Technology

Cogs of War

A new show and vertical focused on defense tech and the defense industrial base, created and produced by WAR ON THE ROCKS and supported by BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON.

Latest Episodes:

Ground Robots Are Arriving on the Front Lines Oct 12, 2026

Show notes

For years, ground autonomy lagged well behind its counterparts in the air. That gap is starting to close. Jonathan is joined by Ryan Hartman (Ondas Sentinel) and Scott Philips (Forterra) to examine what it takes to field autonomous ground vehicles in combat. The conversation ranges across what Ukraine and Gaza have taught them, what operating without GPS and resilient communications really looks like, air-ground teaming, and more.

Collective Defense in an Era of Tokens and Data Links Sep 28, 2026

Show notes

NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, Adm. Pierre Vandier, returns to the studio to discuss how the alliance is continuously adapting to a new era of warfare driven by software, data, and uncrewed systems, and where it still lags. He explains why NATO is favoring field experimentation, how allies can build sovereign defense tech ecosystems without sacrificing interoperability, and what the right balance between unmanned and legacy platforms might look like.

The Big Bet on the Emerging Space Economy Sep 14, 2026

Show notes

The space economy has surpassed $600 billion in annual value, with some projecting it will reach a trillion by the 2030s. Jonathan Panter is joined by Joseph Yaffe (Cowboy Space), Brian Weeden (The Aerospace Corporation), and Dan Wald (Booz Allen) to weigh where the real growth is. They discuss how AI infrastructure is blurring the line between the space economy and the regular economy, the regulatory tangle, the leap toward autonomous constellations of hundreds of thousands of satellites, competition with China, and the dual-use risks of data centers in orbit.

The Quantum Stack and the Countdown to Q-Day Aug 31, 2026

Show notes

Quantum's hype obscures a reality with real geopolitical stakes: the technology works and is advancing every day. Cameron Chehreh (IonQ), JD Dulny (Booz Allen), and Ben Gianni (GDIT) join Jonathan to discuss the race to Q-Day. They cover the shift to post-quantum cryptography, competing hardware modalities, emerging use cases, and why talent gaps and fragile supply chains mean the United States could be at risk of falling behind.

Contested Logistics and the "Last Unmanned Mile" Aug 19, 2026

Show notes

In a Pacific war, the U.S. military cannot assume uncontested access to its depots and supply lines for munitions, spare parts, food, water, and energy. Jonathan is joined by David Tuttle (Rune Technologies), Paul Lwin (HavocAI), and Tom Garvey (CACI) to discuss sustaining a dispersed force that's facing enemy fire and lacks stable, secure communications. They debate autonomy versus automation, predictive resupply, where the data comes from, and which lessons from Ukraine transfer across theaters.

A Conversation with the Pentagon's Chief Buyer, Under Secretary Michael P. Duffey Aug 04, 2026

Show notes

Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Michael P. Duffey joins Jonathan to discuss the Pentagon's ongoing acquisition transformation. Their conversation spans the recent munitions agreements, industry investments, the shift to portfolio acquisition executives, allied coproduction, and more.

Rebuilding America's Critical Minerals Base Jul 21, 2026

Show notes

There's a clear consensus that America hollowed out its critical minerals base. How to rebuild it is less settled. Alex Grant of Magrathea Metals and Wes Spurlock of Principal Mineral join Jonathan to discuss the processing technology, labor force, and how government can catalyze private capital investment in the sector rather than replace it.

The Pentagon's Sprint to Get Tech Out of the Lab and to the Warfighter Jul 09, 2026

Show notes

Joe Jewell left academia and his role directing hypersonic wind tunnels to oversee the Pentagon's science and technology enterprise. He wants more researchers to make the same move. He joins Jonathan to discuss the Pentagon's science enterprise, why he thinks academia is the envy of America's closest allies, and how his office gets technology from the lab into the hands of the warfighter.

AI Agents and the Unseen Work of War Jun 24, 2026

Show notes

Armies run on more than what happens at the front. Behind every operation is a vast amount of coordination, administration, logistics, and judgment. Bill Pessin, senior vice president of national security at Salesforce and a former U.S. Army logistics officer, joins Jonathan to discuss how military organizations can use AI agents, what makes these tools different from ordinary software, and why safety and accountability matter when new technology enters national security work. They also discuss what Pessin learned early in his Army career about the gap between plans, systems, and the people who have to make them work.

The Lawmakers Fighting to Modernize the Pentagon Jun 08, 2026

Show notes

Congress rarely moves fast, but Reps. Rob Wittman and Pat Ryan are trying to change that. The two lawmakers founded the bipartisan House Defense Modernization Caucus in 2024 and have driven reforms through two consecutive defense authorization acts, targeting acquisitions and other bottlenecks. Jonathan sits down with both congressmen to discuss their initiatives, how a caucus without markup power actually moves legislation, and whether bipartisan cooperation on defense can last.

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