Future of Defense: Anduril’s Brian Schimpf & Axios’ Colin Demarest

The defense industry is undergoing a critical transition toward mass-produced, software-defined, and autonomous systems to meet the demands of modern conflict. Brian Schimpf, CEO of Anduril, highlights the success of the Replicator program in bypassing traditional, multi-year research cycles to rapidly field capabilities like the Ghost Drone and Roadrunner. Current military procurement remains overly reliant on high-cost, low-volume platforms, necessitating a shift toward attritable, scalable technologies that can be produced in high volumes. This evolution requires a fundamental change in industrial strategy, moving away from five-year acquisition timelines toward agile, co-produced solutions that address the urgent needs of allies. As global theaters like Ukraine and the Middle East demonstrate, the ability to iterate software and maintain high production capacity is now the primary determinant of operational effectiveness and strategic resilience.