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Crossing the Valley
Season 2 Ep 8: Dan Magy and Ben Kohlmann on Navigating the Defense Ecosystem
Aug 14, 2024
Ben Kohlmann, a retired F-18 pilot turned defense investor, and Dan Magy, a seasoned defense founder and CEO of Firestorm Labs, dive into the evolving defense landscape. They explore the revolutionary role of drone swarms in modern warfare and the hurdles startups face in military innovation. They discuss the missed opportunities in the Ukraine conflict and the importance of real-world testing. With a focus on building relationships for defense tech startups, they highlight strategies to navigate government procurement and the art of effective storytelling in Congress.
46:46
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Quick takeaways
- The shift towards multi-mission drones aims to increase versatility and reduce costs compared to currently over-engineered systems.
- Recent conflicts demonstrate that less expensive drones can effectively counter high-value military assets, emphasizing the importance of asymmetrical warfare.
Deep dives
The Shift to Multi-Mission Drones
The current approach to drone procurement in the Department of Defense (DoD) involves purchasing specific drones for designated missions, leading to an over-engineered and costly system. To address these inefficiencies, there is a push towards developing multi-mission drones that can adapt to various payloads, much like a 'flying USB'. This shift is spurred by recent conflicts, particularly in Ukraine, where the effectiveness of cheaper drones against expensive military assets has become evident. The idea is to build drones that are versatile and can be deployed in multiple scenarios, reducing reliance on singular, costly systems.
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Discover
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