MGI Engineering recently unveiled their new long-rangeautonomous precision strike drone, TigerShark, at the 2025 Defense and Security Equipment International (DSEI) event in London. MGI is a U.K.-based engineering consultancy founded byformer Formula 1 (F1) Chief Designer Mike Gacoyne. The company developed TigerShark in response to the growth in demand from defense customers for the top of low cost drones, one way effectors and loitering munitions that havebeen effectively used on both sides of the war in Ukraine. Gascoyne is the guest on this episode of the Aerospace& Defense Technology podcast to explain how MGI is leveraging their history of collaborating with Formula 1 racing teams to design low cost precision strike drones that can be manufactured at scale.
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AI-Powered Military Communications at the Tactical Edge
On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, Fuse Integration CEO Sumner Lee is the guest to discuss how artificial intelligence (AI) is re-defining how military communications and networks are leveraged in contested environments. Lee is a former U.S. Navy helicopter pilot who founded FuseIntegration in 2010 with the goal of providing user-centric communications, networking and computing technologies for defense customers. Earlier this year, the company launched its new AI Radio Environment (AIRE) technology. AIRE provides an application interface for third-party AI developers to train onreal-time RF and network data models. By training on real-time data, third-party developers can create cutting-edge algorithms that learn better network routes, link prioritization or other key parameters to produce a more effective and resilient network.Listen to this episode to learn how Fuse Integration isusing AI to ensure warfighters are connected when it matters most.
Piasecki Aircraft Corporation acquired the KARGO UAV program from Kaman Air Vehicles in April, and recently launched a new upgraded variant of the medium-lift autonomous uncrewed aerial vehicle, the KARGO II. The KARGO II is a larger capacity version of the KARGO UAVwith increased payload capacity "from approximately 500-800 lbs. (227-363kg) to over 1,500lbs (680kg)," according to the company's August 12 announcement about theupgrade. The original version of the UAV completed several flight testing and demonstration milestones under U.S. Army and Marine Corps contracts, prior to Piasecki's acquisition of the program in April. Piasecki plans to manufacture the KARGO II at its Heliplexfacility in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, and expects to add new program partners and suppliers over the next year. The company expects the production version of the KARGO II to become available by 2027. John Piasecki, CEO of Piasecki Aircraft Corporation, is theguest on this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast to discuss the future of the KARGO UAV program.
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Microchip’s New Processor Enables Scalable Computing Performance for Aerospace and Defense Applications
In 2024, Microchip launched PIC64, a new portfolio of microprocessors that the Chandler, Arizona-based company claims could enable a generational leap in embedded processing performance for aerospace and defense applications. The new MPU technology is supported by a 64-bit reduced instruction set computer (RISC-V) architecture with an embedded Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) Ethernet switch. Check out the article featured in the September 2024 issue of Aerospace & Defense Technology to learn more about what the new processor could provide for spaceflight computing applications. Bill Dillard, Senior Manager of Aerospace and Defense at Microchip, is the guest on this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast to explain how the PIC64could also advance embedded processing performance for a wide variety of aerospace and defense applications.
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A Quantum Accelerated Digital Twin for Aerospace and Defense Simulation
A dual-use quantum accelerated simulation startup recentlyestablished a strategic collaboration with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory to advance its mission-critical modeling and simulation capabilities with quantum computing. BQP (BosonQ Psi), the Syracuse, New York-based startup, has also announced a new "oversubscribed $4.9 million seed round to expand its unified digital twin platform, BQPhy®, for mission-critical industries, including aerospace, defense (A&D), and semiconductors," according to a July announcement aboutthe new funding round. The startup's BQPhy simulation platform is powered byquantum algorithms that are capable of unlocking significant gains in high performance computing when compared to platforms that use legacy algorithms, according to BQP. “Our quantum-inspired solvers are setting a new benchmarkin simulation technology, bridging today’s computational limits and the quantum-ready future,” said Abhishek Chopra, BQP’s Founder, CEO, and Chief Scientific Officer. “The traction we're experiencing from AFRL/RQ and industry-leading design partners validates the immediate impact and substantialROI our platform delivers today. We're also making significant R&D progress in quantum-native solvers for Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Machine Learning (ML), paving the way for future simulation workload for the next generation of data centers where HPC and quantum computers operate side by side.”Chopra is the guest on this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast to explain how their simulation technology leverages quantum algorithms for simulation and modeling.
The Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast provides independent coverage of information that impacts the business, innovation, and trends occurring across all segments of aerospace and defense, with an emphasis on technology. Across a continuing series of seasons, the A&DT Podcast provides insights into the most pertinent topics occurring in today's aerospace system engineering field.
The podcast also features interviews with experts on topics featured at SAE Media Group Defense's U.S. and Europe-based live conferences and exhibitions.