AI, Drones, and Space Weapons: The Next Era of Defense Tech | Clayton Swope (Podcast Ep. #16)

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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