This week on Weapons and Warfare Host Ryan Robertson and the team take a look back at some of their favorite stories from 2024. Join them as they talk about groundbreaking innovations in military technology, and the people shaping the course of today’s military, with some insights and behind-the-scenes anecdotes as they celebrate the stories that resonated most.
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[RYAN ROBERTSON]
HELLO AND WELCOME TO WEAPONS AND WARFARE, FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS. I’M RYAN ROBERTSON, AND THIS IS NOT ONLY OUR FINAL EPISODE OF THE YEAR, BUT IT’S OUR 50th. WITH THAT BEING THE CASE WE WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO A LITTLE LOOKING BACK AT THE ROAD WE’VE TRAVELED IN 2024. BOTH METAPHORICAL AND LITERAL.
IN JANUARY, WE LAUNCHED THE SERIES WITH OUR FIRST EPISODE AND A VERY SHORT-LIVED SET. BUT WE EVOLVED AND EVENTUALLY TOOK THE SHOW ON THE ROAD WITH TRIPS TO DENVER FOR THE AFA WARFARE SYMPOSIUM, THEN IT WAS ONTO D.C. FOR THE NAVY LEAGUE SEA AIR SPACE EXPO, FORT WORTH FOR OUR VISIT TO THE LOCKHEED MARTIN F-35 ASSEMBLY FACILITY. THEN WE HIT TAMPA FOR SOF WEEK BEFORE ANOTHER COUPLE OF TRIPS TO DC FOR, THE AIR, SPACE, AND CYBER CONFERENCE, AND FINALLY AUSA’S ANNUAL MEETING.
OF COURSE IT TAKES A TEAM TO PUT TOGETHER A SHOW LIKE THIS SO WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FITTING TO CHECK-IN WITH EVERYONE AND GET A COUPLE OF THEIR FAVORITE STORIES FROM THE YEAR.
SO LET’S GET TO IT.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
ALL RIGHT, I AM JOINED NOW BY THE REST OF OUR TEAM, BRADY BUNCH STYLE, IN THE TOP RIGHT CORNER. WE HAVE SENIOR PRODUCER, BRETT BAKER. BELOW HIM IS OUR EDITOR, BRIAN SPENCER, AND TO HIS RIGHT, YOUR LEFT SENIOR MOTION DESIGNER, GRAPHIC ARTIST EXTRAORDINAIRE, DAKOTA PETIO, GENTLEMEN, QUAD FATHERS, WELCOME BACK TO THE SHOW. BEFORE WE GET STARTED, WE HAVE OUR FAVORITE DEBRIEFS KIND OF LINED UP, BUT GUYS, WE’RE LOOKING BACK ON YEAR ONE OF WEAPONS AND WARFARE. SO WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK?
[BRETT BAKER]
IT’S BEEN REALLY AMAZING TO DO. YOU DON’T OFTEN IN YOUR CAREER GET A CHANCE TO START SOMETHING FROM SCRATCH, LET ALONE DO IT REMOTELY, WHICH IS NEW FOR KIND OF EVERYBODY, BUT I THINK IT’S BEEN AN AWESOME EXPERIENCE SO FAR, AND I’M EXCITED ABOUT WHAT WE’VE DONE, AND YOU KNOW WHERE WE’RE GOING.
[BRIAN SPENCER]
YEAH, THERE’S A LOT OF MILITARY SHOW VOICES OUT THERE, AND I’M REALLY EXCITED TO KIND OF LEVEL UP THAT WHOLE CONVERSATION AND BE PART OF DECIPHERING THE WORLD OF MILITARY.
[DAKOTA PITEO]
YEAH, I WAS LOOKING BACK EARLIER TODAY AT, LIKE, OUR BACK CATALOG, AND IT’S CRAZY TO SEE HOW MUCH CONTENT AND THINGS WE’VE COVERED AND ALL THAT STUFF. IT WAS JUST, IT’S REALLY COOL. SO IT WAS A GREAT YEAR, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO SOME MORE OF THAT.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
AND FOR THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW, I’M JUST GOING TO KIND OF GIVE A LOCATION. THIS IS A REMOTE SHOW, LIKE WE’RE ALL REMOTE. BRETT BAKER, YOU ARE IN LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, DAKOTA, YOU ARE IN DENVER, BRIAN. YOU ARE IN ST LOUIS. BUT EVERY WEEK WE WORK TOGETHER, WE MEET ON SLACK, WE COLLABORATE, WE MAKE FUN OF EACH OTHER, WE, YOU KNOW, AND WE SHOOT IDEAS UP AND SEE WHAT FLOATS, RIGHT? SO REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO WEEK IN AND WEEK OUT TO MAKE THE SHOW A REALITY. AND YOU KNOW, THE CORE PART OF EACH ONE OF OUR SHOWS SEEMS LIKE THE DEBRIEF, RIGHT? IT’S THE MAIN PART OF EACH ONE OF OUR SHOWS. AND SO THIS EPISODE, WE’RE CHOOSING OUR FAVORITE DEBRIEFS. MY FAVORITE DEBRIEF THAT WE DID, AND I’LL KIND OF GIVE YOU A FEW REASONS WHY, WAS THE ONE THAT WE HAD DONE ON OUR HEAD, THE ONE WE DID ON CAN THE US TAKE OUT ALL OF CHINA’S AND RUSSIA’S NUCLEAR LAUNCH FACILITIES WITHIN TWO HOURS. SO THERE ARE SOME BRITISH RESEARCHERS WHO CAME OUT WITH THIS PAPER THAT SAID THAT WITH CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS, ONLY THE US CAN TAKE OUT ALL OF CHINA AND RUSSIA’S NUCLEAR CAPABILITIES IN TWO HOURS. IT SEEMS LIKE A VERY CRAZY THOUGHT, IDEA, A CLAIM. AND SO WE TALKED TO THE RESEARCHERS. WE ALSO TALKED TO A US INTELLIGENCE OFFICER WHO SAT ON THE RUSSIA DESK. AND I THOUGHT THIS STORY IN PARTICULAR WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SHOWCASE WHAT WE DO BEST OF BRINGING THIS WORLD THAT’S, YOU KNOW, CRAZY AND FULL OF JARGON TO THE, YOU KNOW, THE AVERAGE PERSON, AND MAKING IT RELATABLE AND THE IDEAS ATTAINABLE OR, YOU KNOW, CONCEIVABLE AND ABLE TO DIGEST. I THINK WE DID A REALLY GOOD JOB OF THAT, AND WE ALSO PROVED THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS ROOM FOR DEBATE IN THIS WORLD OF WEAPONS AND WARFARE.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
SO, SO THAT WAS MY FAVORITE DEBRIEF EPISODE FROM EARLIER IN THE YEAR. LET’S GO AHEAD AND KEEP THIS TRAIN MOVING ALONG. BRETT BAKER, WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE DEBRIEF?
[BRETT BAKER]
WELL, YOU KNOW, IT’S KIND OF HARD TO PICK, BECAUSE WE’VE DONE A LOT OF REALLY COOL STORIES, BUT I THINK THE ONE THAT RESONATED MOST WITH ME WAS ONE THAT WE KIND OF HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE. WHEN WE WERE AT SPECIAL FORCES WEEK IN TAMPA, WE MET A GUY NAMED JARED SHEPARD WHO STARTED THIS THING CALLED WARRIORS ETHOS, AND WHAT IT REALLY IS, IS A TRANSITION PROGRAM FOR VETERANS, YOU KNOW, LIKE MYSELF. NOW, I WAS FORTUNATE. I LEFT THE AIR FORCE ON A FRIDAY AND STARTED AT A TV STATION IN SAN ANTONIO ON A MONDAY AND I DIDN’T HAVE A DIFFICULT JOURNEY TO TRAVEL. BUT THAT’S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE. SO WHAT JARED IS DOING IS REALLY COOL AND INSPIRING, AND YOU KNOW, IT’S HELPING A LOT OF VETERANS WHO NEED THAT NEXT STEP. BUT IN TELLING THAT STORY, WE FOUND A DEEPER STORY OF ONE OF THE GUYS THAT HE HAD HELPED AND MAYBE ONE OF THE LAST GUYS YOU MIGHT THINK WOULD NEED THAT KIND OF ASSISTANCE IN A MEDAL OF HONOR WINNER.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
ALL RIGHT, SO THAT WAS BRETT BAKER’S FAVORITE DEBRIEF, THE WARRIORS ETHOS BUILDING MOMENTUM. IT’S JUST A GREAT ORGANIZATION. AND REALLY GLAD WE GOT TO MEET UP WITH THEM AT SOFT WEEK. AND BRETT, LIKE YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO SHARE THE STORIES OF FOLKS THAT YOU MIGHT NOT THINK NEED HELP IN THAT TRANSITION PROCESS, YOU KNOW, AND THAT ORGANIZATION BEING ABLE TO HELP ANYONE THAT COMES TO THEM. AND I HOPE I SURE WILL MEET UP WITH THEM AGAIN AT A FUTURE SHOW, LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THEM. SO NOW WE’LL GO TO ST LOUIS, HITTING UP THE LOO. BRIAN, YOU’RE THE GUY WHO WE GIVE YOU SO MUCH DISPARATE PIECES, AND WE SAY, PUT IT ALL TOGETHER. AND YOU DO EVERY WEEK. YOU DO A GREAT JOB WITH THAT. SO IN YOU KNOW, YOU’VE BEEN THE GUY IN THE TRENCHES FOR SO LONG, PUTTING TOGETHER PIECE BY PIECE, ALL OF THESE SHOWS, ALL THESE EPISODES. SO YOU HAVE MORE OF A FIRST HAND LOOK AT SOME OF THIS THAN MAYBE SOME OF THE REST OF US DO. SO YOUR FAVORITE DEBRIEF?
[BRIAN SPENCER]
WELL, THIS ONE ROLLS RIGHT OFF THE TONGUE. IT’S THE INGEST EURO NATO JOINT JET PILOT TRAINING PROGRAM IN TEXAS. REALLY COOL PROGRAM FIRST, I THINK IT’S JUST SO COOL THAT WE GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO GUYS LIKE THEIR WING COMMANDER, COLONEL SHULMAN, AND HAVE ACCESS TO SOMEBODY LIKE THAT WHO’S JUST IN CHARGE OF THIS REALLY UNIQUE PROGRAM. AND THE SECOND THING I THINK THAT’S SO UNIQUE ABOUT THIS STORY IS, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF OFFICES, BRANCHES OF THE SERVICE OF OUR OWN MILITARY, ONE HAND DOESN’T KNOW WHAT THE OTHER HAND IS DOING SOMETIMES. YET THIS PROGRAM JOINS 14 NATO COUNTRIES IN TEXAS ALL SPEAKING DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, AND ALL GOING FOR THAT SINGULAR MISSION OF SECURING EUROPE OR THE SKIES OVER EUROPE. AND I JUST THINK THAT’S REALLY COOL, THAT THEY’RE ABLE TO OVERCOME ALL THE BUREAUCRACY OF THE MILITARIES OF EACH COUNTRY AND THEN OVERCOME THE LANGUAGE BARRIER, THE CULTURE BARRIER, AND JUST BECOME THE BEST FRIENDS AND HAVE BROTHERS IN THE SKY.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
I CAN SEE HOW THIS TRANSITION IS GOING TO WORK, BROTHERS IN THE SKY, AND THEN YOU’RE GOING TO GO TO SOMETHING LIKE SUPER EMOTIONAL. AND YOU KNOW, WE’LL GET PEOPLE CRYING. SO GOOD INTRO, BRIAN. ALL RIGHT, THAT WAS OUR PROFILE ON THE INJECT PROGRAM, THE EURO NATO JOINT JET PILOT TRAINING PROGRAM IN WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS. LIKE YOU, BRIAN, I WAS REALLY GLAD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET THAT STORY AND TURN THAT JUST SOME BEHIND THE SCENES STUFF. SO I USED TO WORK WITH A GAL AT A STATION IN WICHITA FALLS WHO IS NOW MARRIED TO SOMEBODY I JUST I’M NOT GOING TO SAY HIS NAME PROPERLY, HIS CALL SIGN IS VENOM, WHO WORKS WITHIN THE INJECT PROGRAM. AND HE WAS ABLE TO PUT ME IN TOUCH WITH THE PROPER PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICERS AND EVERYTHING. SO THANK YOU, KROS, YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE FOR HELPING US GET THAT STORY. OKAY, DAKOTA, , DAKOTA IN DENVER. SO AS OUR GRAPHICS ARTIST, YOU MAKE OUR SHOW LOOK BETTER THAN IT SHOULD EVERY WEEK. YOUR YOUR ABILITY TO KIND OF TAKE THESE CRAZY CONCEPTS AND MAKE THEM INTO, YOU KNOW, JUST THESE BEAUTIFUL ILLUSTRATIONS. YOU KNOW, REALLY GLAD THAT YOU’RE WORKING ON THE SHOW, GLAD THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO SHOWCASE YOUR SKILLS. SO ON THAT NOTE, DAKOTA, WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE DEBRIEF THIS YEAR?
[DAKOTA PITEO]
YEAH, UNFORTUNATELY, I DIDN’T PICK BASED UPON WHAT I THOUGHT WERE THE COOLEST GRAPHICS, AT LEAST NOT FOR THE DEBRIEF, BUT I PICKED EPISODE 33 THE PIECE ON ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, WHICH IS BASICALLY, LIKE INDUSTRIAL 3D PRINTING WITH LIKE METAL, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE AND SEE OR LAY THAT INTO A FINISHED PART. AND I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY COOL THAT WE COULD, LIKE, RESURRECT THESE, LIKE ANCIENT PIECES OF MILITARY TECH, YOU KNOW, THESE PLANES THAT HAVE BEEN FLYING FOR 70 YEARS, THAT THE FACTORIES HAVE BEEN SHUT DOWN FOR 40 YEARS OR WHATEVER. AND YOU KNOW, REALLY MAKE A PART THAT’S SPECIAL FOR THEM, AND NOT HAVE LEAD TIMES BE MONTHS OR YEARS, OR HAVE TO SPIN UP A FULL FACTORY. YOU CAN SPIN UP SOMETHING SMALL AND GET, YOU KNOW, YOUR PART WHEN YOU NEED IT. I THOUGHT THAT WAS GREAT REDUCING COSTS. AND I THINK IT HAS TANGIBLE BENEFITS FOR LIKE, THE REAL WORLD, LIKE EVERYDAY PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU NEED, LIKE, YOU KNOW, 3D PRINTING IS SO VIABLE. AND THEN IF WE CAN MOVE THAT ON TO LIKE AEROSPACE, OR EVEN JUST A PART YOU NEED IT FROM HOME DEPOT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THING. YOU NEED SOMETHING CUSTOM FOR YOUR OLD FURNACE, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT. I THINK IT’S A REALLY COOL PRACTICE, AND I’M REALLY GLAD WE COVERED IT.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
ALL RIGHT. 3D PRINTING, ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, AS IT’S KNOWN IN THE INDUSTRY. AND LIKE YOU, DAKOTA, I’M FASCINATED WITH THAT TECHNOLOGY. THE MORE WIDESPREAD WE COULD MAKE IT, THE MORE COST EFFECTIVE IT’S GOING TO BE. YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT WE, THE FOUR OF US, DON’T HAVE ACCESS, AT LEAST I DON’T HAVE ACCESS TO A 3D PRINTER, BUT I KNOW WE WORK WITH FOLKS WITHIN STRAIGHT OR ARROW NEWS THAT DO, AND THEY’VE BEEN ABLE TO 3D PRINT SOME JUST, YOU KNOW, OFF THE WALL THING, LIKE A MASK, YOU KNOW. AND I JUST THINK, LIKE, WHEN’S THE DAY GOING TO COME WHERE IT’S LIKE, OH, I NEED A NAIL, AND I JUST GO TO MY GARAGE, 3D PRINTED OUT. AND THAT TECHNOLOGY COULD BE DOWN THE ROAD VERY SOON, BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, THE MILITARY KIND OF LEADING THE INDUSTRY CHARGE TO MAKE THIS COST EFFECTIVE. SO QUAD FATHERS, THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT’S GOING TO DO IT FOR OUR FAVORITE DEBRIEFS FOR THIS PORTION OF THE SHOW. STICK AROUND, THOUGH, BECAUSE UP NEXT WE HAVE OUR FAVORITE WEAPONS OF THE WEEK.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
OF THE THINGS WE’VE LEARNED OVER THE PAST YEAR IS THAT OUR VIEWERS REALLY LIKE OUR WEAPON OF THE WEEK SEGMENT. THOSE VIDEOS CONSISTENTLY GARNER SOME OF THE HIGHEST VIEWS. AND THAT MAKES SENSE, RIGHT? SINCE IT’S 1/3 OF OUR NAME, WEAPONS AND WARFARE. SO LET’S DO THIS IN REVERSE ORDER FROM LAST TO FIRST. THAT MEANS DAKOTA, YOU’RE GONNA LEAD US OFF. SINCE YOU WERE THE LAST ONE AND THE DEBRIEF, GO AHEAD AND LEAD US OFF. YOUR FAVORITE WEAPON OF THE WEEK.
[DAKOTA]
THIS ONE I DID PICK FOR THE GRAPHICS, BUT NOT THE GRAPHICS I DID. I’M GOING WITH EPISODE 38 THE ANDREWS ANIME LAUNCH TRAILER. SURE, WHERE THEY HAD THAT SWEET, I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT WAS LIKE, A MINUTE, MINUTE AND A HALF ANIME STYLE THING, WHERE THEY WERE LIKE, FIGHTING AND BUILDING THE MISSILES ON THE ASSEMBLY LINE, AND THEY ALL LIKE, KIND OF FLY OFF AT THE END. IT WAS CLASSIC. ONE THING THAT ALSO STUCK OUT TO ME WAS LIKE, HOW SIMPLE THE ACTUAL MISSILES ARE. THEY SAID SOMETHING LIKE 50% LESS PARTS THAN A NORMAL MISSILE OF THAT SIZE, AND THEN IT COULD BE ASSEMBLED WITH 10 OR LESS TOOLS LIKE THAT. SEEMS CRAZY, LIKE IF I COULD BUILD IT MY GARAGE. BASICALLY, THAT SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING SHOULDN’T BE POSSIBLE. SO HATS OFF TO THE TEAM THAT MADE THE ANIME TRAILER. AND THEN HATS OFF TO THE ENGINEERS THAT MADE A VERY SIMPLE MISSILE THAT PROBABLY WORKS VERY WELL.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
ALL RIGHT, THAT WAS DAKOTA PITEO’S FAVORITE WEAPON OF THE WEEK, BASICALLY. AND EARL’S LAUNCH PROMO FOR ITS ARSENAL, I THINK, IS WHAT THEY CALL IT. IT’S, YOU KNOW, AUTONOMOUS FACILITY TO MAKE ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT’S NOT BUILT YET, BUT, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY GOING TO BE AT SOME POINT SOMEDAY. SO YEAH, DAKOTA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. WE’LL KEEP THIS TRAIN GOING A LITTLE BIT MORE. BRIAN, YOU KNOW, YOU YOU HAVE BROUGHT SOME IDEAS FOR US FOR WEAPON OF THE WEEK. YOU GOT A GREAT EYE FOR FOR FINDING THINGS THAT JUST KIND OF STAND OUT. SO REALLY INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT YOUR YOUR FAVORITE WEAPON OF THE WEEK.
[BRIAN]
SO MINE IS ACTUALLY IT’S A DRONE. BUT IT’S NOT JUST BECAUSE IT’S A DRONE. IT’S ACTUALLY IT’S FUEL SOURCE THAT MAKES IT INTERESTING. IT’S FROM HEAVEN DRONES COMPANY, AND THEY USE HYDROGEN INSTEAD OF ELECTRICITY. AND I PERSONALLY PREFER HYDROGEN AS A FUEL SOURCE FOR THESE TYPES OF THINGS OVER ELECTRICITY, BECAUSE IT’S THE MOST ABUNDANT RESOURCE IN THE WORLD, AND YOU CAN PULL IT STRAIGHT FROM THE AIR. YOU DON’T HAVE THE MIND FOR IT. AND BUT WHAT’S REALLY COOL IS, WHILE THEY’RE UP THERE, SINCE IT’S IN THE AIR, THEY CAN JUST MAKE MORE FUEL WHILE THEY’RE UP THERE. AND HEAVEN DRONES JUST PRETTY COOL DIRECTION TO DIVERSIFY THE TOOLS AND WEAPONS THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO THE MILITARY IN SOME FUTURE. AND WHILE IT’S NOT AN APPLICATION THAT PROBABLY CAN BE FOLDED IN EXACTLY RIGHT NOW, BUT IT’S REALLY COOL EXPERIMENT FOR EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
ALL RIGHT, THAT WAS OUR VIDEO EDITOR, BRIAN AND HIS PICK FOR WEAPON OF THE WEEK, HIS FAVORITE WEAPON OF THE WEEK, HEAVEN DRONES AND THEIR HYDROGEN POWERED DRONES. AND I’M GONNA SAY THIS AGAIN, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, LIKE WE DID WHEN THIS SHOW ORIGINALLY AIRED, I’M SURE THERE’S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO SEE THAT AND THINK HYDROGEN POWERED THAT’S GOT, THAT’S REALLY BAD IDEA. THAT’S A BOMB JUST FLOATING AROUND OUT THERE. THE FOLKS AT HEAVEN DRONES HAVE ASSURED US THAT THEY HAVE DONE THE TESTING AND DONE THE DROP TESTS AND ALL THAT, AND IT’S SAFE. IT’S NOT GOING TO BLOW UP. EVEN IF YOU SHOOT IT, IT WON’T BLOW UP. SO I’M GOING TO TAKE THEIR WORD ON IT, BECAUSE I DON’T HAVE A BUNCH OF HYDROGEN TO GO SHOOT. SO WITH THAT IN MIND, WE’LL GO AHEAD AND KEEP THINGS GOING. SUPER PRODUCER. BRETT BAKER, YOU ARE WITH ME ON THESE TRIPS THAT WE HAVE TAKEN. YOU OBVIOUSLY DO A LOT OF THE WRITING. THING THAT BRINGS THE SHOW TOGETHER. SO YOU’RE SOME OF THE THE FIRST EYES THAT HAS A LOOK AT WHAT WE’RE GOING TO BE MAYBE DOING FOR OUR WEAPON OF THE WEEK. SO YOUR FAVORITE THIS YEAR WAS,
[BRETT]
ODDLY ENOUGH, IT’S NOT A PIECE OF HARDWARE, IT’S NOT A PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY. IT’S IT’S A UNIT THAT THE ARMY IS PUTTING TOGETHER. THEY’RE THEY’RE WATCHING WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE UKRAINE, AND WE’RE LEARNING LESSONS. THEY’RE LEARNING LESSONS REAL TIME, AND THEY’RE GOING AHEAD AND PUTTING THOSE INTO EFFECT. AND THEY CAME UP WITH SOMETHING CALLED, AND I HAVE TO LOOK THIS UP, BECAUSE IT’S AN, YOU KNOW, A MILITARY THING. IT’S TOO LONG FOR ME TO REMEMBER THE MULTI FUNCTIONAL RECONNAISSANCE COMPANY. WHAT IT IS, IT’S ABOUT EQUIPPING SMALL UNITS OF OF RECONNAISSANCE TEAMS WITH THE TECH AND THE EQUIPMENT TO PERFORM DIFFERENT OPERATIONS, DIFFERENT MISSIONS. THEY’VE ALL GOT THEIR OWN SPECIAL, UH, TARGETS AND OBJECTIVES. BUT I THOUGHT AS A WEAPON OF THE WEEK, THE SOLDIER REALLY IS, YOU KNOW, THE ULTIMATE WEAPON AND PUTTING THE RIGHT TOOLS IN THEIR HANDS, AND THE ARMY LOOKING FORWARD, AND THEIR ATTEMPTS TO MODERNIZE AND LOOK FORWARD TO WHATEVER OUR NEXT CONFLICT IS WITH THESE UNITS, I THINK IS REALLY IMPRESSIVE, AND I THINK IT’S ONLY GOING TO EXPAND FROM, OBVIOUSLY, WHERE THEY’RE JUST TESTING IT NOW, AND IT’S GOING TO BECOME A BIG THING.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
BRETT, ALL RIGHT, BRETT BAKER, SENIOR PRODUCER, BRETT BAKER’S PICK FOR WEAPON OF THE WEEK. BRETT, YOU LOOKED IT UP SO THE OFFICIAL NAME ONE MORE TIME,
[BRETT BAKER]
AND I JUST CLICKED OUT MY SCREEN. HERE IT IS, THE MULTI FUNCTIONAL RECONNAISSANCE COMPANY, OR THE MFRC.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
ALL RIGHT, GREAT CONCEPT, AND YOU’RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. THE THINGS THAT WE’RE LEARNING RIGHT NOW FROM THE WAR IN UKRAINE IS JUST INFORMING SO MUCH OF WHAT OUR OWN ARMED FORCES ARE DOING AND WILL BE DOING AS THEY PREPARE FOR POTENTIALLY GREAT POWER COMPETITION AGAINST CHINA, RUSSIA, AND POTENTIALLY THEIR ALLIES. ALL RIGHT, SO MY FAVORITE, OR MY PICK FOR WEAPON OF THE WEEK, IS PRETTY TIMELY. THIS SHOW, OBVIOUSLY, IS COMING OUT ON CHRISTMAS DAY, DECEMBER 25 IF YOU’RE ON THE EAST COAST, IF YOU’VE WATCHED NEWS AT ALL, YOU KNOW ABOUT DRONES IN NEW JERSEY, RIGHT? SO THIS, THIS PIECE OF TECH IS CALLED THE ENFORCE AIR TWO FROM DEFEND AND IT’S A PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY THAT NOT ONLY DOES IT ALLOW THE USER TO TRACK A WIDE RANGE OF DRONES WITHIN ITS AIRSPACE, IT ALSO ALLOWS THEM, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN IDENTIFY THE DRONE, LIKE, YES, THAT’S A DRONE. THIS IS WHAT KIND OF DRONE IT IS. THIS IS WHERE THE PILOT OR THE OPERATOR OF THAT DRONE IS. AND, OH, BY THE WAY, LET’S GO AHEAD AND JUST TAKE OVER THE DRONE, AND NOW WE CONTROL IT. IT’S, IT’S A PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY THAT IS, IS VERY MUCH IN NEED US. LAWS HAVE TO CHANGE IN ORDER FOR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OTHERS TO HAVE ACCESS TO IT. BUT IT’S IT’S A VITAL PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY. IT EXISTS TODAY, AND PRETTY SOON, IT’S PROBABLY GOING TO BE PRETTY WIDESPREAD.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. SO THAT WAS MY PICK FOR MY FAVORITE WEAPON OF THE WEEK, AND THAT WAS THE QUAD FATHERS. QUAD FATHERS WAVE SAY, SAY HELLO TO OUR AUDIENCE AND GOODBYE. THAT’S GOING TO DO IT FOR THE GROUP PORTION OF THIS WEEK’S EPISODE. BUT BEFORE WE CUT YOU GUYS OFF, ANY FINAL THOUGHTS THAT ANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE.
[BRETT BAKER]
IT’S JUST, IT’S, IT’S BEEN A GREAT RIDE SO FAR. YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN AMBITIOUS PROJECT THAT WE WERE TASKED WITH, AND I COULDN’T IMAGINE THREE BETTER GUYS TO BE DOING IT WITH THE FACT THAT IT WORKS SO WELL AND IT LOOKS SO GOOD, AND THAT WE’RE ALL REMOTE, AND WE NEVER, ACTUALLY HARDLY SEE EACH OTHER IS IS PRETTY, PRETTY IMPRESSIVE TO ME.
[BRIAN SPENCER]
YEAH, I’LL JUST GO NEXT. THE COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE FROM EVERYBODY INVOLVED IN THIS HAS BEEN PRETTY GREAT, AND WE PICK EACH OTHER UP WHEN THINGS GET TOUGH. AND SO IT’S BEEN A PRETTY COOL YEAR, AND ONWARD, IN 2025.
[DAKOTA PITEO]
YEAH, I THINK IT’S BEEN A GREAT YEAR. THE PRODUCT IS AMAZING, AND THANKS TO YOU GUYS FOR WATCHING AND SHARING AND ALL OF THESE STUFF THAT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE. AND YOU KNOW, WE WE LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING MORE STUFF WITH YOU GUYS IN THE COMING YEAR.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
ABSOLUTELY, GUYS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE SHOW, FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO, FOR THE SHOW, FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP, LIKE BRETT SAID, COULDN’T IMAGINE DOING THIS WITH ANYBODY ELSE. SO YEAH, BIG THINGS ARE IN STORE FOR 2025 INCLUDING MAYBE THE FOUR OF US GET TOGETHER IN A. BEER HALL SOMETIME, MAYBE, I DON’T KNOW, MAYBE.
[BRETT BAKER]
IN 3D, REAL WORLD.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
SO YOU’VE HEARD FROM THE CREW THAT MAKES OUR SHOW HAPPEN EVERY WEEK; NOW IT’S TIME TO HEAR FROM YOU. LET’S CHECK OUT SOME OF OUR FAVORITE VIEWER COMMENTS OF THE YEAR.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
OF OUR FEATURE ON THE AIR FORCE RESEARCH LABORATORY, A YOUTUBE VIEWER THAT GOES B.T. WRITES:
[COMMENT]
“MAN YOUR CHANNEL IS REALLY GOOD. REFRESHING, ALOT OF BAD MILITARY CHANNELS OUT THERE”
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
WELL. BT, WE AGREE. WE THINK WE’VE GOT A PRETTY GOOD THING GOING HERE. BUT AS MY GRANDMA ALWAYS SAID, THE BIGGEST ROOM IN THE WORLD IS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. SO WHILE WE THANK YOU FOR WATCHING AND BEING A PART OF THE SHOW. BT, WE ALSO WANT TO SAY, BUCKLE UP, BECAUSE 2025 IS SHAPING UP TO BE A GREAT ONE ALREADY. SO STICK AROUND.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
NEXT UP, YOUTUBE VIEWER “BUCK” WEIGHED IN ON OUR CONVERSATION WITH NOTED MISINFORMATION WARRIOR RYAN MCBETH:
[COMMENT]
“RYAN MCBETH ROCKS . DON’T SPREAD MISINFORMATION AND HE’LL LEAVE YOU ALONE . HE WILL CATCH YA IF YOU DON’T HEED MY WARNING”
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
RYAN MACBETH ROCKS, DON’T SPREAD MISINFORMATION, AND HE’LL LEAVE YOU ALONE. HE WILL CATCH YOU IF YOU DON’T HEED MY WARNING, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. BUCK, I’VE MET PLENTY OF OTHER RYANS IN MY 42 YEARS ON THE PLANET, BUT RYAN MACBETH STANDS OUT. HIS COMMITMENT TO HIS COUNTRY IS OBVIOUSLY ADMIRABLE, BUT IT WAS HIS COMMITMENT TO TRUTH THAT FIRST CAUGHT MY EYE, AND AS A JOURNALIST, I JUST LOVE A GOOD MISINFORMATION TAKEDOWN. WE HAVE MORE STORIES WITH RYAN MACBETH ON TAP FOR NEXT YEAR AS WELL. SO BUCK, KEEP WATCHING.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
FINALLY, OF OUR MOST POPULAR EPISODE OF THE YEAR, OUR TRIP TO THE LOCKHEED MARTIN F-35 ASSEMBLY FACILITY, CHRISTOPHER ROGERS COMMENTED:
[COMMENT]
“PRETTY COOL EPISODE, THANK YOU AND EVERYONE FOR THIS AWESOME NEWS INFO. REALLY AMAZING.”
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
YOU’RE RIGHT, CHRIS, THE F-35 IS REALLY AMAZING. THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF HEADLINES ABOUT THE PLANE RECENTLY AND WHETHER OR NOT THE US SHOULD KEEP ITS CONTRACT WITH LOCKHEED MARTIN. I COULD, BUT I’M NOT GOING TO TURN THIS INTO A RAP SEGMENT ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE F-35 TO GREAT POWER COMPETITION. IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT, BUT THE F-35 IS THE MOST ADVANCED FIGHTER EVER MADE. ISRAEL TOOK OUT ALL OF IRAN’S AIR DEFENSES WITH F-35 AND DIDN’T LOSE A SINGLE PLANE. SO WHILE THE INCOMING ADMINISTRATION MAY HAVE SOME DOUBTS ABOUT THE MERITS OF THE CONTRACT WITH LOCKHEED MARTIN TO BUY MORE OF THE PLANES TO SERVICE THE FIFTH GENERATION FIGHTER, CHRIS ROGERS IS RIGHT, THE F-35 IS AMAZING, AND THAT’S GOING TO DO IT FOR THIS WEEK’S COMMS CHECK. THANKS TO ALL THE VIEWERS WHO COMMENTED. IF YOU’D LIKE TO SEE YOUR COMMENT, THEN JUST GO AHEAD AND LEAVE IT BELOW, AND WE MIGHT ADDRESS IT ON A FUTURE UPCOMING EPISODE OF WEAPONS AND WARFARE.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
ALRIGHT FOLKS–THAT’LL DO IT FOR US FOR THIS EPISODE AND THIS YEAR OF WEAPONS AND WARFARE.
I HONESTLY CAN’T BELIEVE HOW FAST 2024 FLEW BY–OR THAT WE BUILT A SHOW FROM SCRATCH AND CHURNED OUT A NEW EPISODE EVERY WEEK.
FOR THOSE WHO KNOW HOW MUCH EFFORT AND ENERGY IT TAKES TO CREATE ENGAGING CONTENT–YOU KNOW WHAT A BIG LIFT THAT IS.
AND LIKE I SAID EARLIER, IT ABSOLUTELY WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT SUCH A TALENTED TEAM OF INDIVIDUALS.
WHICH SORT OF BRINGS ME TO MY WRAP TOPIC–THERE IS NO SUCCESS WITHOUT TEAMWORK.
THERE IS NOT A SINGLE SUCCESSFUL PERSON TODAY WHO DIDN’T GET TO WHERE THEY ARE WITHOUT HELP. WITHOUT A TEAM BACKING THEM UP AND SUPPORTING THEM.
JOHN ELWAY HAD TERRELL DAVIS AND THE BEST OFFENSIVE LINE IN FOOTBALL. JORDAN HAD PIPPEN, RODMAN, AND SOME OTHER KEY ROLE PLAYERS. THIS EPISODE DROPS ON CHRISTMAS–SO IT’S TOPICAL TO SAY EVEN JESUS HAD HIS DISCIPLES.
THE POINT IS GETTING THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN YOUR CORNER–OR BEING THE RIGHT PERSON IN SOMEONE ELSE’S CORNER–IS HOW SUCCESS IS ACHIEVED. YOU MAY HAVE TO GO THROUGH PARTS OF YOUR JOURNEY ALONE–BUT IF YOU TRY TO DO IT ALL ON YOUR OWN–THE FINISHED PRODUCT WILL NEVER BE AS GOOD AS IT COULD BE.
SOMETIMES IT TAKES WORK TO BUILD THE RIGHT TEAM–AND IT CAN BE A GRIND–NO DOUBT–
BUT THE PAYOFFS ARE ALWAYS WORTH IT.
SO, FOR SENIOR PRODUCER BRETT BAKER, VIDEO EDITOR BRIAN SPENCER AND GRAPHICS ARTIST DAKOTA PITEO–I’M RYAN ROBERTSON WITH STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, SIGNING OFF.
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