In Episode 10 of The GIST of Govt IT, Brian and Sean are joined by David Hutchins, Director of Naval Systems and Defense Technology at Forecast International, fresh off SOF Week in Tampa to discuss the pervasiveness of autonomous systems and platforms that is changing calculus of warfare. David, a Marine Corps veteran who enlisted at 17, walks through the moment autonomous warfare crossed the Rubicon. The conversation digs into the cat-and-mouse evolution of counter-drone tech in Ukraine, why the LCS may finally have found its purpose in de-mining the Strait of Hormuz, the supply chain reality of mass-producing autonomous systems, the role of contested logistics and modular open architectures, and the upcoming World Cup. Plus the ever creative tactics of Marines in the field and how Sean once used pantyhose to keep sand out of IT systems when he was down range.
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RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Featured Guest
- David Hutchins, Director of Defense Technology and Naval Systems, Forecast International
- Forecast International
- Defense & Security Monitor (Forecast's research blog)
Forecast International Related Resources
- Strait of Hormuz Under Threat of Mines, Are Literal Combat Ships the Solution
- A New DAWG in the Fight: The Pentagon's $54B Bet on Autonomous Warfare
- Safeguarding the World Cup: The Critical Role of Counter Drone Systems
Defense Autonomous Warfare Group (DAWG) Coverage
- DefenseScoop on the FY27 DAWG budget
- Task & Purpose on the $54B DAWG ask
- The Hill analysis on the autonomous warfare pivot
- SOUTHCOM Autonomous Warfare Command (SAWC)
Key Events Referenced
- SOF Week 2026
- Maneuver Warfighter Conference (Fort Benning, GA)
The Strait of Hormuz Helicopter Rescue
- AH-64 Pilots Rescued by Uncrewed Surface Drone (BBC)
- Saronic Corsair USV platform overview
Unmanned Naval Systems Discused
- SailDrone (Coast Guard partner, Great Lakes & North Atlantic)
- US Coast Guard Coastal Sentinel program
Drone & Counter-Drone Programs Referenced
- Project Maven (DoD AI-enabled targeting)
- DoD Drone Dominance program
World Cup 2026 Counter-UAS Funding
- DHS Counter-UAS resources: https://www.cisa.gov/topics/physical-security/unmanned-aircraft-systems-uas
- Counter-UAS for World Cup
Counter-Drone Technology & Standards
- FAA Drone Regulations & Pilot Licensing
- FAA Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) rules
The Hosts & Show
- Swish
- GIST 360
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CONNECT WITH US
Got an idea for a future episode? Want to be a guest? Let us know.
Brian Lake - blake@swishdata.com
Sean Applegate - sapplegate@swishdata.com
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