The $2 Billion Question: Can Drones Replace Missiles?

The $2 Billion Question: Can Drones Replace Missiles?

From The Mark Haney Podcast by The Mark Haney Podcast

March 4, 2026 · 1h 2m

About this episode

The episode discusses the potential of autonomous drones to replace traditional missile systems in modern warfare.

Defense technology is advancing rapidly, and the rise of the autonomous drone is at the center of the latest wave of military innovation. In this conversation with Jeffrey Wright and Alistair Xhayet of SplashOne, we explore how new startups are rethinking aerial combat and the economics of modern warfare. SplashOne is developing an autonomous drone designed to hunt and intercept other drones in flight. As drone swarms become more common on modern battlefields, traditional missile systems can be too expensive to keep up with the scale and speed of these threats. The team behind SplashOne believes the future of military innovation may come from reusable fighter drones capable of intercepting hostile drones repeatedly rather than destroying themselves like traditional missiles. Jeffrey Wright, a recently retired military strategist specializing in drone warfare, and Alistair Xhayet, who helps lead operations and growth at SplashOne, discuss why the battlefield is shifting toward autonomous systems and how startups are driving the next generation of defense technology. In this conversation we discuss: • Why cheap drones are reshaping modern warfare • The rise of the autonomous drone…

People in this episode

Guests: Jeffrey Wright, Alistair Xhayet

Topics covered

  • drones
  • military innovation
  • autonomous systems
  • defense technology
  • aerial combat
  • startups

Keywords

  • autonomous drones
  • military technology
  • drone warfare
  • defense startups
  • missile systems
  • aerial combat
  • drone swarms

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: SplashOne

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