Mike hosts defense acquisition experts Eric Lofgren and Matt MacGregor to better understand just how hard it is for the US military to buy stuff. We also discuss a shortcut called a Middle Tier Acquisition (MTA), along with some examples you’ve probably heard of: B-52 engines, F-15EX fighter jets, and hypersonic missiles.----Links* Sign up for our amazing newsletter https://www.themerge.co* Support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/the_merge* Eric contact https://www.linkedin.com/in/elofgren/* Eric’s Acquisition Talk https://acquisitiontalk.com * Matt contact https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-macgregor77/* Matt’s op-ed https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2022/09/get-know-middle-tier-awesomeer-acquisition/377017/* Pentagon Wars (full movie) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir0FAa8P2MU----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(1:00) intro(4:12) overview(5:06) monopsony(6:58) requirements(9:04) Pentagon Wars(20:45) acquisition strategy(23:44) “joint”(31:58) how much does it cost?(35:38) the budget(37:11) the PPBE(43:06) what is the NDAA?(45:38) what is an MTA?(53:15) MTA examples(53:27) B-52 engines(1:01:00) IVAS (Army AR headset)(1:05:06) F-15EX(1:11:05) F-22 Link-16 and IRST(1:11:50) ARRW (hypersonic)(1:17:44) story time

Mike Benitez is back with Jake Chapman and Tim Nolan to discuss Russian nukes in the news, a breakthrough in fusion, TikTok, and all things ChatGPT. Tim cheats on a pop quiz in real time, Mike discovers Jake’s secret past, and Jake opines on the value of a future PutinGPT. ---- Links * Want more intel and insights? Sign up our amazing newsletter https://www.themerge.co/ * Support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/the_merge * Tim’s nuke article https://www.the-sun.com/news/6911324/putin-readies-nuke-launch-missile/ * ChatGPT https://chat.openai.com/chat ---- 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 (00:30) Intro (1:24) Russia nuke news (3:23) details don’t matter (9:00) we finally read the article (11:34) missile sponge (14:18) pop quiz (15:03) Tim explains fission (16:55) Tim share’s his secret (17:46) The best segway (18:26) fusion in the news (26:38) the next best segway (28:32) Mike share’s his secret (29:23) ChatGPT (37:15) PutinGPT (41:10) ChatGPT comments (42:06) TikTok (45:36) Jake’s TikTok spicy take (49:02) You were a lawyer?! (51:00) How to ban tiktok? (53:32) ChatGPT writes the outro

Host Mike Benitez brings the spirit of the Merge in a full court press to discuss Adversary Air—aka Red Air—in a way you’ve never heard. It’s an entertaining journey through the history, policy, technology, strategy, industry, and business of Red Air.Today’s guests:* Kevin “Shaggy” Wilson* Ryan “Stinger” Fishel* Andrew “Scar” Van Timmeren* Jeff “Vader” Brandon----Links* Want more intel and insights? Sign up for the Newsletter* Support us on Patreon* Shaggy - Top Aces* Scar - Blue Force Technology* Vader - Kodiak Shack Podcast* Stinger’s F-117 article: Train Like You Fight* Jared Isaacman’s MiG-29----Follow us on...* Instagram* Facebook* Twitter* LinkedIn* Website----Show Notes(1:28) – Guest Intros(4:23) – What is adversary air?(13:15) – the industry(15:25) – Congress gets involved(18:54) – how’s it going now (industry)(22:46) – how’s it going now (fighter pilot)(34:05) – Top Aces buys F-16s(39:30) – F-117 red air(47:08) – adversary drones(52:07) – the cost of self-supporting adversaries(55:21) – training is deterrence(56:18) – training modernization(1:04:27) – story time

Episode 1: A Star is Born! After too many excuses, the Merge newsletter’s Mike Benitez launches the inaugural Merge podcast! Co-hosting duties are shared with Jake Chapman (@VC) and Tim Nolan (@NatSecTim). In this episode, we talk about 3 things the newsletter has never covered in its 2-year existence: venture capital, TikTok, and American Dynamism.Show Notes:(00:30) – the world’s most okayist defense podcast(1:02) – Co-host intros(3:58) – What is venture capital(20:49) – Jake and the Army Venture Capital Corporation(26:20 ) – TikTok and national security(39:16) – WTH is ‘American Dynamisn’Subscribe to the newsletter:https://www.themerge.co/Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/the_merge