Drone Wars Adapting To a New Battlefield: The U.S. Military's Innovation Challenge
Jan 14, 2025
Mike MacKay, a national security consultant and former Marine, shares insights on the military’s innovation challenges amidst rapid technological advances. He discusses the hurdles startups face in the defense sector and the importance of the AppFit program. MacKay reflects on lessons from recent conflicts, particularly the ethical implications of drones and AI in warfare. He emphasizes the urgent need for the U.S. military to adapt its strategies to keep pace with evolving combat dynamics, particularly evident in recent global conflicts.
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From Infantry To Policy And Procurement
- Mike MacKay described joining the Marine Corps after 9/11 and deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan across many evolving mission types.
- He explained moving from infantry to Force Recon and then into Hill and Pentagon roles, showing career progression into policy and procurement.
Bridging The Valley Of Death
- The 'valley of death' leaves startups with validated prototypes but no funding to scale into production.
- AppFit used congressional funds to bridge that gap and push DIU toward combatant-command priorities.
Early Drone Encounters In Mosul
- In 2016 near Mosul Mike's team first encountered quadcopter drones used by ISIS for ISR and mortar spotting.
- He submitted a Joint Urgent Operational Need but saw rapid weaponization of drones by October of that year.
