The Merge

Don’t miss our newsletter! Mike hosts Billy Flynn to discuss everything you need to hear about the Royal Canadian Air Force. All is not right in Canada; their Air Force has atrophied in several key areas. What happened? Why are the fighter pilots quitting? Can they still contribute to NATO? Is it too late to fix it? Tune in for answers! For those interested in #military #technology #strategy #airforce #NATO   ---- Links • Sign up for our ⁠amazing newsletter⁠! • Support us on ⁠Patreon⁠! Billy Flynn •• website •• LinkedIn •• X (Twitter) •• Instagram ---- Follow the Merge! • ⁠Instagram⁠ • ⁠Facebook⁠ • ⁠X (Twitter)⁠ • ⁠LinkedIn⁠ • ⁠Website⁠ ---- Show Notes (01:29) intro (07:48) the Royal Canadian Air Force (08:45) how Canada got F-18s (17:54) NORAD and Canada (21:40) why Canada matters to US defense (24:27) the RCAF’s key maritime mission (32:50) Canada’s F-35 debacle (44:33) losing the fighter pilot (52:25) how to fix the RCAF? (56:48) outro

Don’t miss our newsletter! Mike and Jake host REGENT Co-founder & CEO Billy Thalheimer to discuss Wing-In-Ground-effect (WIG) vehicles. Why do they refer to them as seagliders? What is the science and technology that makes them work? Why is there no pilot? Why is the Marine Corps is interested? Tune in for answers! For those interested in #military #technology #strategy #innovation #business #transportion   ---- Links • Sign up our ⁠amazing newsletter⁠! • Support us on ⁠Patreon⁠! • ⁠Mike Benitez LinkedIn • Jake Chapman X (@vc) • Billy Thalheimer LinkedIn • REGENT website ---- Follow us on... • ⁠Instagram⁠ • ⁠Facebook⁠ • ⁠X (Twitter)⁠ • ⁠LinkedIn⁠ • ⁠Website⁠ ---- Show Notes (01:12) intro (03:11) What are WIGs (07:43) Flown by a captain? (10:52) full scale mockup (14:30) $60M Series A fundraise (16:35) Marine Corps application (22:03) electric vehicles in a Pacific fight? (24:30) building a strong board of advisors (25:57) certification and safety (31:10) scale (34:30) dual-use development (36:14) Coast Guard interest? (37:26) Why Rhode Island? (40:15) outro

Sign up for our newsletter! Mike, Jake, and Tim reunite to discuss the latest defense-related news and happenings: Israel at war, Congress elects a Speaker, growing support for the $1B tech hedge against China, and how innovation really works. For those interested in #military #technology #strategy #china #israel #innovation  ---- Links • Sign up for the Merge’s ⁠amazing newsletter⁠! • Support us on ⁠Patreon⁠! • ⁠Mike Benitez LinkedIn • Jake Chapman X (@vc) • Tim Nolan LinkedIn   ---- Follow us on... • ⁠Instagram⁠ • ⁠Facebook⁠ • ⁠X (Twitter)⁠ • ⁠LinkedIn⁠ • ⁠Website⁠ ---- Show Notes (00:40 ) intro (01:37) Israel/Gaza War (33:07) Congress – the House gets a new Speaker (44:30) the $1B defense tech hedge (51:49) how innovation happens (59:36) Air Force STRATFI-TACFI (1:09:08) outro

Mike Benitez hosts Scott Schneider, CEO of HTX Labs, to discuss the future of learning. Hear about how a small startup pivoted into working with the Air Force and how they’ve used immersive learning in XR to change the way the Air Force trains aircraft maintainers and pilots. For those who like #military #technology #aviation #airforce #learning #training #XR  #VR ---- Links • Sign up for the Merge’s ⁠amazing newsletter⁠! • Support us on ⁠Patreon⁠! • ⁠Mike Benitez LinkedIn • HTX Labs website • HTX Labs email: collaborate@htxlabs.com ---- Follow us on... • ⁠Instagram⁠ • ⁠Facebook⁠ • ⁠X (Twitter)⁠ • ⁠LinkedIn⁠ • ⁠Website⁠ ---- Show Notes (00:53) intro (01:54) HTX Labs origin story (05:22) what is XR (07:10) EMPACT (10:57) VR and Air Force pilot training (13:58) the “aha” moment (16:52) Pilot Training Next    (21:15) Crew chiefs and maintainers (23:23) ATO/cybersecurity (24:59) working with the Pentagon (26:35) the importance of a contract vehicle (33:10) SBIR story (38:45) questions to ask XR/VR vendors (44:13) outro

Former Australian diplomat John Fowler discusses international relations with a focus on China's ambitions, South America influence, Taiwan invasion, and the impact of Ukraine crisis on China. The podcast delves into diplomacy, military connections, Monroe Doctrine, Belt & Road Initiative, chip industry decoupling, and US policy on Taiwan.

Mike and Jake host Varda Delian Asparouhov, Founders Fund partner and co-founder of Varda Space Industries, to talk about venture capital investing, Varda’s efforts to make drugs in space, and why the Air Force is interested in using their orbiting pharmaceutical lab to help test hypersonic weapons. For those who like #military #technology #airforce #aviation #aerospace #space ---- Links • Sign up for our ⁠amazing newsletter⁠! • Support us on ⁠Patreon⁠ • ⁠Mike Benitez LinkedIn⁠ • Jake Chapman X (Twitter) • Delian Asparouhov X (Twitter) ---- Follow us on... • ⁠Instagram⁠ • ⁠Facebook⁠ • ⁠X (Twitter)⁠ • ⁠LinkedIn⁠ • ⁠Website⁠ ---- Show Notes (00:47) intro (05:00) Varda’s connection to Palantir and Anduril  (06:22) Varda’s origin story (08:58) how to find a co-founder (11:42) why drugs (13:23) naming the company (15:39) the space capsule (17:08) Falcon 9 launched into space (19:00) why Ritonavir (22:19) patent a space drug? (26:47) stuck in orbit? (28:27) how it comes back to Earth (30:20) how the Air Force became a customer (33:40) China’s hypersonic news (34:23) Varda’s Air Force STRATFI contract (37:14) Varda’s mission (39:17) Silicon Valley and Congress (42:48) Defense tech investing (47:31) lightning round (56:00) outro

Mike brings Matt back on the show to help unpack the raging debate about which engine should power the F-35 fighter jet into the future. This episode covers all the details about the technology at the center of the debate, as well as the politics, history, and strategy in play. Fence in for some education and entertainment! For those who like #military #technology #airforce #aviation #aerospace ---- Links • Sign up for our ⁠amazing newsletter⁠! • Support us on ⁠Patreon⁠ • ⁠Mike Benitez LinkedIn⁠ • ⁠Matt MacGregor LinkedIn⁠ • Pete & Matt’s ⁠Defense Acquisition Substack⁠ ---- Follow us on... • ⁠Instagram⁠ • ⁠Facebook⁠ • ⁠Twitter⁠ • ⁠LinkedIn⁠ • ⁠Website⁠ ---- Show Notes (00:44) intro (02:15) the F-35 engine problem (06:33) power & cooling (08:38) cooling (14:29) the 2 engine choices (14:48) option 1: engine core upgrade (19:32) sharks with lasers (22:38) option 2: new adaptive engine (33:16) adaptive engine history with the F-22 (35:12) 20 years of bad blood (40:47) the feud goes public (47:17) Congress weighs in (49:26) impacts on industry (50:36) 6th gen fighter engine program (53:55) Mike's spicy take (57:42) outro

Mike, Jake, and Tim break down how the US military spends $850+ BILLION PER YEAR. Where does it all go? Who gets what? What are the trends to track? Is it too much money…or not enough? Tune in to find out. We'll make you smart on the defense budget—we guarantee it. ---- Links * SUBSCRIBE to our amazing newsletter * SUPPORT us on Patreon ---- Follow us on... * Instagram * Facebook * Twitter * LinkedIn * Website   ---- Show Notes (00:30) intro (02:39) joke time (04:24) Jon Stewart’s interview (05:54) the budget basics (08:19) slices of the pie, by branch (11:49) slices of the pie, by use (12:47) RDT&E slice (17:21) procurement slice (26:37) personnel slice (36:00) O&M slice (37:10) Why O&M is so high (39:10) innovation in production (43:51) how much is enough? Toplines (46:37) GDP (51:25) NATO GDP (54:16) balancing the budget (56:32) defense vs. non-defense (59:48) sequestration lessons not learned ( 1:02:17) outro

Mike hosts Air Force Colonel Don “Stryker” Haley to talk about how the US military predicts the future. Learn about how future concepts are created and war-gamed, and how that determines which technology should be prioritized for development to solve the right problems. ----Links* Sign up for our amazing newsletter https://www.themerge.co * Support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/the_merge * Don “Stryker” Haley on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-stryker-haley/----Follow us on...* Instagram https://www.instagram.com/merge_newsletter * Facebook https://www.facebook.com/themergenews * Twitter https://twitter.com/MergeNewsletter * LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/themerge * Website https://www.themerge.co ----Show Notes(00:44) intro(04:32) setting the stage(09:16) 2018 NDS(12:06) JWC 1.0(16:10) what wargames are for (19:20) JWC 2.0 and Integrated Deterrence(19:40) 4 functional battles – CJADC2 (23:17) JWC 3.0(24:04) the problem with near-term wargaming(26:27) Top Secret(28:13) who looks at the future(31:36) wargaming(32:19) white/blue/red teams(40:59) what operators get wrong(45:10) a blitz may be a mistake(47:30) Globally Integrated Wargames (GIWG)(48:33) lots of secrets(54:01) learning no one’s in charge(57:17) what happens after wargaming(1:00:46) the budgeting realities(1:02:36) Agile Combat Employment (ACE)(1:08:34) cruise missiles from cargo planes(1:15:12) AI-powered drones (CCAs)(1:19:13) outro----#wargame, #wargames #airforcefutures #jointwarfighting #airforce #militaryplanning #militarytechnology #china #CCA #rapiddragon #collaborativecombataircraft #nationalsecurity #drones #cruisemissile #military #usmilitary #pentagon# strategy #technology #mil tech #military tech #airforce #air force #army #navy # marine corps #secrets

Mike and Jake chat with Chris Moran, VP and General Manager of Lockheed Martin Ventures, for an inside look into why the world’s largest defense company invests hundreds of millions of dollars into tech startup companies. ----Links* Sign up for our amazing newsletter https://www.themerge.co * Support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/the_merge * Lockheed Martin Ventures https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/who-we-are/lockheed-martin-ventures.html * Machina Labs https://www.machinalabs.ai/* Norm Augustine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_R._Augustine* Augustine’s laws https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine%27s_laws----Follow us on...* Instagram https://www.instagram.com/merge_newsletter * Facebook https://www.facebook.com/themergenews * Twitter https://twitter.com/MergeNewsletter * LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/themerge * Website https://www.themerge.co ----Show Notes(01:03) intro(03:08) icebreaker(04:59) how Chris got into defense(07:35) how Chris got into defense finance(11:52) VC 101 (12:21) Lockheed’s investment track record(14:32) how to exit an investment(19:10) quantum use-cases(20:30) Machina Labs(23:02) investment tension(25:11) times have changed(32:20) dual-use hedge(38:15) Lockheed Martin CEOs(41:46) Kelly Johnson(48:16) magic wand(49:51) what everyone gets wrong about innovation(52:17) graveyard of eVTOL companies(55:13) lightning round(58:45) outro