More from Brian Spencer
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Air Force secretary urges funding to modernize: ‘We are out of time’
The 2024 Air Force Association’s Warfare Symposium in Colorado could be characterized by the theme of change. Air Force and Space Force leaders emphasized the need to prepare troops for evolving threats worldwide. However, the leaders also expressed frustration over the delay in implementing these plans, attributing it to Congress. During the symposium’s opening event,… -
Hivemind AI is a ‘key enabler for the US military’: Weapon of the week
Shield AI co-founder and President Brandon Tseng breaks down this episode’s weapon of the week in an interview with host Ryan Robertson. Tseng explains how an AI pilot called Hivemind is combining with a Firejet from Kratos to help advance the U.S. military’s aerial capabilities. (This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity).… -
What role does democracy play in Ukraine’s victory?
February marks the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. When Russian troops advanced into Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, few could predict how the war would turn out, and probably fewer could predict the stalemate two years in. For Ukraine, victory means one thing: complete Russian withdrawal. For Putin, however, Russia’s version of victory… -
What victory over Ukraine looks like for Putin’s Russia: Weapons and Warfare
In this episode of Weapons and Warfare, take a deeper look at how Vladimir Putin might define victory in his illegal war as winter slows the fight for both Ukraine and Russia. Host Ryan Robertson visits with Maj. Marnix “Max” Provoost, a Ph.D. researcher at the Netherlands Defence Academy and author of a piece for… -
HISS-HD sight an ‘unmatched choice’ for precision shooters: Weapon of the week
Introduced to the public at the 2024 SHOT show in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Teledyne HISS-HD long-range cooled sniper sight is all about giving the user an unfair advantage. This sight is likely to be an immediate hit — especially for precision shooters. The sight mounts right to the rifle, acting like a clip-on that… -
Dwindling natural resources are a threat to the US military: Weapons and Warfare
In this episode of Weapons and Warfare, take an in-depth look at the natural resources needed to build and equip a modern military, and how America’s stockpile of those materials is running low. Special contributor and Straight Arrow News Energy Correspondent Jack Aylmer breaks it all down and visits with host Ryan Robertson to talk… -
New stealth technology could be coming to the Navy: Weapon of the week
For nearly 20 years, the U.S. Navy has been working to make stealth technology part of how it operates. One notable example is the Zumwalt-class destroyer, which uses guided missiles for stealth attacks. Now, the destroyer could have some company in the form of the K4 MANTA. The K4 MANTA is built by the Kraken… -
Decreasing access to rare earth minerals put US munition production at risk
In this episode of Weapons and Warfare, learn more about what it takes to make high-tech munitions available to the military today. The process, which begins with pulling precious resources from the Earth, is becoming further complicated as America’s access to the necessary resources is shrinking. While the U.S. sends weapons to Ukraine and Israel,… -
Why the US is OK with India making more weapons
The United States and India are not military allies, but they’re pretty good partners. If the last two years are any indication of what’s ahead, that partnership will only get stronger. The U.S. and India are the world’s two oldest democracies. India’s population makes it the world’s biggest democracy. But the U.S. and India didn’t… -
F-35 pilot shares insight on US military’s top fighter jet: Weapons and Warfare
In this Weapons and Warfare episode, step into the F-35 Lightning as host Ryan Robertson sits down with Tony “Brick” Wilson, a retired Naval aviator and current Lockheed Martin test pilot. Wilson shares the inside story on the U.S. military’s frontline fighter and his candid thoughts on “Top Gun: Maverick.” Also in this episode: You… -
L-ATV earns spot as military’s Humvee replacement: Weapon of the week
The High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle — or Humvee for short — was invented in 1985 and rose in popularity during the Gulf War as part of Operation Desert Storm. The Humvee still serves troops today, however, experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan spurred military leadership to ask for a replacement, leading to the Oshkosh Defense… -
F-35 Lightning: The US military’s frontline fighter jet
In this episode of Weapons and Warfare, buckle up to explore the advanced capabilities of the F-35 Lightning, the United States’ newest fifth-generation fighter. Built by Lockheed Martin and operated by the Air Force, Navy, and Marines, the F-35 is poised to be the frontline fighter for the next quarter-century. Since its induction into service… -
Shahed drone from Iran likely used to kill US troops in Jordan
The drone that killed three U.S. service members and injured dozens more at the Tower 22 outpost in Jordan was an Iranian-made Shahed series unmanned aerial vehicle, according to anonymous sources within the U.S. Department of Defense. If true, targeting Iran’s drone manufacturing capabilities could be part of the White House’s response to the Jan.…