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The Defense Tech Podcast with Fexingo: Government Contracting, Aerospace, and Military Tech
The Defense Tech Podcast with Fexingo: Government Contracting, Aerospace, and Military Tech
Defense contracting isn't just F-35s and carrier groups. Lucas and Luna break down the actual economics of military tech: how aerospace primes like Lockheed, RTX, and Northrop Grumman manage multi-year fixed-price development contracts, what the DoD’s new CMMC cybersecurity rules mean for small subcontractors, and why the Navy’s Columbia-class submarine program is a case study in industrial-base risk. Each episode starts with a real number — a contract award value, a quarterly P&L line from a defense prime, a Pentagon budget line item — and builds a conversation around it. Lucas, a former defense correspondent, brings the policy and accounting; Luna, a tech-market analyst, connects the programs to publicly traded supply chains and venture-backed startups trying to break into classified markets. No classified information, no defense-blog speculation — just the business logic behind the weapons systems you read about in the news.
Episodes
How the Pentagon Bets on Laser Weapons Like a Venture Capitalist
The Pentagon is buying directed-energy weapons not with multi-billion-dollar megaprograms but with a portfolio of small, fast bets — much like a venture capitalist. In this episode, Lucas and Luna examine the shift to spiral development, using Lockheed Martin's 60-kilowatt laser on the USS Ponce and Raytheon's Iron Beam-style system as case studies. They discuss why the traditional procurement mod
How the Pentagon Is Buying AI Through Model Distillation
The Pentagon is shifting from massive AI systems to smaller, distilled models tailored for battlefield edge computing. This episode explores how model distillation – a technique that compresses large neural networks into efficient versions – is reshaping defense procurement. Inspired by a CNBC report on the tech industry's obsession with distillation, we examine the Army's use of distilled AI for
How the Pentagon Is Buying Hypersonics Like a Silicon Valley R&D Lab
The Pentagon is pouring billions into hypersonic weapons, but the procurement process looks less like a traditional defense contract and more like a DARPA-style R&D lab. Lucas and Luna break down the new 'other transaction authority' agreements, the role of small startups like Hermeus and Stratolaunch, and why Lockheed Martin's 11.8% stock surge this week is tied to hypersonic test milestones. The
How the Pentagon Is Buying Combat Aircraft Like an Airline
Episode 129 examines the Pentagon's shift toward commercial-style procurement for combat aircraft, using the F-15EX and F-16 Block 70 as case studies. Lucas and Luna discuss how fixed-price contracts, multi-year buys, and commercial derivative designs are driving down costs and delivery times. They reference recent market moves: Lockheed Martin up nearly 12% in the last five days, while Boeing has
How the Pentagon Is Buying IT Services Like an Enterprise CIO
Episode 128 of The Defense Tech Podcast dives into the Pentagon's quiet but massive shift in how it buys routine information technology—the desktops, networks, cloud subscriptions, and helpdesk support that keep the Department of Defense running day to day. Lucas and Luna explore the Defense Information Systems Agency's new Enterprise Software Initiative and the JEDI-to-JWCC cloud migration saga,
How the Pentagon Is Buying Nuclear Reactors Like a Utility
The Pentagon is turning to small modular nuclear reactors to power remote military bases, cutting through decades of regulatory inertia. Lucas and Luna break down the new contracting model—think power purchase agreements, not cost-plus megaprojects—and explain why this changes the economics of basing. They look at the pilot program at Eielson Air Force Base, where the Air Force plans to field a mi
How the Pentagon Is Buying Disaster Response Like a FEMA Contractor
The Pentagon is quietly transforming how it buys disaster response capabilities — from wildfire suppression to hurricane relief — by adopting commercial logistics and modular contracting. Lucas and Luna break down a specific case: the Department of Defense's new 'Disaster Response IDIQ' that taps private firms for everything from temporary housing to satellite imagery. They discuss the $1.2 billio
How the Pentagon Is Buying Spare Parts Like a Subscription Service
The Department of Defense spends over $100 billion annually on spare parts and maintenance, but a quiet revolution is underway. Lucas and Luna break down how the Pentagon is moving away from buying spare parts piecemeal and toward a subscription-based model — performance-based logistics, or PBL — where contractors are paid for parts-readiness rather than parts themselves. They dig into a specific
How the Pentagon Is Buying Cyber Weapons Like a Hedge Fund Builds a Portfolio
The Pentagon is shifting to a portfolio-based approach for offensive and defensive cyber capabilities, investing in a mix of high-risk, high-reward tools and proven platforms. Lucas and Luna examine how the new strategy mirrors hedge fund allocation models, with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and U.S. Cyber Command leading the charge. They break down the $12 billion Cyber Capability
How the Pentagon Is Buying Jet Engines Like a Maintenance Shop
Lucas and Luna look at the Pentagon's new 'Power by the Hour' approach to buying jet engine maintenance — and how it's reshaping the aftermarket for fighter engines. They break down the shift from buying spare parts to paying for mission-ready thrust, using the F-35's Pratt & Whitney F135 engine as the anchor example. The hosts connect the change to broader trends in sustainment contracting and ti
How the Pentagon Is Buying Oil Reserves Like a Strategic Hedge Fund
With Brent crude just breached $90 and Iran threatening Hormuz, the Pentagon's Defense Logistics Agency is quietly stockpiling jet fuel and marine diesel at a scale that would make a hedge fund blush. Lucas and Luna break down how the military now uses options on fuel purchases, strategic underground storage at the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and multi-year fixed-price contracts to insulate itsel
How the Pentagon Is Buying Ammo Like a Bulk Retailer
The Pentagon is overhauling how it buys ammunition, moving from annual contracts that cost more and deliver slowly to multi-year bulk deals modeled on warehouse clubs like Costco. Lucas and Luna walk through the numbers: the Army is spending $1.5 billion a year on artillery shells alone, and a single five-year deal for 155mm rounds could save 15-20 percent. But there's a catch — Congress hates mul
How the Pentagon Is Buying 3D-Printed Spare Parts Like a Supply Chain Startup
The Pentagon's logistics system — a $200-billion-a-year behemoth that stores everything from helicopter rotor blades to tank gaskets in warehouses across the globe — is finally embracing additive manufacturing. But instead of building its own 3D-printing factories, the Department of Defense is buying spare parts as digital files, printed on demand at the point of need. In this episode, we look at
How the Pentagon Is Buying Satellites Like a Constellations Startup
Episode 119 of The Defense Tech Podcast. Lucas and Luna dive into the Pentagon's shift from buying bespoke, one-off satellites to procuring satellites in large constellations, modeled on commercial space approaches. They discuss how the Space Development Agency's Tranche 1 and Tranche 2 programs are buying hundreds of small satellites from vendors like York Space Systems and Lockheed Martin, aimin
How the Pentagon Is Buying Electric Vehicles Like a Fleet Manager
Episode 118 of The Defense Tech Podcast breaks down the Pentagon's pivot to electric tactical vehicles. As of July 18, 2026, the Department of Defense operates over 200,000 non-tactical vehicles and is pushing to electrify 15 percent of that fleet by 2027. But the real story is how the Army is buying electric light reconnaissance vehicles — not via traditional cost-plus contracts, but through a ne
How the Pentagon Is Buying Cybersecurity Like a Managed Service Provider
Episode 117 of The Defense Tech Podcast dives into a massive shift in how the U.S. Department of Defense procures cybersecurity. Instead of buying point products or building custom tools, the Pentagon is now purchasing cybersecurity as a managed service — a model that looks a lot like an enterprise contract with CrowdStrike or Palo Alto Networks, but scaled for warfighters and critical infrastruct
How the Pentagon Is Buying Launch Services Like a Rideshare
In this episode, Lucas and Luna drill into the Pentagon's new approach to procuring space launch services: buying rideshares on commercial rockets rather than owning the whole mission. With Northrop Grumman down nearly 4% in the last five days and the broader defense sector under pressure amid a global chip sell-off, they ask whether the Space Force's 'tactically responsive launch' program is a ge
How the Pentagon Is Buying Digital Engineering Services Like a Software House
The Pentagon is shifting from buying hardware specifications to buying digital engineering services — essentially paying contractors for the simulation models, not the physical prototypes. In this episode, Lucas and Luna dive into how that's changing the bidding process for major weapons programs, using the Air Force's Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program as a concrete example. They look a
How the Pentagon Is Buying Chips Like TSMC
Episode 114 of The Defense Tech Podcast: Lucas and Luna explore a massive shift in defense procurement: the Pentagon is now buying leading-edge semiconductors directly from foundries, using a model borrowed from commercial chip companies. They break down the new 'trusted foundry' program, how it differs from the old bespoke military chip approach, and what it means for companies like TSMC, Intel,
How the Pentagon Is Buying Battlefield Connectivity Like a Cellular Carrier
The Pentagon is transforming how it buys battlefield communications, shifting from buying individual radios to procuring a resilient, cellular-like network. Lucas and Luna break down the new program called Resilient Battlefield Communications (RBC), which treats connectivity as a service rather than hardware. They compare it to how a carrier buys spectrum and builds infrastructure, and discuss wha
How the Pentagon Is Buying Military Housing Like a Landlord
The U.S. Department of Defense oversees around 130,000 family housing units on military bases, but the way it buys and manages them has shifted dramatically from government-run to privatized. In this episode, Lucas and Luna examine the 1996 Military Housing Privatization Initiative, which turned defense housing into a public-private partnership model. They look at the $4.7 billion backlog of maint
How the Pentagon Is Buying Drone Swarms Like Software
In Episode 111, Lucas and Luna explore the Pentagon's latest procurement shift: buying drone swarms as software-defined systems rather than traditional hardware platforms. They break down the new 'attritable' contracting model, where the Pentagon treats swarm drones as disposable assets with continuous software updates, not one-and-done purchases. The conversation ties this to the broader defense
How the Pentagon Is Buying Missiles Like a Munitions Startup
The Pentagon is overhauling how it buys missiles, moving from Cold War-era megaprocurement to a model that looks more like a lean defense startup. Lucas and Luna break down the shift: multi-year bulk contracts replaced by flexible, single-year options; the new focus on modular, software-upgradable munitions; and what it means for primes like Lockheed Martin and RTX. With Middle East tensions escal
How the Pentagon Is Buying Submarines Like a Shipbuilding Startup
The Pentagon's submarine procurement faces a 30-year, $3 trillion bill for the Columbia-class and Virginia-class programs. Lucas and Luna dig into why the traditional cost-plus contracting model is breaking — and how the Navy is borrowing tactics from startups: fast prototyping, modular construction, and fixed-price incentives. They use HII's recent 8.5% margin squeeze and the Pentagon's new Shipb
How the Pentagon Is Buying Hypersonic Warheads Like a Munitions Startup
Episode 108 of The Defense Tech Podcast — Lucas and Luna drill into the Pentagon's new approach to hypersonic weapon procurement: buying warheads not through decades-long megaprograms but via rapid prototyping contracts modeled on agile munitions startups. They walk through the specific example of the Operational Fires (OpFires) program, the Defense Department's shift to Other Transaction Authorit
How the Pentagon Is Buying Quantum Computing Like a Cloud Service
The Pentagon is quietly shifting its quantum computing acquisitions from bespoke hardware projects to subscription-style cloud access. Lucas and Luna unpack why the Defense Department is now paying for quantum time by the hour, what this means for companies like IonQ and Rigetti, and how a classified pilot at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is changing the procurement playbook. Plus, a look at how
How the Pentagon Is Buying AI Models Like a SaaS Platform
The Pentagon is shifting from building custom AI models in-house to buying them as managed services — a move that mirrors how enterprises adopted cloud-based software. Lucas and Luna break down the new 'AI as a service' procurement model, using the recent JWCC contract expansions and the emergence of the Pentagon's Chief Digital and AI Office as anchor points. They discuss what this means for trad
How the Pentagon Is Buying Nuclear Reactors Like a Utility
The Pentagon is quietly placing bets on small modular nuclear reactors to power remote bases and data centers. Lucas and Luna break down the specific numbers behind a new Department of Defense contract for microreactor development, how this flips decades of nuclear procurement, and why the same tech could reshape civilian energy grids. They also look at how the market is reacting — with defense st
How the Pentagon Is Buying Microelectronics Like a Chip Startup
Episode 104 of The Defense Tech Podcast with Fexingo. Lucas and Luna drill into the Defense Department's new approach to microelectronics procurement — specifically the Rapid Assured Microelectronics Prototypes (RAMP) program, which funds trusted domestic fabrication runs in a model similar to how startups buy wafer space from foundries. They break down the per-wafer cost comparison to commercial
How the Pentagon Is Buying Subscription-Based Logistics
In episode 103 of The Defense Tech Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore how the Pentagon is shifting from owning its logistics fleet to buying transportation as a service. They examine the Joint Logistics Enterprise (LOGEN) concept, using the examples of Amazon's commercial delivery network and the Defense Logistics Agency's pilot to contract cargo capacity on a subscription model. Lucas explains that
How the Pentagon Is Buying Runway Time Like an Airline
The U.S. military used to own or lease test ranges for everything from fighter jets to drone swarms, paying for entire facilities year-round even when they sat idle. Now the Pentagon is shifting to a 'test-as-a-service' model, buying runway time, airspace access, and range instrumentation by the hour—like an airline buying gate slots or a cloud customer buying compute. Lucas and Luna break down th
How the Pentagon Is Buying Batteries Like a Utility
The Pentagon spends over $2 billion a year on batteries — for everything from night-vision goggles to electric vehicles to missile silos. But the old procurement model, buying custom chemistries for each platform, has led to skyrocketing costs and long lead times. Now the Defense Logistics Agency is testing a new approach: treat batteries like a commodity, buy them through a centralized catalog, a
How Ukraine Is Rewriting the Drone Warfare Playbook
Episode 100 of The Defense Tech Podcast: Lucas and Luna dive into how Ukraine's drone tactics in 2026 are forcing NATO to rethink its investment priorities. They break down the shift from high-cost, high-tech platforms to attritable, software-defined swarms. Lucas brings data on recent Pentagon contract trends and how companies like AeroVironment and Anduril are positioning for the new procurement
How the Pentagon Is Buying Space Data Like a Commodity
Episode 99 of The Defense Tech Podcast: Lucas and Luna dive into the Pentagon's recent shift toward buying space-based data as a commodity, rather than building proprietary satellites. They examine the DoD's new 'data-as-a-service' contracts for satellite imagery and signals intelligence, using the recent headlines about SpaceX's orbital data centers as a springboard. Lucas breaks down how compani
How the Pentagon Is Buying Hypersonic Wind Tunnel Time Like a Lab
Episode 98 of The Defense Tech Podcast: Lucas and Luna break down the Pentagon's shift to purchasing hypersonic wind tunnel access as a commercial service — like buying lab time from a university or contractor. They discuss the $100 million test facility market, the rise of private hypersonic test startups like Mach5 Labs and HyperTest, and how this new procurement model aims to slash testing time
How the Pentagon Is Buying Fuselages Like Auto Bodies
Episode 97 of The Defense Tech Podcast explores a radical shift in how the U.S. military procures aircraft fuselages, moving from custom fabrication to high-volume stamping methods borrowed from the auto industry. Lucas and Luna break down the $2.7 billion 'Fuselage as a Platform' program, how it could slash build times by 40%, and what it means for primes like Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin
How the Pentagon Is Buying Logistics Data Like a Supply Chain Startup
Episode 96 of The Defense Tech Podcast looks at how the Defense Logistics Agency is buying real-time logistics data from commercial providers like Project44 and FourKites. Lucas and Luna break down the $3.6 billion-dollar JOLTS contract, explain why supply chain visibility is suddenly a national security priority after the Red Sea disruptions, and discuss what this means for defense contractors an
How the Pentagon Is Buying Satellite Launch Services Like a Space Freight Company
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Pentagon's shift from owning rockets to buying launch services as cargo. With SpaceX joining the Nasdaq-100 and defense primes up 4-10% in a week, they break down the 'Launch Services Agreement' model that treats satellite delivery like a FedEx shipment. Using the Space Force's recent $2.4 billion contract for 30 launches across multiple providers, they
How the Pentagon Is Buying Helicopter Engines Like a Fleet Manager
The Pentagon spends over $2 billion annually maintaining helicopter engines, but its procurement system treats each overhaul as a one-off repair order. Contractors charge per component; supply chains stall; readiness drops. Now the Army is piloting a 'power-by-the-hour' model with General Electric's T700 engine program, paying for flight hours instead of spare parts. Lucas walks through how Honeyw
How the Pentagon Is Buying Cybersecurity Like Insurance
The Pentagon is shifting from auditing cybersecurity compliance to buying cyber resilience like an insurance policy — paying for outcomes, not checklists. Lucas and Luna break down the new 'Cyber Maturity Model Certification 2.0' framework, how it ties vendor payouts to real incident data rather than self-reported scores, and why defense primes like Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman are suddenl
How the Pentagon Is Buying Rare Earth Magnets Like a Miner
The Pentagon is using a Cold War-era law, the Defense Production Act Title III, to buy rare earth magnets for the F-35 and missile guidance systems. In this episode, Lucas and Luna break down how the US military is using the National Defense Stockpile and multi-year purchase agreements to break China's stranglehold on permanent magnets, which are essential for everything from precision-guided muni
How the Pentagon Is Buying Ammo Like a Bulk Retailer
The U.S. military is overhauling how it buys ammunition, moving from decades-old cost-plus contracts to a new model that resembles how Walmart or Costco source their inventory. In this episode, Lucas and Luna break down the Pentagon's 'multi-year, multi-vendor' procurement strategy for small-caliber rounds, artillery shells, and precision munitions. They discuss a recent $2.1 billion contract for
How the Pentagon Is Buying Cloud Services Like a Startup
Episode 90 of The Defense Tech Podcast explores a quiet but massive shift in how the Pentagon procures cloud computing. Lucas and Luna break down the Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability (JWCC) program, which is moving away from single-vendor megadeals toward a multi-cloud, consumption-based model similar to how a tech startup buys AWS or Azure credits. They reference recent defense stock moves — No
How the Pentagon Is Buying Warships Like a Ship Leasing Company
The Pentagon is spending $1.2 trillion on warships over the next 30 years, but it's trying a new approach: leasing hulls from commercial yards instead of buying them outright. Lucas and Luna break down the Navy's new 'ship-as-a-service' pilot, why Northrop Grumman and Huntington Ingalls are watching closely, and how this mirrors the Pentagon's broader shift from procurement to subscription models.
How the Pentagon Is Buying Drone Swarms Like Software Subscriptions
The Pentagon is shifting from buying individual drones to procuring entire swarms as a service, modeled on software-as-a-subscription contracts. Lucas and Luna break down a new acquisition experiment called 'Swan Song' that pays contractors per operational swarm-hour rather than per airframe. They connect the strategy to the broader move toward attritable systems and commercial off-the-shelf logic
How the Pentagon Is Buying Satellite Data Like a Netflix Subscription
Episode 87 of The Defense Tech Podcast digs into the Pentagon's new approach to procuring satellite imagery and signals intelligence: instead of multi-year, multi-billion-dollar contracts for bespoke satellites, the Space Force and National Reconnaissance Office are now buying data off the shelf from commercial providers on a subscription basis. Lucas and Luna break down the specific numbers behin
How the Pentagon Is Buying Satellite Bandwidth Like a Telecom
The Pentagon spends over a billion dollars a year on commercial satellite communications, but it's changing how it buys that capacity. Instead of long-term leases on dedicated military satellites, the Space Force is moving to a model that looks a lot like how a telecom company buys wholesale bandwidth: short-term contracts, spot-market purchases, and 'bandwidth as a service.' Lucas breaks down the
How the Pentagon Is Buying Submarine Propellers Like Auto Parts
Episode 85 of The Defense Tech Podcast digs into a quiet revolution in submarine manufacturing: the Pentagon is now buying submarine propellers from commercial shipbuilders using automotive-style supply contracts. Lucas explains how the Navy's new 'open architecture' procurement for propeller systems cut lead times from 18 months to 6 months and saved 12% per unit. They reference a recent $2.1 bil
How the Pentagon Is Buying Submarine Batteries Like Tesla Batteries
The Pentagon wants submarines that can stay submerged longer and move quieter. Their solution? Buying lithium-ion battery packs from commercial manufacturers like they're electrifying a car fleet. We look at the Navy's $2.2 billion sub battery modernization program, the gap between legacy lead-acid systems and off-the-shelf cells, and why defense primes like General Dynamics and HII are suddenly c
How the Pentagon Is Buying Chip Design Like a Venture Firm
Episode 83 of The Defense Tech Podcast with Fexingo: How the Pentagon Is Buying Chip Design Like a Venture Firm. Lucas and Luna dig into the Defense Department's new Trusted Silicon initiative, which is funding custom chip designs for military systems the same way a venture capital firm funds startups. The Pentagon has committed $500 million over five years to a pool that matches private investmen
How the Pentagon Is Buying Protective Gear Like a Retailer
The Pentagon spends over $2 billion annually on personal protective equipment — helmets, body armor, ballistic eyewear. But the procurement system was built for Cold War-scale orders of identical gear. Now, as threats diversify and unit sizes shrink, the DoD is adopting commercial retail practices: smaller, more frequent orders, commercial off-the-shelf products, and even a 'buy now, pay later' pi
How the Pentagon Is Buying Repair Parts Like Amazon Prime
The Defense Logistics Agency manages $40 billion in inventory across 25,000 military parts. But a new initiative called 'Retail Resupply' is trying to cut delivery times from weeks to days by contracting with commercial logistics giants like FedEx and UPS. Lucas and Luna break down how the Pentagon is applying just-in-time inventory principles to tank treads and turbine blades, why Northrop Grumma
Inside the Pentagon's Bet on Quantum Radar
Episode 80 of The Defense Tech Podcast dives into the Pentagon's latest frontier: quantum radar. Unlike classical radar, which struggles with stealth aircraft and electronic warfare, quantum radar uses entangled photons to detect objects that are virtually invisible to conventional systems. Lucas and Luna break down the physics in plain English, examine a recent $45 million DARPA contract awarded
How the Pentagon Is Buying 3D-Printed Drone Engines Like Airline Parts
The Pentagon is quietly shifting how it procures small turbine engines for drones and cruise missiles—buying them the same way airlines buy jet engine spare parts. Lucas and Luna break down the new 'engine-as-a-service' model, how it changes maintenance cycles, and what it means for defense primes like Honeywell and Williams International. They discuss a $2.4 billion multi-year contract that uses
Inside the Pentagon's Bet on Shipyard 3D Printing
The Pentagon is quietly investing millions in additive manufacturing for naval shipbuilding, aiming to slash production timelines for critical submarine and surface ship components. Lucas and Luna break down how the Navy's new 'digital stockpile' for 3D-printed parts works, why it matters for deterrence, and what it means for defense contractors like Huntington Ingalls and General Dynamics. Plus:
How the Pentagon Is Buying Jet Fuel Like a Hedge Fund
The Pentagon burns through roughly $10 billion worth of jet fuel annually, but it doesn't buy it like a gas station. This episode explores how the Defense Logistics Agency has quietly adopted financial hedging strategies — futures contracts, options, and swaps — to lock in prices and protect against supply shocks. Lucas and Luna walk through a concrete example: how a 2023 Brent crude spike would h
How the Pentagon Is Buying AI Models Like Anthropic's Mythos
This episode of The Defense Tech Podcast examines the Pentagon's new approach to acquiring cutting-edge AI models, using the Trump administration's recent approval of Anthropic's Mythos model for government use as the central case. Lucas and Luna discuss what it means for defense contractors when the Department of Defense buys AI not as custom-built software but as a commercial service, similar to
How the Pentagon Is Buying Hypersonic Engines Like Jet Parts
The Pentagon is shifting how it funds and procures hypersonic propulsion, moving from classified bespoke programs to a commercial-style engine marketplace. Lucas and Luna unpack the new approach using a concrete example: the Air Force's recent solicitation for a 'modular hypersonic turbine' — essentially a jet engine that can run at Mach 5. They discuss why this matters for primes like RTX and L3H
How the Pentagon Is Buying Nuclear Parts Like Smartphone Components
Episode 74 dives into the Pentagon's shift from bespoke, mil-spec nuclear components to commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) parts for nuclear command and control systems. Lucas and Luna explore how this move—dubbed 'commercial nuclear sourcing'—could cut costs by 40% and slash delivery times, using the Defense Logistics Agency's new streamlined acquisition pathway for radiation-hardened electronics. T
How the Pentagon Is Betting on 3D-Printed Missile Parts
Episode 73 of The Defense Tech Podcast explores a quietly radical shift in defense manufacturing: the Pentagon's push to 3D-print critical missile components at scale. Lucas and Luna break down a specific case — the Army's recent contract with a startup called Spree3D to print rocket engine nozzles for the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS). They discuss how additive manufacturing could
Inside the Pentagon's Bet on Electric Warships
The Pentagon is betting big on electric warships, with a new wargaming project to test all-electric propulsion for future naval combat. In this episode, Lucas and Luna break down the strategic rationale: why electric drives offer stealth, efficiency, and power for directed-energy weapons. They examine the challenges—battery capacity, charging at sea, and the massive power requirements of railguns
The Pentagon's Wargaming Bet on Electric Warships
The U.S. Navy has quietly shifted its shipbuilding wargames to model electric-drive warships as the default platform for future surface combatants. Lucas and Luna dig into why the shift matters for contractors like General Dynamics and Huntington Ingalls, what it means for the current fleet buildout, and how the change is already showing up in recent contract language and R&D spending. They also l
Why Defense Stocks Just Dropped on German Warship News
Episode 70 of The Defense Tech Podcast. Hosts Lucas and Luna break down the June 24, 2026 selloff in defense stocks triggered by Germany's decision to scrap major warship plans. Rheinmetall dropped 13 percent, and US primes like Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and General Dynamics each lost 4 to 7 percent in a single week. The hosts explain why a single European budget decision ripples through
The Pentagon Is Buying Commercial Drone Tech Like a Startup
Episode 69 of The Defense Tech Podcast explores how the Department of Defense is overhauling its procurement of small unmanned aerial systems by adopting commercial best practices. Lucas and Luna break down the Pentagon's new 'Drone as a Service' pilot, which cuts acquisition timelines from years to weeks. They discuss the Defense Innovation Unit's latest contract with Skydio for 5,000 commercial-
How the Pentagon Is Buying Launch Services Like Airlines
The Pentagon is overhauling how it buys rocket launches—moving from bespoke contracts to a model that looks a lot like an airline buying fleet capacity. Lucas and Luna break down the National Security Space Launch program's new 'fleet buy' approach, using real numbers: the Space Force's $5.6 billion Phase 3 lane 1 award to SpaceX, ULA, and Blue Origin, and what it means for companies like Rocket L
How the Pentagon Is Buying Battlefield AI Like Cloud Services
Episode 67 dives into the Pentagon's new 'AI as a Service' procurement model, which lets commanders access machine learning models on demand instead of owning them. Lucas explains how the Defense Innovation Unit's 'Tradewind' initiative is reshaping contracting with a metaphor from the commercial cloud: you don't buy the data center, you buy the compute. Luna questions whether this model works for
How the Pentagon Is Buying Counter-Drone Tech Like Consumer Electronics
The Pentagon is spending over $1 billion annually on counter-drone systems, but it's not buying them the way it buys fighter jets. Lucas and Luna break down the new, faster procurement model: off-the-shelf commercial tech, modular software upgrades, and a $300 million contract to Anduril for an AI-enabled sentry tower system called 'Pulsar'. They discuss why the old acquisition model fails against
How the Pentagon Is Buying Satellite Internet From Starlink
The Pentagon's commercial satellite internet procurement has quietly shifted from emergency contracts to a structured, multi-vendor buying model. Lucas and Luna break down the new 'Proliferated Low-Earth Orbit' acquisition framework, how Starlink became the de facto backbone for Ukraine and now for deployed US forces, and what it means for legacy contractors like L3Harris and Northrop Grumman. The
How the Pentagon Is Buying Satellites Like Smartphones
Episode 64 of The Defense Tech Podcast dives into the Pentagon's shift to 'proliferated architecture' for low-Earth orbit satellites. Lucas and Luna break down how the Space Development Agency is buying hundreds of small, cheaper satellites in two-year tranches, mimicking commercial electronics procurement. They examine Lockheed Martin's 5.4% drop over five days despite winning a key tranche, and
How the Pentagon Is Buying Drone Swarms Like Software
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Pentagon's shift toward acquiring drone swarms through software-like contracts, focusing on the Replicator initiative and the new 'swarm-as-a-service' model. They discuss how this approach contrasts with traditional hardware procurement, using real data from Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman stock dips to underscore market skepticism about legacy prim
How the Pentagon Is Buying Drone Swarms Like Software
Lucas and Luna dig into the Pentagon's new ‘Software Acquisition Pathway’ for drone swarms — a procurement reform that lets the military buy unmanned aerial systems the way it buys cloud subscriptions. They trace the shift from the old 10-year weapons development cycle to a model where contractors deliver algorithm updates every two weeks. Lucas points to the Replicator initiative's goal of fieldi
How the Pentagon Is Rewriting the Tank Playbook for Urban Warfare
The Pentagon's new Mobile Protected Firepower vehicle — the M10 Booker — is reshaping how the Army thinks about armored warfare in dense urban environments. Lucas and Luna break down the Booker's specs, its deployment to the 82nd Airborne, and what it means for defense contractors like General Dynamics and BAE Systems. They also discuss the broader shift toward lighter, more deployable armored veh
The Pentagon's Hardened Undersea Cable Repair Strategy
In episode 60 of The Defense Tech Podcast, Lucas and Luna drill into a specific, unglamorous but critical piece of military infrastructure: the Pentagon's plan to build a rapid-response fleet for repairing damaged undersea cables. Drawing on a recent Government Accountability Office report and a $300 million contract vehicle awarded in March 2026 to companies like Subcom and ASN, they explore why
The Pentagon Gambles on Space-Based Solar Power
Episode 59 of The Defense Tech Podcast explores the Pentagon's latest unconventional energy bet: space-based solar power. Lucas and Luna break down the Defense Innovation Unit's SBSP program, the $100 million prototype contract awarded to Northrop Grumman in April 2026, and the technical hurdles of beaming gigawatts from orbit. They discuss how this fits into the military's push for resilient ener
How the Pentagon Is Betting on Reusable Hypersonic Drones
Episode 58 of The Defense Tech Podcast explores the Pentagon's quiet shift toward reusable hypersonic flight vehicles. Lucas and Luna break down the DARPA and Air Force programs pushing for recovery and reflight of hypersonic testbeds, the cost implications versus expendable missiles, and what this means for the industrial base. They reference real market data: Northrop Grumman's stock is flat, wh
The Pentagon's Big Bet on Mobile Ground Robots
Episode 57 of The Defense Tech Podcast dives into the Pentagon's accelerating investment in mobile ground robots for logistics and reconnaissance. Lucas and Luna examine the newly announced Robotic Combat Vehicle-Light program, which aims to field 3,000 unmanned ground vehicles by 2028. They discuss the $6.2 billion contract opportunity, the competitive landscape including incumbents like QinetiQ
The Pentagon Is Building a Moon-Based Nuclear Reactor
The Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is funding a project to build a nuclear fission reactor on the Moon by 2030 under the DRACO program. This episode explores why the Department of Defense needs lunar nuclear power — not for scientific exploration, but for energy-intensive military operations like persistent surveillance, surface mobility, and secure communication node
Inside the Pentagon's New Nuclear Propulsion Bet
Episode 55 examines the Pentagon's renewed investment in nuclear thermal propulsion for military spacecraft, a technology dormant since the 1970s. Lucas explains why the Defense Innovation Unit awarded a $34 million contract to Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation in May 2026, and how this fits into the broader push for rapid maneuver in cislunar space. Luna questions whether nuclear engines can escape
How the Pentagon Is Buying Commercial Tech Like a VC
Episode 54 of The Defense Tech Podcast. Lucas and Luna examine the Pentagon's new commercial tech investment office, which is adopting venture capital methods to bypass traditional acquisition. They discuss the Strategic Capital Office's first $215 million deployment into AI-powered logistics software, how it differs from traditional contracting, and what it means for defense primes like Lockheed
How the Pentagon Is Rewriting Its Cybersecurity Acquisition Rules
Episode 53 of The Defense Tech Podcast dives into the Pentagon's new cybersecurity acquisition reforms, specifically the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification 2.0. Lucas and Luna break down how CMMC 2.0 changes the bidding process for defense contractors, why it's forcing small and mid-tier firms to overhaul their security posture, and how prime contractors like Lockheed Martin and RTX are ad
