Aerospace & Defense Technology

Recent conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East haveunderscored a growing reality for defense planners: low-cost unmanned systems are reshaping modern warfare and placing unprecedented demands on manufacturing capacity, supply chains, and acquisition strategies. At the same time, thechallenge of defeating inexpensive drones with significantly more expensive defensive systems continues to drive interest in scalable, cost-effectivecounter-UAS systems.

On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, Brett Velicovich, co-founder and president of Powerus, explains the company's efforts to expand domestic drone and counter-drone production while maintaining affordability and operational effectiveness. The conversation follows Powerus' recent $82 million U.S. government order for C-UAS systems.

Velicovich discusses lessons learned from today's drone-centric conflicts, the importance of U.S.-based manufacturing, challenges associated with scaling autonomous-systemproduction, and how the defense industry can improve the cost exchange ratio between offensive drones and defensive interceptors. The discussion also explores workforce development, supply-chain resilience, and the future ofhigh-volume autonomous-system production.

Sponsored by: Allient

What happens when military units can build, repair, and modify critical systems without waiting on a supply chain?

On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, we speak with Chad McCoy, Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer of Firestorm Labs, a Special Operations Forces veteran and retired Chief Master Sergeant from theU.S. Air Force's 24th Special Tactics Squadron. Drawing on years of operational experience and work in defense innovation, McCoy discusses one of the military's most pressing challenges: sustaining capability in contested environments wheretraditional logistics networks may be delayed, disrupted, or denied.

At the center of the conversation is Firestorm's xCell, a containerized manufacturing platform that brings industrial-grade production capabilities directly to deployed forces. Designed to operate at the point of need, the systemenables teams to produce, repair, and adapt unmanned aircraft systems in the field, reducing dependence on lengthy supply chains and improving operational flexibility.

Sponsored by: Allient

Over five decades, Tech Briefs has helped tell countless stories of NASA technology transfer, highlighting how discoveries made for space exploration find new life in products and applications here on Earth.

This special episode focuses on a remarkable example of tech transfer: a treadmill technology that began as a solution forexercising in reduced-gravity environments and has since helped people recover from injury, improve athletic performance, and maintain mobility as they age.

SAE Media Group’s Editorial Director Chitra Sethi speaks with Tom Allen and Sean Whalen, founders of Boost Treadmills. Boost Treadmills was founded in 2017 and prior to starting Boost, they each played key roles in the creation of AlterG®.

As Tech Briefs celebrates its 50th anniversary, we're reflecting on five decades of stories just like this one in its special 50th anniversary issue. It's both a look back at how far we've come and a look ahead at the technologies that will define the next generation of innovation.

Read the Tech Briefs 50th Anniversary Special Edition.

Sponsored by Rohde & Schwarz

As military ground vehicle manufacturers add autonomous navigation, advanced sensing, counter-UAS capability, and survivability features to next-generation platforms, the production environment behind those systems isbecoming as critical as the vehicle architecture.

Digital engineering, model-based workflows, mixed reality, automation, and advanced materials are helping defense suppliers accelerate production, improve installation quality,reduce weight, and move complex designs from prototype to fielded system.

On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, Season 16’s focus on military ground vehicle systemscontinues with a look at the manufacturing and design technologies enabling more efficient vehicle production. ClickBond, a Nevada-based manufacturer of adhesive-bonded fastening systems, provides structural hardware, adhesives, tooling, and installation methods for aerospace, defense, industrial, and vehicle applications.

The interview explains how Click Bond is using digital tools tomodernize manufacturing and installation, and work around digital twins, AI, robotics, and human-augmented production. These capabilities reflect a broader defense-industry shift toward digitally connected design and manufacturingenvironments. The guest on this episode is Bill Perez, Senior Product and Application Strategy Manager at Click Bond.

On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, Robert Jacobson, CEO of Lite Coms, discusses howtactical SATCOM systems are evolving to support resilient, multi-orbit connectivity for expeditionary, fixed, and mobile military operations.

Lite Coms designs and delivers tactical SATCOM terminals for mission-critical communications, including fly-away auto-acquire systems, rugged flat-panel terminals, and modemassemblies built for LEO, MEO, and GEO network environments.

The conversation explores multi-orbit network integration, modular terminal engineering, accelerated development cycles, advanced manufacturing, and emerging approaches to command-and-control communications.

On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, Bryan Bockmon, CEO of AimLock, discusses how autonomous targeting and AI-enabled fire control are being applied to one of the fastest-evolving battlefield threats: small unmanned aerial systems. The conversation examines AimLock’s latest collaboration with FN America and howthe companies are integrating sensor fusion, autonomy, and precision engagement capabilities into vehicle-mounted weapon systems designed for counter-UAS missions.

RELATED:C-UAS Magazine Call for Papers

During SOF Week 2026, AimLock and FN America unveiled the Dunetechnology demonstrator, which brings AimLock’s autonomy suite for networked, layered counter-UAS defense into FN America’s FN DEFENDER® Medium remote weapon station. The integrated system is designed to give militaryvehicles a scalable, mounted countermeasure against low-cost attack drones and other aerial threats.

The episode also explores why defense organizations areprioritizing modular, open-architecture solutions that can improve force protection without requiring full platform replacements. Bockmon shares insights on emerging trends in autonomy, precision engagement, and layered counter-drone defense as military forces adapt to a rapidly changing threatenvironment.

How can commercial technologies accelerate innovation indefense mobility and mission-ready vehicle platforms?

On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, Paul Beaker, chief engineer of advanced product development at GM Defense, shares insights from the Aerospace Manufacturing and Materials Digital Summit 2026, exploring how the company is leveraging commercial engineering, advanced manufacturing processes, electrification, and rapid technology integration to support evolving military requirements.

During his presentation, Beaker also explains how GMDefense is incorporating robotics into its design, inspection, and assembly processes for some of the military ground vehicles it is currently manufacturing. The discussion highlights the company’s approach to accelerating capability development, reducing program risk, and delivering next-generationmobility solutions for defense customers. Tune in to hear how commercial innovation is shaping the future of military vehicle development and operational readiness.

On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, Reaction Dynamics propulsion engineer and Moriusfounder Balin Moher explains how artificial intelligence AI, digital engineering, and structured engineering data could help reshape how aerospace teams design and validate complex rocket systems.

The discussion explores Reaction Dynamics’ hybrid rocketpropulsion work, the engineering challenges behind designing rocket components and assemblies, and how Moher created Morius as an on-premises AI design tool focused on keeping engineering work aligned with trusted project data.

"Morius runs entirely on-premises - your data never leaves the building - for regulated industries where data security comesfirst," Moher said.

The conversation also looks at how AI could support earlierdesign capture, faster iteration, and more reviewable decision-making across safety-critical aerospace programs.

As aerospace and defense organizations look for ways toaccelerate development without sacrificing traceability or engineering rigor, Moher explains how tools like Morius could become a reliability layer for AI-assisted design and a force multiplier for engineers working on rockets, propulsion systems, and other complex platforms.

On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, Brian Ippolitto, Vice President of Space Systems, discusses how spacecraft component engineering is evolving to meet the accelerating demands of commercial space growth. Drawing on more than a decade of experience across engineering, operations, and business development, he outlines the transition from low-volume development programs to high-rate manufacturing — now delivering tens of thousands of precision components annually for satellites, launch vehicles, and deep-space missions.

The conversation explores how propulsion systems and critical subsystems are being scaled to production, how quality and reliability are maintained at volume, and what it takes to support the next phase of commercial space expansion.

Sponsored by:

Omnetics and New England Wire

Star Catcher Industries is developing an in-space powergrid that captures sunlight in orbit and delivers it wirelessly to satellites on demand. The Florida-based startup's approach uses optical power beaming to deliver concentrated solar energy to satellites and spacecraft in orbit.

On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, Star Catcher CEO Andrew Rush explains how theirin-space power grid could help reduce one of the biggest constraints on satellite performance: limited onboard power. The discussion explores how beamed energy could work with existing solar arrays and potentially support higher-power payloads, longer mission operations, and more capable satellitearchitectures.

The conversation also looks at the company’s recenttechnology milestones, including end-to-end architecture validation and progress toward orbital demonstrations. As demand grows for communications, Earth observation, defense sensing, and space-based computing, the Star Catcher CEO explains how shared power infrastructure could become a key enabler for the next generation of space systems.