #usasarmy #militarytransformation #aiwarfare #uas #defensestartups #warfighting #militarystrategy #usdefense #dod #militarytechnology #armytransformation #ivassystem #militarylogistics

Miles Arnone, CEO of Re:Build Manufacturing, joins the podcast to explain why American manufacturing fell behind—and how to bring it back. We dive into defense supply chains, national security vulnerabilities, rare earth magnets, and why the U.S. can’t rely on overseas factories forever. Miles shares Re:Build’s long-term plan to re-industrialize the country by acquiring and integrating specialized manufacturing businesses. We also get into 3D printing myths, scalable drone production, and why designing for manufacturability matters more than ever.If you’re building in defense, hard tech, or industrial automation, this one’s for you.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Intro(1:15) Miles’ Engineering Background and MIT Experience(2:19) The COVID Wake-Up Call: Industrial Weakness and Mask Production(2:53) What Re:Build Manufacturing Actually Does(3:50) The Case for Industrial Re-shoring and National Security Implications: Rare Earth Magnets and Electric Motor Supply Chains(4:19) The Disappearance of Middle-Class Factory Jobs(5:39) Populism, Economic Frustration, and the American Dream(6:25) What to Reshore (and What Not To)(7:34) How Offshoring Kills Innovation at Home(8:55) Defense Procurement and the Cost of Complexity(9:04) Why Volume Production Beats Fancy Features in Warfare(9:57) 3D Printing Myths, Misuse, and Real Limits(12:34) The Case Against Containerized Drone Production(13:33) Centralizing Drone Platforms and Letting Companies Specialize in Payloads(14:13) How the U.S. Can Compete with DJI(15:30) Scaling to 10,000+ Drones Per Month(17:44) Government Role in Banning Chinese Components (DJI Ban, etc.)(18:10) Comparing Today’s Supply Chain Readiness to Pre-WWII Germany(21:10) Private Equity vs. Long-Term Industrial Investment Models(34:05) Slate Vehicle Case Study: Designing for Manufacturability(39:26) Mass Customization Without Manufacturing Complexity(46:37) Why Most Robotics Startups Fail at Real Factory Use Cases(49:08) Humanoid Robots in Manufacturing: Hype vs. Reality(50:32) AI, Robotics, and System Effects on Society(54:15) The Conveyor Belt Is Still the Best Robot(1:04:21) Weapons Integration and the Challenge of Scaling Production(1:09:09) Morality, War, and the Defense Contractor’s Responsibility(1:11:40) Populism, Social Instability, and the Need for Economic Inclusion(1:27:30) The Apprentice Model and Rebuilding Workforce Pathways(1:28:44) Why College Isn’t the Only Path to a Good Job(1:32:27) AI, Productivity, and the Risks of Technological Elitism(1:33:16) Civil Conflict vs. Nation-State Conflict: Which Is More Likely?(1:33:40) - Final Thoughts and Outro

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#defensetech #hardtech #manufacturing #reshoring #nationalsecurity #drones #startups #supplychain #reindustrialization #aerospace #rareearth #industrialpolicy #semiconductors #automation #robotics #counteruas #venturecapital #dronewarfare #3dprinting #rebuildmanufacturing

David Ruth, Dean of STEM at the University of Austin and retired Navy captain, joins the show to discuss the future of technical education, the ethics of AI in warfare, and what it takes to build a new university from scratch.

From nuclear submarines to autonomous drone targeting, this conversation spans practical experience and deep philosophical questions.

Dave explains how UATX is rethinking curriculum to blend engineering and philosophy—and why today’s students must be both technically sharp and morally grounded.

We also get into nuclear energy policy, drone warfare, and what startups look for in engineering talent. A wide-ranging episode at the intersection of defense, academia, and the future of war.

Episode #33.

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##

Modern Intelligence Founder and CEO John Dulin joins us in-studio for a wide-ranging conversation on the future of autonomous warfare.

We break down the latest Ukrainian drone strike and what it signals about the next era of defense tech—where software, not hardware, defines lethality.

From AI-powered targeting to modular DoD acquisitions, this episode dives deep into the strategic, technical, and economic transformation unfolding across the defense industrial base.

We also discuss startup dynamics, factory-as-a-product models, and the rise of AI-driven competition in unmanned systems.

If you’re tracking the evolution of drones, autonomy, or defense VC, this one’s for you.

Follow John on X

Check out Modern Intelligence

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##

Mike Monnik, CEO of DroneSec, breaks down the global drone war that’s unfolding in real time.

From prison drops to battlefield swarms, Monnik reveals how DroneSec tracks drone threats across the world and delivers that intelligence to military and government clients—putting raw, open-source drone warfare data into actionable hands.

DroneSec: https://dronesec.com/

Mike Monnik: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-monnik-23026a75/

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Check out Allen Control Systems (ACS): https://www.allencontrolsystems.com/

#podcast #DroneWarfare #DefenseTech #CounterUAS #FPVdrones #DroneIntelligence #DroneSec #MilitaryAI #BattlefieldInnovation #KineticDefense #NationalSecurity