Defense One Radio

Mark Montgomery’s insights from Ukraine Nov 01, 2024

A retired U.S. admiral shares what he learned from a recent trip to the wartorn country.

Guest:

Mark Montgomery, a retired U.S. Navy rear admiral, is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington and senior director of FDD's Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation.

AUSA conference, in review Oct 24, 2024

Defense One staff summarize the leading developments from this year's Association of the U.S. Army conference in Washington.

Guest:

Sam Skove, staff reporter;
Patrick Tucker, science and tech editor.

Find Defense One's complete AUSA coverage here.

The 2024 Air, Space & Cyber conference Sep 21, 2024

Audrey Decker explains some of the top developments out of this year's AFA conference outside Washington.

Guest:

Audrey Decker, Defense One’s air warfare reporter.

Extra reading:

Europe in a tight spot Sep 13, 2024

Patrick Tucker unpacks findings from his recent trip to Prague for the 2024 Global Security Conference.

Related reading:

"European officials vow to boost defense production, but some worry it won’t be enough," by Patrick Tucker, reporting August 30 from Prague;
"The big loophole allowing Russia to access US chips? China," by Tucker again, reporting from Washington on September 11;
And "EU competitiveness: Looking ahead," a report published this week by Mario Draghi, former president of the European Central Bank.

A trip to Louisiana with the Army’s new recon unit Aug 23, 2024

The Army just put a new unit loaded with cutting-edge tech to the test at Fort Johnson. Sam Skove explains what he saw during a recent week long demonstration.

You can read more from Sam's coverage of this Army exercise here.

The 2024 Farnborough airshow Aug 02, 2024

We revisit some of the bigger takeaways from this year’s Farnborough International Airshow.

Guest:

Dan Darling, vice president of market insights at Forecast International, a research and consulting firm owned by Defense One's parent company.

You can see all of our Farnborough Airshow coverage, here.

Tech Summit: DARPA’s Stefanie Tompkins Jul 02, 2024

We conclude our 2024 Tech Summit coverage with an interview featuring DARPA Director Stefanie Tompkins.

Guest:

Stefanie Tompkins, Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

You can see all of our interviews from the 2024 Tech Summit at Defense One's YouTube page, here.

Tech Summit: The state of hypersonics Jul 01, 2024

Our 2024 Tech Summit coverage continues with a discussion about the future of hypersonic missile research and development.

Guest:

Frank Peterkin, Principal Director of Directed Energy at the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Critical Technologies;
And Jarret Lafleur, Senior Advisor to the Principal Director for Hypersonics for Strike Systems Strategy and Policy Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.

You can see all of our interviews from the 2024 Tech Summit at Defense One's YouTube page, here.

Tech Summit: The Pentagon’s Maynard Holiday Jun 30, 2024

We’re sharing some of our notable exchanges from the 2024 Defense One Technology Summit, beginning with the Pentagon's Maynard Holliday.

Guest:

Maynard Holliday, Performing the Duties of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Critical Technologies at the Defense Department.

You can see all of our interviews from the 2024 Tech Summit at Defense One's YouTube page, here.

The future of Taiwan’s security with Dmitri Alperovitch Jun 13, 2024

What might an invasion of Taiwan look like, and how can allies help the island nation better defend itself?

Guest:

Dmitri Alperovitch, chairman of the Silverado Policy Accelerator, a geopolitics think-tank in Washington.

Sources:

“World on the Brink: How America Can Beat China in the Race for the Twenty-First Century,” by Dmitri Alperovitch, published April 2024;
“Surveying the Experts U.S. and Taiwan Views on China’s Approach to Taiwan in 2024 and Beyond,” by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, January 2024.

The future of Taiwan's security with Mick Ryan Jun 12, 2024

The author of “White Sun War: The Campaign for Taiwan" discusses shoring up defenses against a blockade or invasion.

Guest:

Mick Ryan, retired Australian Army major general, strategist, and author.

Sources:

“White Sun War: The Campaign for Taiwan,” by Mick Ryan, published May 2023;
"Chinese Warship Activities around Taiwan," by Si-Fu Ou, director of the Division of Chinese Politics, Military and Warfighting Concepts at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research in Taiwan;
“From Coercion to Capitulation, How China Can Take Taiwan Without a War,” by the Institute for the Study of War, May 2024.

Behind the rise in global defense spending, Part 3: The wider world May 20, 2024

Guest:

Chris Blattman, economist, political scientist, and Ramalee E. Pearson Professor of Global Conflict Studies at the University of Chicago.

Sources:

“Global military spending surges amid war, rising tensions and insecurity,” published April 2024 by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute;
“Back in Stock? The State of Russia's Defense Industry after Two Years of the War,” by Maria Snegovaya, Max Bergmann, Tina Dolbaia, Nick Fenton, and Samuel Bendett, published April 2024 by the Center for Strategic and International Studies;
“Keeping Up with the Pacing Threat: Unveiling the True Size of Beijing’s Military Spending,” by Mackenzie Eaglen, published April 2024 by the American Enterprise Institute;
“Indo-Pacific Missile Arsenals: Avoiding Spirals and Mitigating Escalation Risks,” by Ankit Panda, published October 2023 by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace;
“Missile Proliferation and Control in the Asia-Pacific Region,” from Jeffrey Lewis and Kolja Brockmann, published April 2024 by the International Institute for Strategic Studies;
And “Why We Fight: The Roots of War and the Paths to Peace,” from Chris Blattman, published April 2022 by Penguin Random House.

Behind the rise in global defense spending, Part 2: China and the Indo-Pacific May 17, 2024

Guests:

Mackenzie Eaglen, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where she works on defense strategy, defense budgets, and military readiness;
And Ankit Panda, Stanton Senior Fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Sources:

“Global military spending surges amid war, rising tensions and insecurity,” published April 2024 by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute;
“Back in Stock? The State of Russia's Defense Industry after Two Years of the War,” by Maria Snegovaya, Max Bergmann, Tina Dolbaia, Nick Fenton, and Samuel Bendett, published April 2024 by the Center for Strategic and International Studies;
“Keeping Up with the Pacing Threat: Unveiling the True Size of Beijing’s Military Spending,” by Mackenzie Eaglen, published April 2024 by the American Enterprise Institute;
“Indo-Pacific Missile Arsenals: Avoiding Spirals and Mitigating Escalation Risks,” by Ankit Panda, published October 2023 by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace;
“Missile Proliferation and Control in the Asia-Pacific Region,” from Jeffrey Lewis and Kolja Brockmann, published April 2024 by the International Institute for Strategic Studies;
And “Why We Fight: The Roots of War and the Paths to Peace,” from Chris Blattman, published April 2022 by Penguin Random House.

Behind the rise in global defense spending, Part 1: Russia May 17, 2024

Guest:

Maria Snegovaya, senior fellow for Russia and Eurasia with the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and a postdoctoral fellow in Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service.

Source material:

“Global military spending surges amid war, rising tensions and insecurity,” published April 2024 by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute;
“Back in Stock? The State of Russia's Defense Industry after Two Years of the War,” by Maria Snegovaya, Max Bergmann, Tina Dolbaia, Nick Fenton, and Samuel Bendett, published April 2024 by the Center for Strategic and International Studies;
“Keeping Up with the Pacing Threat: Unveiling the True Size of Beijing’s Military Spending,” by Mackenzie Eaglen, published April 2024 by the American Enterprise Institute;
“Indo-Pacific Missile Arsenals: Avoiding Spirals and Mitigating Escalation Risks,” by Ankit Panda, published October 2023 by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace;
“Missile Proliferation and Control in the Asia-Pacific Region,” from Jeffrey Lewis and Kolja Brockmann, published April 2024 by the International Institute for Strategic Studies;
And “Why We Fight: The Roots of War and the Paths to Peace,” from Chris Blattman, published April 2022 by Penguin Random House.

The state of the Air Force Apr 26, 2024

Defense One's Audrey Decker interviews Gen. David Allvin and Air Mobility Command's Gen. Mike Minihan (at the 32:42 mark).

You can also catch all of our 2024 State of Defense interviews on Defense One's YouTube page, here.

The state of the Navy Apr 17, 2024

Defense One Executive Editor Bradley Peniston speaks with Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti; and Defense One's Patrick Tucker sat down with Fourth Fleet commander Rear Adm. James Aiken (at the 28:09 mark).

You can watch both of these interviews on Defense One's YouTube page, here.

The state of the Army Apr 12, 2024

Defense One's Sam Skove speaks to Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George; and Defense One's Jennifer Hlad speaks with Gen. Charles Flynn, commander of U.S. Army Pacific.

You can watch both of these interviews on Defense One's YouTube page, here.

The state of the Marine Corps Apr 05, 2024

Defense One's Sam Skove speaks to Assistant Commandant Gen. Christopher Mahoney; and Defense One's Jennifer Hlad interviews Marine Corps Combat Development Command's Lt. Gen. Karsten Heckl.

You can also watch either of these interviews on Defense One's events page, here.

The state of the Space Force Mar 27, 2024

Defense One's Audrey Decker speaks to Chief of the Space Force Gen. Chance Saltzman; and Defense One's Lauren Williams interviews Air Force Col. Michelle Idle, deputy commander of Space Systems Command.

You can also watch either of these interviews on Defense One's events page, here.

Elliot Ackerman on ‘2054: A Novel’ Mar 13, 2024

The author and Marine veteran discusses the future of technology, the promise of AI, the perils of toxic politics, and other themes packed into his latest work of speculative fiction.

Guest: Elliot Ackerman, co-author of "2054: A Novel," which was published on March 12.

Find our previous discussions with Ackerman here:

The U.S. Air Force's big reorganization Feb 21, 2024

Audrey Decker unpacks the top news from this year's Air & Space Forces Association Warfare Symposium.

Here's a roll-up of her reporting from the AFA symposium:

How Russia cements control Feb 16, 2024

How does the Kremlin force an entirely new reality on an occupied city? And how do Europeans feel about the invasion and U.S. hesitation to rearm Ukraine?

Guests:

Karolina Hird, analyst and Russia Deputy Team Lead at the Institute for the Study of War;
Karin von Hippel is Director-General of the Royal United Services Institute.

You can find Hird's recent report, "The Kremlin's Occupation Playbook: Coerced Russification and Ethnic Cleansing in Occupied Ukraine," here.

Today's far-right terrorism in America Feb 02, 2024

Guests:

Bruce Hoffman, senior fellow for counterterrorism and homeland security at the Council on Foreign Relations;
Jacob Ware, research fellow also at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Their book “God, Guns, and Sedition: Far-right Terrorism in America" was published in January.

Trouble on the Red Sea Jan 18, 2024

We review how the Iran-backed Houthis are disrupting global shipping in the Red Sea, and we look back at similar dynamics near the end of the so-called tanker wars of the late 1980s.

Guests:

Fabian Hinz, research fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies;
Patrick Tucker, science and technology editor at Defense One;
And Bradley Peniston, Defense One executive editor.

Year in review Dec 21, 2023

We take stock of our last 12 months of interviews, featuring conversations with generals, White House officials, researchers, authors, our own reporters, and many more.

Guests include:

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Joel “JB” Vowell, who at the time commanded the United States Army Japan; he is now commander of the ISIS-focused Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve (from episode 115);
Monica Toft, professor of international politics and the director of the Center for Strategic Studies at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy; and Sidita Kushi, assistant professor of political science at Bridgewater State University (from episode 116);
Michael Knights, security analyst with the Washington Institute (from episode 124);
Defense One's Sam Skove (from episode 125);
Sam Bendett, advisor in Russian studies at CNA (from episode 126);
Defense One's Patrick Tucker (from episode 129);
Decker Eveleth, graduate research assistant at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies in Monterey, California (from episode 130);
Martin Pfeiffer, a PhD candidate in anthropology at the University of New Mexico (from episode 131);
Patrick Tucker again (from episode 132);
Sam Skove again (from episode 134);
Cindy Cohn, Executive Director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation; and Joshua Geltzer is Deputy Assistant to President Joe Biden and Deputy Homeland Security Advisor at the National Security Council (from episode 135);
And Barak Mendelsohn, Professor of Political Science at Haverford College in Philadelphia (from episode 138).

The future of defense acquisition Dec 11, 2023

The Army's top buyer and the Pentagon's integration chief talk Ukraine, non-traditional suppliers, and more.

Guests:

Army Assistant Secretary for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology Doug Bush sat down with Defense One Global Business Editor Marcus Weisgerber.
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Integration, and Interoperability Dave Tremper spoke with Defense One Technology editor Patrick Tucker.

What we learned from a Middle Eastern airshow Nov 21, 2023

We take a look at how officials around the region are carrying on with business as usual despite Israel's war with Hamas.

Guest:

Audrey Decker is a Defense One staff reporter, where she writes about air and space.

Is this the beginning of the end for Hamas? Nov 10, 2023

This episode, we discuss the daunting task of clearing Gaza City of Hamas as well as Israel's goal of crushing the group once and for all.

Guests:

Ret. Army Gen. Joseph Votel, distinguished senior fellow on national security at the Middle East Institute (beginning at the 2:15 mark);
And Barak Mendelsohn, Professor of Political Science at Haverford College in Philadelphia (at 15:52).

AUSA extras Oct 19, 2023

Guests:

Mark Kitz, program executive officer for command, control and communications-tactical (interviewed by Defense One's Lauren Williams, beginning at the 1:10 mark);
And Army Brig. Gen. Guillaume Beaurpere of the Army’s John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, as well as Maj. Gen. Christopher Eubank of Network Enterprise Technology Command (with Defense One's Patrick Tucker) at the 9:38 mark).

AUSA highlights Oct 13, 2023

Defense One staff explain some of the major themes from this year's annual Association of the U.S. Army conference in Washington.

Guest:

Sam Skove, Defense One staff reporter;
Patrick Tucker, Defense One science and tech editor.

Read more from our AUSA coverage at any of the links below:

The uncertain future of an eavesdropping law Oct 04, 2023

We review the history of FISA Section 702 ahead of its possible expiration at the end of the year.

Guests:

Cindy Cohn is the Executive Director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation;
And Joshua Geltzer is Deputy Assistant to President Joe Biden and Deputy Homeland Security Advisor at the National Security Council.

Read over a copy of the recent Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board report on recommended changes to FISA Section 702 (PDF), here.

You can also find a transcript of this episode here.

What ‘national security’ means for eastern Europe Sep 22, 2023

Staff reporter Sam Skove shares some of the highlights from his recent trip to Poland, Estonia, and the UK.

Read more from Sam's European trip at any of the links below:

Unpacking the 2023 Air, Space and Cyber conference Sep 15, 2023

This episode we review several things we learned at the Air & Space Forces Association's annual Air, Space & Cyber conference.

Guests:

Audrey Decker, Defense One’s air and space reporter (beginning at the 0:46 mark);
Lauren Williams, senior editor at Defense One (at 7:48);
And Marcus Weisgerber, global business editor at Defense One (at 14:26).

Read more of our coverage from this year's AFA conference here.

The Pentagon’s new drone fixation Sep 08, 2023

We dig into the U.S. military's new Replicator initiative, and explore Anduril's recent UAV-firm acquisition.

Guests:

Patrick Tucker,science and technology editor at Defense One;
Chris Brose, chief strategy officer for Anduril Industries.

Related reading:

“‘Hellscape’: DOD launches massive drone swarm program to counter China,” by Patrick Tucker, reporting August 28, 2023;
Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks' Remarks: "Unpacking the Replicator Initiative" at the 2023 Defense News Conference;
“The Kill Chain: Defending America in the Future of High-Tech Warfare,” by Chris Brose (published 2020);
And “Anduril buys drone maker Blue Force Technologies amid Pentagon push for autonomous aircraft,” by Marcus Weisgerber, reporting September 7, 2023.

"Oppenheimer," explored Jul 28, 2023

How much of America's nuclear history does the three-hour film pack in and how much did it leave out?

Guest:

Martin Pfeiffer, a PhD candidate in anthropology at the University of New Mexico.

A brief history of China’s nuclear forces Jul 27, 2023

From Cold War-era distrust of the Soviets to Beijing's recent silo buildup, we review some of the ideas and methods that have helped China become the nuclear power it is today.

Guests:

Decker Eveleth, graduate research assistant at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies in Monterey, California (beginning at the 1:47 mark);
And Joseph Cirincione, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a national security analyst with 40 years of experience in Washington, D.C. (at the 20:05 mark).

Read Eveleth's recent report on Chinese nuclear forces, here. And you can find Cirincione's 1999 review of the Cox Report, here.

See also a new report from the Chicago Council entitled, “Majority in US Want to Learn More about Nuclear Policy.”

After the NATO summit + a trip to the Pacific Jul 13, 2023

Guest:

Patrick Tucker, Defense One science and technology editor.

Find his related reporting from Hawaii here.

Behind the 2023 Paris Air Show Jun 28, 2023

Guests:

Marcus Weisgerber, Defense One global business editor;
Roman Schweizer, policy analyst focusing on defense issues;
Cai von Rumohr, equity analyst with an emphasis on defense issues.

Tech Summit, in review Jun 23, 2023

We hear from U.S. generals, ambassadors from Europe, tech reps from Ukraine, officials from Congress, China wonks, space nerds, and more.

Guests (and links to the full interviews on YouTube):

Dr. Timothy Bunning, the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory's Chief Technology Officer (at the 1:54 mark);
Schuyler Moore, U.S Central Command's Chief Technology Officer (at 6:48);
Polish NATO Amb. Tomasz Szatkowski (at 9:24—YouTube link coming soon);
Alex Bornyakov, Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation for IT industry development, and Nataliia Kushnerska, Chief Operations Officer at Brave1 (at 13:15);
U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich, Air Forces Central Command (at 16:32—YouTube link coming soon);
Charles Luftig, Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Policy and Capabilities at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and Michael Horowitz, who directs the Pentagon's Emerging Capabilities Policy Office (at 26:30);
Estonia’s Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defense Kusti Salm (at 31:25);
Dmitri Alperovitch, Co-Founder and Chairman of the Silverado Policy Accelerator, and Geo Saba, Chief of Staff for Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif. (at 35:22);
And America's Vice Chief of Space Operations, Air Force Gen. David Thompson, along with Todd Harrison of Metrea Strategic Insights (at the 44:55 mark).

Why Ukraine’s drone war is more complex than you think Jun 02, 2023

Guest:

Sam Bendett, advisor in Russian studies at CNA.

You can read over his latest report on drone use in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, here.

The Army’s recruiting crisis; the science of special forces; and NATO’s Mircea Geoană May 19, 2023

Guests:

Sam Skove, staff reporter for Defense One;
And Patrick Tucker, science and tech editor at Defense One.

The war in Yemen, 8 years on May 04, 2023

Guests:

Michael Knights, a military historian, security analyst with the Washington Institute, and author of the book, "25 Days to Aden";
Shireen Al-Adeimi, Assistant Professor of Language and Literacy at Michigan State University, and Non-Resident Fellow in the Middle East program at the Washington-based Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft.

The Discord leaks and what might lie ahead for Ukraine Apr 21, 2023

Guests:

Patrick Tucker, science and technology editor at Defense One;
And Defense One staff reporter Sam Skove, who recently returned from Ukraine.

Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley Apr 03, 2023

Milley spoke with Defense One Executive Editor Kevin Baron on the Ukraine war, China, Taiwan, Mexico, and more.

Space Force chief Gen. Chance Saltzman Mar 31, 2023

America’s Chief of Space Operations, Gen. Chance Saltzman, spoke to Defense One's Jennifer Hlad about Chinese satellite jamming, missile defense, and more.

Find other interviews in the State of Defense series here.

Air Force chief Gen. Charles Q. Brown Mar 24, 2023

Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown sat down with Defense One’s Marcus Weisgerber to discuss priorities for the year ahead, lessons from Russia’s Ukraine invasion, and more.

Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger Mar 17, 2023

Navy and Marine Corps officials disagree about whether the San Antonio-class Flight II amphibious ship is getting too pricey. Defense One's Caitlin Kenney asked Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger about the future of the amphibious fleet, what he'd do differently as commandant if he had it to do over again, and much more.

Guest:

Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger interviewed by Defense One's Caitlin Kenney.

Find other interviews in the State of Defense series here. (You have to register, but it's free.)

U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Chris Donahue Mar 03, 2023

The 18th Airborne Corps commander talks about drones, recruiting, the Pacific theater, challenges posed by China, and more.

Spies in the balloon? Feb 16, 2023

We review the latest ups and downs in the U.S.-China relationship, which has been shaken by allegations of spying via aerostat.

Guest:

Patrick Tucker, Defense One technology editor.

Has US foreign policy become too militarized? Feb 03, 2023

Two researchers compiled data on U.S. military interventions from 1776 to 2019. Here's what they learned.

Guests:

Monica Toft, professor of international politics and the director of the Center for Strategic Studies at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy;
And Sidita Kushi, assistant professor of political science at Bridgewater State University.

Their Foreign Affairs essay, “The Roots of Washington’s Addiction to Military Force: And How China’s Rise Could Constrain American Interventionism,” was published in January.

Preparing for conflict in the Pacific Jan 20, 2023

An Army two-star general explains his proposal to send a multi-domain task force to the region.

Guests:

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Joel "JB" Vowell, Commanding General of the United States Army Japan;
Maj. Kevin Joyce is an Army Strategist and the strategy branch chief at U.S. Army Japan.

You can find their essay, here.

And you can read a transcript of this conversation on Defense One, here.

Germany’s uneasy year ahead + 2023 preview with BAE’s Tom Arsenault Dec 21, 2022

We review the year that was and preview what might lie ahead for the U.S., Europe, and the wider global defense industry.

Guests include:

Former German Ambassador the United Nations and current Chairman of the Munich Security Conference Christoph Heusgen, in conversation with Defense One Executive Editor Kevin Baron.
BAE Systems CEO Tom Arseneault speaks with Defense One Global Business Editor Marcus Weisgerber (that begins at the 26:08 mark).

What we know about the Air Force’s new B-21 bomber Dec 08, 2022

Defense One staff help unpack the hype and lingering mysteries surrounding America's newly-unveiled bomber plane, and we check in on the annual Reagan National Defense Forum.

Guests include:

Lauren Williams, senior editor at Defense One;
And Marcus Weisgerber, Defense One's Global Business Editor.

The especially difficult history of America’s Black veterans Nov 10, 2022

Guests include:

Matthew Delmont is a Guggenheim Fellow and the Sherman Fairchild Distinguished Professor of History at Dartmouth College; his book, “Half American: The Epic Story of African Americans Fighting World War II at Home and Abroad,” was just published in October; interview begins at the 0:47 mark;
And Holly Pinheiro, Jr., is an assistant professor of history at Furman University; his research focuses on the intersections of race, gender, and class in the U.S. military from 1850 through the 1930s. His latest book, “The Families’ Civil War: Black Soldiers and the Fight for Racial Justice,” was published in June. That interview begins at the 21:04 mark.

The growth of drones in Russia's Ukraine war Oct 28, 2022

We focus on the latest developments in unmanned aerial systems, from the war in Ukraine to a conference in Washington.

Guests include:

Faine Greenwood researches and writes about drones and emerging technologies; and Sam Bendett is in the Russia Studies Program at CNA, based in Washington (at the 7:58 mark);
And Marcus Weisgerber is Defense One’s Global Business Editor (at 23:05).

Rethinking logistics, tomorrow’s air bases, the future of space debris, and more. Oct 06, 2022

Guests include:

Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger (at the 1:19 mark);
Marine Brig. Gen. Joseph Clearfield, Deputy Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific (at 6:58);
Air Force chief Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr. (at 10:54);
Air Force’s deputy chief of staff for strategy, Lt. Gen. Clinton Hinote (12:52);
Chris Dougherty, senior fellow at CNAS (17:36);
Vice Chief of Space Operations, Gen. David Thompson (21:04);
Colorado Republican Rep. Doug Lamborn (23:42);
And Steven Butow, Director of the Space Portfolio at the U.S. military's Defense Innovation Unit (26:21).

The short- and mid-term outlook for the U.S. Navy Sep 23, 2022

The chief of naval operations and a key lawmaker talk shipbuilding plans, drones, Iran, and more.

Guests include:

U.S. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday—interviewed by Bradley Peniston, deputy editor of Defense One (beginning at the 1:32 mark);
Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Va., vice chair of the House Armed Services Committee—interviewed by Jacqueline Feldscher, Defense One senior national security correspondent (at the 17:41).

Find more from this year's State of Defense event series, here.

What lies ahead for the U.S. Army Sep 09, 2022

Guests include:

U.S. Army Gen. James McConville (at the 2:23 mark);
Elisabeth Braw of the American Enterprise Institute, and Mark Cozad from RAND (at 17:13);
Army Lt. Gen. Scott McKean, deputy commander of the Army’s Futures Command (at 25:50).

Find more from this year's State of Defense event series, here.

The legacy of America’s Afghan war, with Elliot Ackerman Aug 22, 2022

Elliot Ackerman is a former U.S. Marine Corps Special Operations Team Leader. His latest book, “The Fifth Act: America’s End in Afghanistan,” was just published in August. (Music: "Ribbons" by Postwar)

Decoding China’s Taiwan saber-rattling Aug 11, 2022

Two experts help us put the most recent Taiwan Strait crisis in perspective.

Guests include:

Collin Koh, research fellow at the Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies in Singapore (at 1:44);
And Becca Wasser, fellow for the Defense Program and lead of the Gaming Lab at the Center for a New American Security think tank in Washington, D.C. (at the 23:48 mark).

Aerospace's new inflection point Jul 21, 2022

Here's what industry execs were worried about at the Farnborough Airshow.

Guests include:

Bradley Peniston, Defense One Deputy Editor;
Marcus Weisgerber, Defense One Global Business Editor;
Andrew Hunter, assistant secretary of the U.S. Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics;
Raytheon CEO Greg Hayes;
Bell Helicopter CEO Mitch Snyder;
And Eric Chewning, of the consulting firm McKinsey’s aerospace and defense practice.

After the program is a sponsored interview with Thomas Laliberty, who is president of Land Warfare and Air Defense at Raytheon Missiles and Defense.

2022 Tech Summit, in review Jun 30, 2022

Sixteen different experts and officials joined us to discuss the war in Ukraine, cyber warfare, the challenges posed by China, and much more from this year's Defense One Technology Summit.

Guests include:

Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks (at the 0:55 mark);
Stephen Wood of Maxar Technologies and Aric Toler of Bellingcat (@ 4:27);
Dave Frederick of U.S. Cyber Command (@ 15:25);
Dmitri Alperovitch and retired U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Rogers (@ 17:53);
Neal Higgins, Deputy National Cyber Director for National Cybersecurity (@ 25:39);
Palmer Luckey, founder of Oculus VR (@ 29:30);
Former U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Keith Krach and Gilman Louie, the former CEO of In-Q-Tel (@ 33:33);
U.S. Air Force Col. Wallace Turnbull, Deputy Director of Space Systems Command’s Space Systems Integration Office (@ 35:17);
Mark Lewis, Executive Director at the National Defense Industrial Association’s Emerging Technologies Institute (@ 39:32);
Wesley Kremer, President of Raytheon Missiles & Defense (@ 44:52);
Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio (@ 46:46);
Mark Munsell from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (@ 52:00);
And Michael Brown of DIU (@ 54:51).

Three perspectives on the future of Ukraine Jun 10, 2022

This episode, we hear from three people whose lives have become bound up with Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Guests:

Olga Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine (beginning at the 3:27 mark);
Ambassador Michael Carpenter, Washington’s Permanent Representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, or OSCE (at 9:49);
St. Javelin founder Christian Borys (at 34:01);
And Patrick Tucker, science and technology editor for Defense One.

Derek Chollet, the State Department’s ‘Swiss Army knife’ May 26, 2022

The State Department's Derek Chollet sat down to talk about Russia's Ukraine invasion, China's 21st-century rise, and much more with Defense One Executive Editor Kevin Baron.

NATO Deputy Secretary-General Mircea Geoana May 18, 2022

Guest:

Deputy Secretary General of NATO Mircea Geoana.

Phil Klay May 17, 2022

Our guest is award-winning author and U.S. Marine Corps veteran Phil Klay, whose new book of essays, "Uncertain Ground: Citizenship and an Age of Endless, Invisible War," was just published by Penguin Random House.

The role of drones in Russia’s Ukraine invasion May 05, 2022

Guests include:

Faine Greenwood, unmanned systems researcher;
Samuel Bendett, adviser with CNA Strategy, Policy, Plans and Programs Center, where he is a member of the Russia Studies Program.

Arming Ukraine and ‘The Return of Conquest?’ Apr 22, 2022

Guests include:

Marcus Weisgerber, Defense One Global Business Editor (at the 3:13 mark);
and Tanisha Fazal, Professor of Political Science at the University of Minnesota (at 12:55); find her latest essay, "The Return of Conquest? Why the Future of Global Order Hinges on Ukraine" in the May/June issue of Foreign Affairs.

Find a transcript of this episode here.

Putin's long war Mar 24, 2022

Two experts to history for some clues about the possible future of Russia's Ukraine invasion.

Guests include:

Candace Rondeaux, director of the Future Frontlines project at New America (at the 3:16 mark);
And Paul Poast, associate professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Chicago (at 17:12).

Find a transcript of this episode here.

The impact of Russia’s Ukraine invasion Mar 11, 2022

Guests include:

Emily Kilcrease, senior fellow and director of the Energy, Economics, and Security Program at the Center for a New American Security (at the 2:14 mark);
And Elisabeth Braw, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (at 12:00).

Read a transcript of this episode here.

Vlad the invader Feb 25, 2022

Guests include:

Richard Fontaine, CEO of the Center for a New American Security (beginning at the 3:28 mark);
Graham Brookie, senior director of the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab (at 12:48);
And Dr. Dmitry Gorenburg, senior research scientist at CNA (at 19:03).

A transcript will be available here.

2021, in review Dec 23, 2021

Guests include:

Peter W. Singer of New America (at the 1:43 mark);
Joint Chiefs Chairman Army Gen. Mark Milley (7:56);
Greg Jackson of the U.S. Army Special Forces (12:24);
Habib Hassan, former Afghan interpreter (17:15);
Retired Army Brig. Gen. Ty Seidule (22:41);
Dr. Edda Fields-Black of Carnegie Mellon University (28:15);
Brian Castner of Amnesty International (36:38);
And Defense One's Patrick Tucker (39:58).

Outlook 2022 Dec 10, 2021

This episode, we excerpt a few of this year's Outlook 2022 interviews, including:

Defense One Senior National Security Correspondent Jacqueline Feldscher in conversation with Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Dr. Colin Kahl (at the 1:24 mark);
Defense One Executive Editor Kevin Baron interviews White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan (at 5:48);
Defense One's Global Business Editor Marcus Weisgerber moderates a discussion with Kristine Liwag, executive director at Morgan Stanley, and Ron Epstein, senior equity analyst at Bank of America (at 14:29);
Defense One Tech Editor Patrick Tucker speaks with Rep. Jim Langevin, D-R.I., and Bryan Clark of the Hudson Institute (at 18:57);
Weisgerber interviews Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall (at 33:26);
and Senior Pentagon Correspondent for Defense One Tara Copp spoke with Air Force Brig. Gen. John Olson, mobilization assistant to the Chief of Space Operations (at 44:39).

Catch all Outlook 2022 video interviews on Defense One's YouTube page here.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Dec 07, 2021

America’s 28th Pentagon chief wants to “lead with diplomacy” to avoid any new wars in Ukraine or Taiwan, he told Defense One’s Tara Copp in an exclusive interview to kick off our annual Outlook 2022 event series.

Read more:

“Austin Rejects ‘Red Lines’ for Taiwan, Ukraine,” by Tara Copp, Nov. 7.

Project Overmatch + Project Convergence, updated Nov 23, 2021

This episode is broken into two parts:

Project Overmatch with Defense One's Caitlin Kenney (at the 2:28 mark);
Project Convergence, updated with Defense One's Patrick Tucker (at 15:48);

Extra reading:

“What Worked, What Didn't at Army’s Second Connect-Everything Experiment,” by Patrick Tucker, Nov. 10;
“Are Naval Forces on the Right Path? Leaders Run Wargame to Check,” by Caitlin Kenney, Nov. 17.

Find a transcript of this episode here.

Project Convergence and the Louisiana maneuvers Nov 02, 2021

This episode is broken into three parts:

What's new, with Defense One's Patrick Tucker (at the 1:31 mark);
What's old, with Angry Staff Officer (at 15:01);
What comes next, featuring Army Gen. Mike Murray and Lt. Gen. Jim Richardson of Army Futures Command (at 36:36).

Extra reading:

"The Biggest Lesson from the Army’s Connect-Everything Experiment," by Patrick Tucker on Oct. 2021;
"China Features Heavily in the Army’s Next Big Emerging Tech Experiment," also via Tucker in April 2021;
"It’s Time for Another Louisiana Maneuvers," from Angry Staff Officer back in April 2016.

Find a transcript of this episode here.

The past, present and future of Army vehicles Oct 15, 2021

This episode is broken into three parts:

'No front line,' with former Explosive Ordnance Disposal officer Brian Castner (at the 1:59 mark);
The Weight, with Marine Corps Infantry officer Walker Mills (at 15:09);
The Future, featuring Army Maj. Gen. Ross Coffman, director of the Next-Generation Combat Vehicles Cross-Functional Team; Deputy Program Executive Officer for Army Ground Combat Vehicles, Jim Schirmer; and Mike Cadieux, director of the Army’s Ground Vehicle Systems Center (starting at 24:02).

Extra reading:

"Projected Acquisition Costs for the Army’s Ground Combat Vehicles," Congressional Budget Office, April 2021 (PDF);
Read Mills' take on the JLTV (from Sept. 2020) at the Modern War Institute, here;
Watch "Pentagon Wars" on HBO, here; or find the book on Amazon, here.

Find a transcript of this episode here.

How air warfare is changing Sep 17, 2021

Guests include Stacie Pettyjohn, Senior Fellow and Director of the Defense Program at the Center for a New American Security; Becca Wasser, fellow in the Defense Program at CNAS (both Wasser and Pettyjohn begin at the 2:44 mark); Zachary Kallenborn, research affiliate with the Unconventional Weapons and Technology Division of the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (at the 21:14 mark); and Sam Bendett, Adviser with CNA and a member of its Russia Studies Program (at 29:25).

Extra reading:

Find Pettyjohn and Wasser's War on the Rocks columns here and here;
Read Kallenborn's analysis of the Israeli Defense Forces recent swarm operations here;
Read a CNA report Bendett co-authored in May entitled "Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy in Russia" (PDF) here.

Find a transcript here.

Climate change vs. everyone Sep 03, 2021

Defense One's Patrick Tucker helps explain the U.S. military's growing climate security portfolio (at the 4:05 mark); John Conger of the Center for Climate and Security joins us later (at 14:28), followed by Gabriel Collins of Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy (at 23:38).

Extra reading:

Read Conger's Defense One op-ed here;
Find the report Gabe co-authored on U.S.-China competition (PDF), here;
Read more from Tucker's interview with Richard Kidd, the deputy assistant defense secretary for environment and energy resilience, here.

Find a transcript of this episode here.

Afghanistan’s new, uncertain chapter Aug 27, 2021

This episode we speak about where Afghanistan might go from here—with help former Afghan translator Habib Hassan and former State Department official Elizabeth Threlkeld, currently of the Stimson Center.

Find a transcript of this episode here.

Tech Summit, in review Jul 12, 2021

This episode we’re going to share a few of the more memorable exchanges from this year’s Tech Summit, including Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks; Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Dennis Crall; Director of the Space Development Agency Derek Tournear; Brian Weeden of the Secure World Foundation; Kelly Hammett, of the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Directed Energy Directorate; Air Force Col. Eric Felt, the Director of the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Space Vehicles Directorate; Mieke Eoyang, who is the Pentagon’s Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy; Ylli Bajraktari, Executive Director of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence; and the NSA’s Director of Cybersecurity Rob Joyce.

To watch any of these interviews in video, go here.

Or read a transcript of this episode here.

Biden, Europe and the future of transatlantic security Jun 11, 2021

This episode we’re going to take a look at some of the most important issues shaping the future of U.S.-European security, including NATO, the EU, fringe politics, lessons from the Cold War, and evolving perceptions of both China and the U.S.

Guests include:

Dr. Alina Polyakova, president and CEO of the Center for European Policy Analysis;
Elisabeth Braw, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute
And former NATO Ambassador Ivo Daalder, president of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

Find a transcript of this episode here: https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2021/06/defense-one-radio-ep-84-biden-europe-and-future-transatlantic-security/174681/

The Combahee River raid May 19, 2021

This episode we’re going to learn about the Combahee River Raid, the first U.S. military operation to be organized and led by a woman. That woman was abolitionist Harriet Tubman.

Dr. Edda Fields-Black of Carnegie Mellon University joins us to tell the story.

Find a transcript of this episode here.

“Robert E. Lee and Me” May 12, 2021

Retired U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Ty Seidule talks about the Confederacy, U.S. race relations, and inclusive changes throughout the recent history of the U.S. military.

Seidule's memoir is called “Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner’s Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause.”

Find a transcript of this episode here.

The future of Afghanistan Apr 23, 2021

What lies ahead for Afghanistan? And what does that war look like today from the perspective of a Green Beret who spent several months trying to build Afghanistan’s military and police?

We’ll break down those questions and a lot more in this episode of Defense One Radio, featuring Bill Roggio of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.

JADC2, explained Mar 31, 2021

There’s a new way of thinking about war that’s taking over the Pentagon. A lot has happened for its generals and for the country over the past 30 years of American warfare. And if this latest crop of generals get their wish, a lot could happen in just the first 30 minutes of America’s next large-scale war.

So — kind of like our last episode — preparing ourselves for the next world war is what this episode is all about, in three parts:

From old capabilities to new ones (at the 1:21 mark)
Opportunity and vulnerability (17:19)
Mr. JADC2 Goes to Washington (31:47)

Find a transcript of this episode here.

“2034: A Novel of the Next World War” Mar 10, 2021

2034 could be a disastrous year for U.S.-China relations — and most of the rest of the world, according to a new work of fiction by former NATO Commander retired U.S. Navy Adm. Jim Stavridis and Marine veteran, journalist and writer Elliot Ackerman. The two have teamed up to write “2034: A Novel of the Next World War,” which was published this week by Penguin Random House.

“The Daughters of Kobani” Feb 16, 2021

Today we’re going to hear from journalist and author Gayle Tzemach Lemmon. She’s traveled to Syria several times over the past four years. And her new book, “The Daughters of Kobani: A Story of Rebellion, Courage, and Justice,” arrived on bookshelves just this week. Much of her reporting in it originated on Defense One, when she filed dispatches from Syria to Executive Editor Kevin Baron. The two of them talk about that story, the book, and what to expect for Syria's future, including from the Biden administration.

Insurrection, social media and the future of tech policy Feb 12, 2021

This episode, we’ll ask how we can better understand those hundreds of Americans who stormed the Capitol. We’ll also look into how now may really be the time to truly expand the way we think about certain key things like what “national security” means when an insurrection can be stoked so openly, as it was in the days leading up to January 6.

Our guests are Robert Pape of the University of Chicago and director of the Chicago Project on Security and Threats (at the 2:45 mark); Divya Ramjee of the Center for Security, Innovation, and New Technology and Elsa Kania of the Center for a New American Security (at 11:54); and Peter W. Singer from the New America think tank (at 21:33).

A transcript for this episode is available here.

What to expect from the Biden administration Nov 20, 2020

This episode Defense One's Katie Bo Williams and Patrick Tucker unpack the national security policies and possible changes from an incoming Biden administration.

Army Chief Gen. McConville Oct 20, 2020

This episode, Defense One's Ben Watson asks Army Chief Gen. James McConville how the service is dealing with the coronavirus and the threat posed by Russia. The Army chief also discusses a joint Air Force project to link everything on the battlefield — known as Combined Joint All Domain Command and Control, or CJADC2 — as well as what non-military books he's reading.

Find a transcript of this conversation here.

The next big thing(s) in unmanned systems Sep 12, 2020

This episode, we'll explore emerging trends in unmanned systems. We’ll start in the air, before turning to the land and sea in a review of Russian-made systems and military thinking. And we’ll end with a discussion about trust and artificial intelligence. (Music by Bob Bradley, Paul Clarvis, Thomas Balmforth; Guy Farley, Andrew Carroll; Richard Lacy; Paul Mottram; Jeff Meegan, David Tobin, Rob Kelly; Theo Travis, Paul Ressel; Sue Verran, Paul Ressel; and David Kelly — via Audionetwork.com)

Part One: The aerial events in Arizona, Colorado and Mexico (at the 3:41 mark);
Part Two: From Russia, by land and sea (24:10);
Part Three: Beyond AlphaDogfight (33:48).

Find a transcript of this episode here.

Guests:

Arthur Holland Michel, associate researcher at the UN Institute for Disarmament Research in Geneva, where he researches autonomous systems and artificial intelligence.
Brett Velicovich, U.S. Army veteran and author of the book “Drone Warrior.”
Samuel Bendett, analyst with the Center for Naval Analyses' International Affairs Group.

Read more about the Arizona drone incident from Sept. 2019 at The Drive, here.

This episode is underwritten by Aerovironment.

Monuments, domestic terrorism and the American white power movement Jul 26, 2020

This episode, we’re going to take a closer look at terrorism trends and far-right extremists in America. We’ll see how oftentimes right-wing violence works inside the seams of American security and law enforcement discourse, challenging our definition of terrorism.

We’ll also discuss America’s wars abroad, and how many veterans have brought the war home, as it were.

Then we’ll visit Charlottesville, Virginia, where we’ll tour a few Confederate monuments — monuments that are playing host to a new generation of vigilantes.

Guests this episode include:

Erin Miller, program manager for the Global Terrorism Database at the University of Maryland’s National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism; that conversation begins at the 1:52 mark;
Kathleen Belew, Assistant Professor of History at the University of Chicago (at the 9:33 mark);
Jalane Schmidt, University of Virginia professor and local public historian in Charlottesville, Virginia (at the 38:04 mark). Find her work in a special feature from WTJU's 91.1 FM entitled, "Marked by these Monuments."

What “China” means in 2020 Jul 10, 2020

We take a new look at what China means to American voters, and how opinions and perceptions about China have changed since President Trump took office three and a half years ago. Our episode is broken into three parts:

How Americans feel about China, with Laura Silver of the Pew Research Center;
The tech and values challenge posed by China, with Rui Zhong of the Wilson Center; and Kara Frederick of the Center for a New American Security;
From 1517 to 2020, with Michael Schuman, author of “Superpower Interrupted: The Chinese History of the World.”

Arctic security, with U.S. Coast Guard Adm. Karl Schultz Jun 04, 2020

U.S. Coast Guard Adm. Karl Schultz explains how his service is responding to growing access to the arctic, which is quickly becoming a place for great powers like Russia, China and the U.S. to compete and try to outmaneuver one another.

Then we'll hear from arctic policy wonks David Auerswald of the National War College and Abbie Tingstad of the RAND Corporation.

This episode is sponsored by Booz Allen Hamilton.

Robotics, Esports and the future of national security May 22, 2020

This episode we'll hear from Peter W. Singer and August Cole, the authors of “Burn-In: A Novel of the Real Robotic Revolution.” The title comes from the term for deliberately pushing technology to the breaking point, in order to learn from it.

Then we'll pivot to military recruiting and the world of competitive video gaming when we speak to Sergeant First Class Chris Jones, the NCO-in-charge of the U.S. Army's Esports team. // Music by Gareth Johnson, Kes Loy and Gavin Harrison, as well as Jason Pedder, Philip Guyler and Ben Ziapour — via AudioNetwork.com.

This episode is sponsored by Booz Allen Hamilton.

“The World: A Brief Introduction,” with Richard Haass May 12, 2020

Richard Haass is president of the Council on Foreign Relations. His book “The World: A Brief Introduction” is available for purchase online today.

This episode is sponsored by Booz Allen Hamilton.

How Americans view the U.S. role in the world, with Ivo Daalder May 08, 2020

Today we’re going to look at America’s changing place in a rapidly-changing world. It’s part of a broader series of reporting, commentaries and discussions Defense One and the Center for a New American Security are hosting throughout the year. They’re all inspired by the theme of military readiness in 2020. And we’re calling it the American Readiness Project. The guiding question is this: Are Americans ready, willing, and able to be the global security leaders of this century?

This episode, Defense One Executive Editor Kevin Baron explores those ideas and more along with Ivo Daalder, president of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

This episode is sponsored by Booz Allen Hamilton.

Gen. Martin Dempsey Apr 23, 2020

Retired U.S. Army Gen. Martin Dempsey has a new book coming out in May called “No Time For Spectators: The Lessons That Mattered Most From West Point To The West Wing.” Dempsey talks about politics and leadership during a pandemic; why the U.S. didn't do more in Syria sooner, and more.

This episode is sponsored by Booz Allen Hamilton.

The 1918 flu and the U.S. military Apr 11, 2020

More American soldiers died from the flu in 1918 than died from combat in World War I. And more Americans died from that 1918 flu pandemic than died from all the wars in the last century. That's why we’re gonna learn a bit more about what the Influenza of 1918 did to the U.S. military.

Special Guest: Angry Staff Officer