Jane Edwards
Robert Geckle, chairman and CEO of Airbus U.S. Space & Defense, said that with the incoming administration, he predicts that there will be “continued momentum” in unmanned systems like the Collaborative Combat Aircraft, hypersonics and effectors as the U.S. military pursues manned-unmanned teaming and other force multipliers in denied environments.
More Innovation in UAS
When asked about unmanned aerial systems, Geckle told Emerging Tech Horizons podcast host Arun Sarafin that UAS is “here and is gonna continue to be here,” citing the need for such platforms in logistics, denied spaces and other areas.
“And the good news is I see so much innovation,” the chief executive added.
Delivering Dual-Use Tech to DOD
Geckle, a previous Wash100 awardee, noted that there will be companies that will advance innovation and bring commercial dual-use tech platforms to the Department of Defense.
“I do think there’s gonna be an … increasing appetite to find companies that are willing to innovate quickly and deliver commercial dual use technology to the DOD, and that’s where I am looking to position the company,” commented the former head of legal affairs at Airbus.
“You know, we want to do both the platform work, but also we wanna partner with those companies because maybe they can and certainly they can help our our platform be even more effective, whether it’s for autonomy or autonomous solutions, and some of the AI solutions that we can couple with our with our platforms historically and make them more relevant for Asia Pacific or for peer deterrents,” he added.
