Fri Nov 10 2023

Pirate wires podcast episode 22:

• Palmer discusses the war in the Middle East, emphasizing the importance of understanding the technology and mechanics involved in warfare.
• He explains the process of private defense companies working with governments and foreign nations, highlighting that it is regulated by U.S. government rules to prevent unauthorized sales to prohibited countries.

Anduril industries work:

• Anduril works with various entities including the United States, UK Ministry of Defense, Australia, Ukraine, and other European countries for defense-related projects.
• They focus on defending Western countries through tailored solutions based on specific threats and values shared between these nations.

Technology advantages in warfare:

• Palmer shares insights on how technology can advantage defensive strategies over offensive ones, citing examples such as manufacturing autonomous systems and AI-enabled biodefense mechanisms.
• He also discusses the effectiveness of defensive systems like Iron Dome in countering specific threats.

Subterranean warfare future warfighting domain:

• Palmer delves into his belief that subterranean warfare will be a significant future warfighting domain due to technological advancements allowing maneuvering and combat within the earth's volume.
• He highlights efforts at Anduril to develop vehicles capable of tunneling underground for delivering electronic and kinetic effects.

Concerns about biological weapons pandemics:

• Palmer expresses concerns about biological weapons designed to target specific genetic lines or engineered viruses with long incubation periods causing widespread devastation.
• He emphasizes the need for vigilance against potential pandemics and biological threats post-COVID era.

Us china military comparison manufacturing dependency:

• Palmer discusses China's military capabilities outclassing U.S. capacity due to their significantly larger manufacturing capability for producing military assets like anti-ship missiles.
• He advises companies not to become dependent on Chinese manufacturing, warning about potential collapse during conflicts if reliant on Chinese materials without a backup plan.

Implications of forced decoupling from china:

• Highlighting practical financial calculus over ideology, he predicts that companies compromised by reliance on Chinese manufacturing will eventually be forced to decouple due to economic reasons rather than ideological motivations.

Manufacturing in the U.S.:

• The impact of specific policy decisions, such as tariffs and trade agreements, on the shift of manufacturing overseas is discussed.
• Political factors are highlighted as influential in the challenges of manufacturing in the U.S., with concerns raised about China's heavily subsidized goods undercutting American industries.

Trade Policies and Global Competition:

• The complexities of international trade are delved into, emphasizing how foreign governments guarantee unfair competition, making free trade difficult.
• China's restrictive policies, including bans on certain U.S. products and services, lead to a one-sided system that hinders fair global competition.

Chips Independence and Manufacturing Capability:

• Optimism regarding chips independence in the U.S. is expressed, with confidence in high-end semiconductor production capabilities and potential advancements in techniques like optical computing.
• Concerns are raised about downstream aspects of chip production, specifically product manufacturing capability and support semiconductors not currently prioritized politically.