The Drone Ultimatum

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 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/

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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.

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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

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/

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-- 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/

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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!