On today’s show, Jay Meil, the vice president for artificial intelligence and data analytics and the chief data officer at SAIC, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss US AI capabilities in comparison to adversaries and the key to remaining ahead in a global race, abilitiesm, what constitutes AI, how it differs from machine learning, better gathering in standardized and usable form the vast amounts of data the Pentagon produces, whether the DoD should be developing its own AI capabilities of become a smarter buyer of the technology from commercial industry, how to get AI to the edge and be usable in emission denied environments, and more.

On today’s Technology Report, David Schild, the executive director of the Printed Circuit Board Association of America, discusses proposed Protecting Circuit Boards and Substrates legislation as part of the tax reconciliation package that would cut taxes on printed circuit boards and substrates by 25 percent, the case for supporting an industry that left the United States in search of lower production costs, and the association’s 2025 agenda; and Dr. Charles Middleton, the chief technology officer at Critical Frequency Design, discusses the role of photonics technologies that promise to revolutionize military communications, the company’s Free Space Optics (FSO) communications solution that was recently tested under the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division’s Silent Swarm 2024 exercise, the future of the technology, and the outlook of the company as it seeks to navigate the Valley of Death with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On this week’s Technology Report, John CoFrancesco, the founder of the new artificial intelligence firm Applied AI Company, discusses takeaways from the congressional hearing with CrowdStrike executives on the recent software update error from the cyber security firm that precipitated global disruptions, the role of AI to make to avert such mistakes in the future, how the Pentagon’s AI ecosystem is evolving and the key to driving innovation, supply chain lessons in the wake of Israel’s use of global supply chains to produce exploding pagers and walkie talkies, countering spoofing of critical control systems including on commercial aircraft, and helping foster a new generation of more cyber and AI savvy legislators and more with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On this week’s Technology Report, Mark Montgomery, a retired US Navy rear admiral who is now the senior director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the executive director of the Cyber Solarium 2.0 project, discusses the cyber elements of the Biden administration’s FY 2025 budget request including planned an government-wide increase in spending to $13 billion and a $5 billion addition at DoD that would bring spending to $14 billion, the impact of continuing resolutions on the Pentagon and government’s ability to plan and execute, how to better harness artificial intelligence to improve cybersecurity, analysis of the Pentagon’s budget request specifically the $10 billion Pacific Defense Initiative, and who will pick up the mantle from Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wisc., after his retirement next year with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On this week’s Technology Report, Brandon Tseng, the cofounder and president of Shield AI, what differentiates the company in a crowded field, the Pentagon’s innovation drive, how to accelerate programs, the need to change the requirements process, how small companies can remain competitive in AI in an era of giants, the company’s growth plans with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On this week’s Technology Report, Dr. Dave Young, the chief operating officer officer of CAES — Cobham Advanced Electronic Systems — discusses electronic warfare lessons from the Ukraine war, how US capabilities compare to Russian and Chinese ones, the need to increase training with closely held EW systems before conflict to better prepare commanders on how best to employ them, scaling production through greater automation, impact of the CHIPS Act and the additional investment necessary in other vital fields with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

The less fuel you have to carry and the fewer aircraft needed to support the sharp end of the spear, the more effective you can be in combat. Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Operational Energy Roberto Guerrero tells us how it’s done and blows our mind with some savings numbers. We have this week’s headlines in airpower. And it’s all powered by GE Aerospace!