Aerospace & Defense Technology

On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, we bring you highlights from Arm CEO Rene Haas’ keynote at the live‑streamed Arm is Everywhere event, wherehe outlines how agentic AI is reshaping the future of compute.
The discussion centers on Arm’s landmark move into silicon with the launch of its Arm agentic AI central processing unit (CPU), purpose‑built for next‑generation AI data centers.
We also connect those developments to growing U.S. militaryinterest in AI‑driven decision‑making, resilient computeinfrastructure, and energy‑efficient data centers that can operate at scale. It’s a timely look at how commercial AIhardware roadmaps are increasingly intersecting with defense and national security priorities.
Recent Department of Defense announcements underscore acoordinated push toward agentic AI backed by hyperscale, cloud‑native infrastructure. From the rapid expansion of GenAI.mil with OpenAI integration, to the U.S. Army’s conditionalagreements for privately financed hyperscale data centers, and the Department of the Air Force’s exploration of data‑centerleasing in Alaska, the message is consistent: AI‑driven operations require massive, resilient, and energy‑aware compute at scale. Complementing that infrastructure build‑out, the Air Force’s Cloud Onemodernization awardto Oracle highlights how secure, multi‑classification cloud platforms are being adapted specifically to support agentic AI workflows in defense environments.
Against this backdrop, Arm’s launch of its agentic AI‑focused AGI CPU is particularly relevant to aerospace and defense leaders. For the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast audience, these developments illustrate how commercial silicon innovation and defense AI priorities are rapidly converging —reshaping the hardware foundations of future military operations.

Sponsored by Smithers

Defense Unicorns, a Colorado-based startup, recently  demonstrated a key enabler for continuoussoftware delivery to the F-22 Raptor. For the first time, software in the F-22 open mission system compute enclave was installed and upgraded on the aircraft in a matter of minutes.
On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technologypodcast, the CEO of Defense Unicorns explains how their secure software delivery technology enables faster, repeatable updates to flight‑critical systems without changing the aircraft’s underlying hardware.
He walks through the Air Force demonstration showcasing how new F‑22 mission capabilities can be packaged, deployed, and updated more rapidly than traditional methods allow. The conversation highlights what was delivered during the demo and why this approach represents a major shift in how legacy fighter platforms can receive software-driven upgrades at speed.
Season 14 of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast is sponsored by Smithers.

Michigan-based renewable energy company Sesame Solar has introduced a new approach to powering and extending flight duration of uncrewed aerial vehicles for both commercialand military applications.
The company’s mobile off-grid power solutions have already been used by the  U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army Corps ofEngineers and other defense organizations for a wide variety ofapplications, including extending drone flying times.
On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, Sesame Solar Co-founder and CEO Lauren Flanagan explains how the company’s new mobile hydrogen‑powered nanogrids are redefining what’s possible for long‑range drone operations.
The conversation dives into how this closed‑loop system eliminates fuel‑supply logistics, supports autonomous drone missions for up to six months, and enhances operational resilience in contested or off‑grid environments. We also look ahead at how nanogrid technology may shape the future of UAVs by offering scalable, renewable, and self‑sustaining power for next‑generation drone fleets.

In January, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security launched a new Program Executive Office to speed the procurement and deployment of drone and counter‑drone technologies — aimed at staying ahead of rapidly evolving threats.
On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, Jeffrey Starr, CMO of D‑Fend Solutions, breaks down what this new office means for advancing counter‑UAScapabilities in civilian airspace. We also explore DHS’s newly announced $115 million investment in counter‑drone systems to help secure America250 celebrations and FIFA World Cup 2026 venues.
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Anello Photonics CEO joins us to explain how SiPhog silicon photonic gyroscope technology enables drones to maintain navigation in GPS‑denied and contested environments.
This conversation reveals how photonic innovation is reshaping the future of uncrewed aircraft and autonomous flight.