High Power Microwave Weapons

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Mike hosts Andy Lowery to dig deep into directed energy weapons-specifically high-power microwave (HPM) systems.
Andy is the CEO of Epirus, a venture-backed defense tech startup inverting the cost equation of drone defense and swarm protection.
We talk about the tech, how it affects electronics, and how Epirus’ flagship product-Leonidas-is designed with adaptability and scale in mind. Turns out that HPM systems share more in common with an F-35 radar and an EA-18 jammer than a kitchen appliance!
The Army is currently in a rapid buy-and-try phase of these counter-UAS (CUAS) systems and is sending them to the Middle East. The systems have a host of other applications, though-the Navy is experimenting with them to disable boat motors, and the Air Force is also interested.
This episode is a defense tech episode you don’t want to miss!
For those interested in #military #nationaldefense #warfare #nationalsecurity #defense #nationaldefense #tech #technology #defensetech #army #navy #airforce #drone #drones #swarm #HPM #DEW #microwave #directedenergy
Links
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• Mike Benitez (LinkedIn) / mike-benitez
• Andy Lowery (LinkedIn) / andylowery
• Epirus www.epirusinc.com
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Show Notes
(00:47) Intro
(01:36) Epirus
(02:11) the “prime problem”
(02:43) 3 disruptions in modern warfare
(07:07) asymmetric advantage and cost imposition
(09:57) inverting the equation
(11:40) $1 billion in weapons
(11:59) Congressional hearing
(12:32) microwaves
(14:53) name origins
(17:04) serial killer vs mass murderer
(17:46) Star Trek
(18:26) Leonidas
(18:46) wicked fast tech development
(19:42) speed of technology
(20:19) inventory investment
(20:29) needs vs requirements
(22:02) Andy’s 3 careers
(29:19) product vs services
(24:32) 80/20 business model
(25:08) Thor HPM
(25:25) old school HPM
(26:03) new way of HPM
(26:20) like the next-gen jammer
(27:06) like an AESA radar
(27:32) GaN-based AESA
(30:09) designed to adapt
(31:02) how HPM actually works
(34:07) like radar jamming techniques
(35:13) KZbin video controversy
(35:58) copper tape vs HPM myth
(37:20) faraday cage concept
(38:41) copper tape studies
(40:10) a systems approach
(41:32) ballistic missile defense (BMD)
(41:57) Army IFPC program
(43:26) Army base defense charter
(43:50) SHORAD
(44:21) scenarios
(44:48) layers of SHORAD
(45:49) Anduril Industries
(46:12) layered defense problem
(46:41) GWOT killed SHORAD
(47:08) Syria and Jordan
(47:58) company culture
(49:33) government pain points
(49:59) export restrictions
(50:35) the “MRAP response” way
(51:26) 1990 policy blocker
(51:56) The FAA
(52:03) NOARD issue
(52:33) homeland defense issue
(53:45) pre-mortem
(54:43) team-of-teams approach
(56:43) the government’s budgeting problem
(58:55) boats!
(1:00:00) HPM vs other electronics
(1:02:18) airborne HPM?
(1:04:06) Epirus, the next few years
(1:06:04) factory and scale
(1:08:37) outro