Delivering Defense-Tech Ground Autonomy with DIU and Forterra | The Pair Program Ep63

What does the future of defense look like when the vehicles drive themselves? In this episode, we sit down with Paul Benfield (Head of Strategy at Forterra) and David Michelson (Director of Autonomy at DIU) to talk about the real-world deployment of autonomous ground systems and why it’s no longer science fiction.

Tune in for:

• How DIU and Forterra are building driverless combat vehicles (today, not someday)
• The inside story of the Ground Vehicle Autonomous Pathways (GVAP) program
• Why off-road autonomy might be harder than robo-taxis, and why it’s worth it
• What “dual-use” really means when your tech serves ports and platoons
• How trust, safety, and certification are being redefined in autonomous warfare

About David Michelson: David leads DIU’s autonomy portfolio, bringing over 15 years of experience in special operations, program management, and emerging tech. He’s behind key programs like Blue UAS and GVAP, and holds an MPP from Harvard and a B.S. from West Point.

About Paul Benfield: Paul is Head of Strategy at Forterra and a 20+ year Army veteran. He’s worked at the highest levels of the Pentagon and now helps bridge the gap between tech startups and national defense priorities.

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