How AI will Change Warfare Forever | Mike Drop Episode 233

Mike Drop

Mike Ritland

Society & Culture, Documentary, Politics, News

4.9 • 6.3K Ratings

🗓️ 31 March 2025

⏱️ 172 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Ethan Thornton is the founder of MACH Industries, a next-generation defense technology and manufacturing company that's dedicated to redefining the future of modern combat through their hydrogen-powered unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and drone defense systems. A 21-year-old MIT dropout, Ethan left higher learning in 2023 after receiving a Thiel Fellowship from tech startup investor Peter Thiel (as well as placing on Forbes 30 under 30 list) to pursue working at MACH full-time. Considered by some to be a modern tech savant who shares the stage with the likes of Elon Musk or Marvel's fictional billionaire Tony Stark, Ethan's goal is to create more cost-effective and efficient defense systems by replacing traditional munitions with hydrogen-powered alternatives. He's also attracted significant attention for his work at the Department of Defense, with his innovative approach to crafting weapons systems like Viper, Glide, and Stratus leading some to believe that MACH may very well be rewriting the rulebook when it comes to combat engagements and aerial warfare. Subscribe to the Mike Drop Patreon Page to see Ad-Free Episodes Early + Bonus Content at https://www.patreon.com/mikedrop ---------- Support Ethan Thornton - Website - https://machindustries.com/ Follow Ethan on X - https://x.com/ethanrthornton Follow MACH Industries on X - https://x.com/Mach_Industries ---------- Sponsors: C. Crane When the internet goes dark, radio still works! Order Your C. Crane CC Skywave SSB 2 today when you call C. Crane's U.S. based Customer Service at 800-522-8863 or visit https://ccrane.com/drop and use code DROP at checkout for 10% off orders over $75! ---------- TEAM DOG FOOD, TREATS & SUPPLEMENTS Be Your Dog’s Hero: Veteran-owned by a former Navy SEAL and Special Operations K9 Trainer, Team Dog provides a complete diet of science-backed premium dog food, treats, and supplements to optimize your dog’s health, forged from rigorous standards and real-world expertise. https://www.teamdog.shop TEAM DOG ONLINE TRAINING Mike Ritland – a former Navy SEAL & Special Operations K9 trainer – shares his simple and effective dog training program to build trust and control with your dog. Based on Mike’s bestselling book “Team Dog, Train the Navy SEAL Way”, join tens of thousands of families that successfully trained their way to a better dog. https://www.teamdog.pet SHOP ALL THE MIKE RITLAND BRANDS Get all your Mike Ritland branded gear - Mike Drop | Trikos | Team Dog https://shop.mikeritland.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:30.1	I was always, like, did well in school, but then I just always love making stuff.
0:34.7	When COVID started, I was like insanely bored. And
0:37.9	when got some charcoal and like a leaf blower and like dug a hole in the ground and just made a forge.
0:42.5	And then I was I was in class taking like a physics test and I get a call and I answer. And
0:47.1	they're like, hey, this is the ATF. Like we're on our way to your high school. We heard you were making
0:51.5	guns. I am curious, mock industry is at its inception.
0:56.0	Did you have a kind of singular mission statement and are you doing now what you kind of
1:02.0	first envisioned and start out to do? In starting mock, our goal was to more than anything else,
1:08.0	like create an offset to China. The linear path here is unfortunately most likely a path towards loss, right?
1:13.6	Like there is no world in which we produce as many quadcopters as China in the next five years.
1:17.6	It's just not going to happen.
1:19.6	And so the whole idea of like providing that offset is sort of the exact same that it was then.
1:25.6	Ultimately, if there's a single way to provide an offset against China, I think it is this.
1:30.3	So one is Viper. You can think of it as about a 150 pound vertical takeoff strike aircraft.
1:35.3	The next I can't talk as much about, but it's called glide. It's similar. And then the third that I'm actually probably most excited about is called Stratus.
1:43.3	It's a balloon, which sounds really, really boring, but this gives me the ability to hang a sensor
	...

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