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E58 – Dcode the Pentagon Buying Machine
Apr 26, 2026
51m 22s
E57 – The War on Bad Software (Defense Unicorns)
Mar 28, 2026
Unknown duration
E56 – The Fury Origin Story
Feb 1, 2026
Unknown duration
E55 – Christine Fox: the REAL Charlie
Jan 18, 2026
Unknown duration
E54 – Pryzm: AI to understand the Pentagon
Dec 14, 2025
Unknown duration
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| Date | Episode | Topics | Guests | Brands | Places | Keywords | Sponsor | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4/26/26 | E58 – Dcode the Pentagon Buying Machine✨ | defense innovationacquisition reform+4 | Meagan MetzgerMeg Vorland | DcodeDcode Capital+1 | — | Pentagondefense+7 | — | 51m 22s | |
| 3/28/26 | E57 – The War on Bad Software (Defense Unicorns) | 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---- Follow us on...• LinkedIn• Instagram• X• Facebook• Website ---- 00:0000:43 intro01:09 Defense Unicorns name04:28 origin story06:38 the 3 I's08:46 software sustainment burden09:13 wrong incentive structure12:31 software as a weapon system14:39 rising tech debt16:18 open source18:46 open is more secure?20:43 SBOM22:24 solutions23:05 fighter jet software updates24:43 submarine software25:52 UDS27:05 disconnected software28:34 Chinese software underneath US systems30:48 competition33:43 crystal ball35:15 $136M fundraise37:56 magic wand - fixed price contracts40:14 McDonald's ice cream #AI #Technology #Tech #Innovation #Cybersecurity #youtube #Military #DefenseTech #MilitaryTech #Startup #Software #Business | — | ||||||
| 2/1/26 | E56 – The Fury Origin Story | 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. Links• Sign up for the newsletter! • Support us on Patreon! • Scott Bledsoe • Joe Murray• WOTR High-Low Mix Part I• WOTR High-Low Mix Part II---- Follow us on...• LinkedIn• Instagram• X• Facebook• Website ---- 00:0000:26 intro01:50 Scott and Joe07:21 DoD Accelerator09:51 Fury origin story11:24 SBIR16:28 the high-low mix17:11 writing to understand18:29 F-11719:04 no part 319:41 red air use-case24:29 Bandit and ADAIR-UX25:10 funding and the valley of death28:04 the capital void31:11 programs consolidate32:28 Anduril acquisition33:37 the small business divide34:14 DoD Accelerator fit36:12 Baxter Aerospace example41:19 the cheat code44:26 crystal ball45:17 the prime cartel?46:32 magic wand - IR&D policy change49:10 policy hurts start-ups52:51 DoD Accelerator focus areas | — | ||||||
| 1/18/26 | E55 – Christine Fox: the REAL Charlie | 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! Links• Sign up for the newsletter! • Support us on Patreon! ----Follow us on...• LinkedIn• Instagram• X• Facebook• Website ----00:00 intro00:35 Top Gun01:33 Christine Fox02:53 origin of FFRFC & UARC05:36 access to classified info08:30 tech transfer11:33 independence14:42 threat analysis story16:35 misunderstandings20:29 software and competition24:32 fix the gray27:11 what if they disappear?27:39 Navy Red Sea support28:29 hypersonics30:08 Golden Dome31:01 whole of nation approach38:20 2026 resolutions39:42 closing remarks | — | ||||||
| 12/14/25 | E54 – Pryzm: AI to understand the Pentagon | 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 ---- Follow us on...• LinkedIn• Instagram• X• Facebook• Website ---- 00:0001:43 intro02:30 origin story05:57 disclosure07:07 2 PMs08:47 Air Force tanker program21:47 Golden Dome28:12 sales vs business development33:04 proactive vs reactive34:59 intel to flip the script37:56 a bubble?41:18 flat toplines43:05 requested vs executed46:38 fundraise48:27 DIU project50:58 2026 outlook55:29 outro | — | ||||||
| 12/10/25 | E53 – The Fighter Pilot Spirit | 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 • Winglore Spirits investing• Dos Gringos YouTube channel ---- Follow us on...• LinkedIn• Instagram• X• Facebook• Website ---- 00:0001:47 Dos Gringos17:22 Operation Encore24:03 AI music27:27 The culture and bar origins34:27 Jermiah Weed38:13 Winglore Spirits42:03 Bogey Dope43:16 Nickel on the Grass45:29 Winglore squadron50:42 the Nellis Club52:02 Dos Gringos concert?54:45 outro55:04 Carlos jumps in56:23 I wish I had a gun like the A-10 | — | ||||||
| 10/25/25 | E52 – Top Secret Offices | 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. Links• Sign up for the newsletter! • Support us on Patreon!• Nooks website• Nooks LinkedIn ---- Follow us on...• LinkedIn• Instagram• X• Facebook• Website ---- 00:0000:46 intro01:49 Nooks02:52 origin story09:49 name and logo12:30 locations and spaces13:30 location and the real value unlock17:57 COVID19:20 fractional labs20:06 fundraising for a weird company22:01 information disadvantage23:33 myth of hiring security clearances30:00 SCIF34:09 mobile SCIF39:23 touchpoints and impact42:13 security in shared spaces46:48 the real impact47:36 magic wand - crystal ball49:50 make the problem go awaysecrets, top secret, military, technology, tech, defense, national security, air force, navy, army, marine corps, usmc | — | ||||||
| 10/5/25 | E51 – Red 6 and the Military Metaverse | 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. Links• Sign up for the newsletter! • Support us on Patreon!• Red 6 homepage• Red 6 LinkedIn• Red 6 IG• Red6CEO IG ---- Follow us on...• LinkedIn• Instagram• X• Facebook• Website ---- 00:0000:42 intro01:41 origin story05:22 thesis of Red 606:17 co-founder meeting10:43 lack of adversaries to train against16:03 realism that gets missed17:58 surface threats21:03 progress and iteration25:25 all of the technical challenges27:20 suspension of disbelief30:37 replacing helmet-mounted cueing32:09 Enders Game34:18 the Red 6 name35:59 UK Royal Air Force38:33 manned + unmanned45:08 validating tactics and training51:34 quality vs quantity training54:30 the technology is coming55:21 flying 56:43 the chief morale officer | — | ||||||
| 9/14/25 | E50 – JDAM: the GPS-Guided Bomb | 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. Links• Sign up for the newsletter! • Support us on Patreon! ---- Follow us on...• LinkedIn• Instagram• X• Facebook• Website ---- 00:0001:02 intro05:43 JDAM name origin06:56 accuracy spec origin10:43 Desert Storm McPeak Memo11:16 GAM before JDAM12:29 Kosovo combat debut14:39 40k for 40k competition17:44 JDAM adoption22:50 production feast & famine25:19 9/11 demand signal26:33 surging with standards28:43 Iraqi Freedom GPS jamming29:53 Laser JDAM origins33:38 the impact36:01 hitting moving targets37:54 106 mph!39:39 MOP41:33 JDAM-ER41:47 Ukraine42:53 integration and modularity43:41 aerial mining46:22 outro #military #airforce #navy #aviation #tech #technology #JDAM #boeing #GPS #defense #desert storm #iraq #syria #afghanistan #miltech #engineering #USA #security | — | ||||||
| 8/31/25 | E49 – Ursa Major Solid Rocket Motors | 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. Links• Sign up for the newsletter! • Support us on Patreon!• Ursa Major website• Ursa Major LinkedIn• Ursa Major Instagram • Ursa Major X ---- Follow us on... • LinkedIn• Instagram• X• Facebook• Website ---- 00:0000:42 intro01:04 Ursa Major02:22 company name03:48 getting into the SRM business05:29 SRM industrial base07:15 doing SRMs differently09:14 SRM 10112:07 Highly Loaded Grain13:08 increasing missile range15:34 rapid development16:44 scale with safety22:25 rapidly adapting SRMs to the threat23:03 3D printing everything?24:59 hypersonic motors27:20 missiles in space27:47 affordable mass29:14 outro | — | ||||||
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| 6/22/25 | E48 – Golden Dome, DIU, and the Innovation Reckoning | In this episode, Mike and Jake catch up on defense techhappenings. Links• Sign up for the newsletter! • Support us on Patreon!• Website ---- Follow us on... • LinkedIn• Instagram• X• Facebook---- 00:36 intro03:31 defense tech investing17:25 Anduril & Golden Dome18:13 Golden Dome25:51 frequency auctioning28:12 Ukraine forcing a US reckoning34:27 DIU criticism42:24 the 4th offset?46:39 Sun Tzu terrain47:45 the torpedo50:05 Ukraine drones and Israeli pagers | — | ||||||
| 6/5/25 |  The Future of Air Warfare: Modeling & Simulation (Sponsored) | 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. | — | ||||||
| 4/27/25 | E47 – Cumming's Hellhound | 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. Links• Sign up for the newsletter! • Support us on Patreon!• Mike Benitez on LinkedIn• Cummings Aerospace• Sheila’s op-ed----Follow us on... • LinkedIn• Instagram• X• Facebook• Website ---- 00:00 start01:18 intro01:56 origin story05:03 high speed background06:34 Hellhound origin story10:54 introducing the Hellhound11:27 3D-printed12:31 finding an engine13:34 See the Hellhound21:20 naming the Hellhound22:39 family of drones24:38 supersonic variant29:22 China & Industrialization32:32 Industrial Mobilization Board35:47 outro | — | ||||||
| 3/3/25 |  The Future of Air Warfare: Radars (Sponsored) | 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. | — | ||||||
| 2/23/25 |  The Future of Air Warfare: Weapons (Sponsored) | 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. | — | ||||||
| 2/16/25 | E46 – Expendable Tech for F-35 Threat Training | 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... • LinkedIn• Instagram• X• Facebook• Website----00:00 start01:11 intro03:08 Snappy 04:49 F-35 magnifies a growing problem07:21 the 3-solution problem10:31 good-enough solution space12:12 ELITE13:51 size and power15:35 as a target17:45 customers20:27 remote controlled22:00 how to keep it low cost23:34 creative training25:09 how the training looks26:47 RAF Lakenheath31:19 SBIR experience38:02 valley of death38:34 end of year money40:27 squadron innovation funds42:14 expendable concept validated42:50 Marine Corps weapons school example44:40 expendable allocation46:14 tools for innovative training49:30 memory lane49:45 callsign story51:40 outro#military #nationaldefense #warfare #nationalsecurity#defense #nationaldefense #tech #technology #defensetech #army #navy #airforce #usmc#innovation #war #strategy #aerospace #china #airpower #f35 #training #readiness #electronicwarfare | — | ||||||
| 1/17/25 | E45 – Operational War w/ John Warden | 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! • Mike Benitez (LinkedIn) • Winning Peer Wars ---- Follow us on... • LinkedIn • Instagram • X • Facebook • Website ---- 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 | — | ||||||
| 12/22/24 | E44 – Silent Arrow | 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! • Mike Benitez (LinkedIn) • Silent Arrow ---- Follow us on... • LinkedIn • Instagram • X • Facebook • Website ---- 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 | — | ||||||
| 11/26/24 | E43 – The Laser-Guided Bomb | 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 • newsletter! • Support us on Patreon! • Mike Benitez (LinkedIn) • Ed’s website • Ed’s books on Amazon ---- Follow us on... • LinkedIn • Instagram • X • Facebook • Website ---- 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 | — | ||||||
| 10/20/24 | E42 – B-52 BUFF modernization | 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 Links • Sign up for our amazing newsletter! • Support us on Patreon! • Mike Benitez (LinkedIn) • Joseph Little (LinkedIn) • AFOTEC, Det 5 (LinkedIn) ---- Follow us on... • LinkedIn • Instagram • X • Facebook • Website ---- 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 | — | ||||||
| 9/15/24 | E41 – Firestorm | 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! • Mike Benitez (LinkedIn) • Jake Chapman X (@vc) • Dan Magy (LinkedIn) • Firestorm website ---- Follow us on... • LinkedIn • Instagram • X • Facebook • Website ---- 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? | — | ||||||
| 8/25/24 | E40 – Air Force Weapons Czar | 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 Links • Sign up for our amazing newsletter! • Support us on Patreon! • Mike Benitez (LinkedIn) • Jake Chapman X (@vc) ---- Follow us on... • LinkedIn • Instagram • X • Facebook • Website ---- 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 | — | ||||||
| 6/29/24 | E39 – Anduril & General Atomics CCAs | 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! • Mike Benitez (LinkedIn) • Anduril • General Atomics • Diem Salmon - Vice President, Air Dominance and Strike at Anduril • Mike Atwood - Vice President, Advanced Programs at General Atomics ---- Follow us on... • LinkedIn • Instagram • X • Facebook • Website ---- 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 | — | ||||||
| 6/16/24 | E38 – Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar: REAL defense innovation | 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 Links • Sign up for our amazing newsletter! • Support us on Patreon! • Mike Benitez (LinkedIn) • Jake Chapman X (@vc) • Shyam Sankar (LinkedIn) • Shyam Sankar (X) • Palantir ---- Follow us on... • Instagram • Facebook • X • LinkedIn • Website ---- 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 | — | ||||||
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