Cogs of War

Jonathan Panter, Ryan

cogsofwar@warontherocks.com

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Booking Overview

Cogs of War is a defense-tech and defense industrial base show that connects policy, acquisition, and emerging technologies like AI, drones, and dual-use biology. It’s a strong platform for PR teams pitching lawmakers and defense/tech subject-matter experts on national security, regulation, and capability development.

Metrics

Episodes: 22

Frequency: Irregular

Rating: 0.0/5.0

Estimated listeners: <1k

Gender skew: Male

Location: USA

Contact Information

cogsofwar@warontherocks.com

For verified host and producer emails, sign up to view.

Host

Jonathan Panter - Executive editor of Cogs of War. Shares his background “from naval officer to scholar” and discusses major defense tech issues and what he hopes to accomplish at the helm of Cogs of War.

Ryan - Host transitioning off the show; sits down at the Cogs of War mic for the last time and introduces Jonathan Panter as the new host and executive editor.

Booking Intelligence

Booking Requirements

medium
Typical Credentials:  
U.S. lawmakers involved in defense modernization; senior military/drone strategists; AI and emerging-technology researchers; leaders/CEOs in biotech/dual-use technology; subject-matter experts with roles tied to regulation, defense capability, or dual-use risk mitigation.
Required Achievements:  
Leadership roles in defense modernization/defense authorization efforts, Senior strategy or research positions in government or defense-adjacent institutions, Executive leadership in biotech/dual-use companies, Published expertise in AI, synthetic biology, and/or technology governance

Recent Guest Discussions

Pat Ryan - Modernizing The Pentagon; Reforms Through Defense Authorization Acts; Acquisitions And Other Bottlenecks; House Defense Modernization Caucus Initiatives; Bipartisan Defense Cooperation.

Rob Wittman - Modernizing The Pentagon; Defense Acquisitions And Legislative Bottlenecks; House Defense Modernization Caucus Initiatives; Bipartisan Defense Cooperation.

Claire Qureshi - Trade-offs Between Public Protection And Private-sector Innovation; Synthetic DNA And Novel Pathogen Risks; Dual-use Governance; Drone-related Risk Scenarios.

Paul Lushenko - Risks Of Drone Technology To Critical Infrastructure; The Impact Of Civilian Drones; Defense Strategy Considerations Around Emerging Ai/drone Capabilities.

Lennart Heim - Dual-use Risks Of AI (cyberattacks, Novel Pathogens); Regulation Of Civilian Drones; Synthetic Dna; Access To Emerging Large Language Models.

Recent Topics

Defense, National Security, Technology, Acquisition, Public Policy

Episodes

Here's the recent few episodes on
Cogs of War
:

The Pentagon's Sprint to Get Tech Out of the Lab and to the Warfighter

July 09, 2026

Joe Jewell left academia and his role directing hypersonic wind tunnels to oversee the Pentagon's science and technology enterprise. He wants more researchers to make the same move. He joins Jonathan to discuss the Pentagon's science enterprise, why he thinks academia is the envy of America's closest allies, and how his office gets technology from the lab into the hands of the warfighter.

AI Agents and the Unseen Work of War

June 24, 2026

Armies run on more than what happens at the front. Behind every operation is a vast amount of coordination, administration, logistics, and judgment. Bill Pessin, senior vice president of national security at Salesforce and a former U.S. Army logistics officer, joins Jonathan to discuss how military organizations can use AI agents, what makes these tools different from ordinary software, and why safety and accountability matter when new technology enters national security work. They also discu...

The Lawmakers Fighting to Modernize the Pentagon

June 08, 2026

Congress rarely moves fast, but Reps. Rob Wittman and Pat Ryan are trying to change that. The two lawmakers founded the bipartisan House Defense Modernization Caucus in 2024 and have driven reforms through two consecutive defense authorization acts, targeting acquisitions and other bottlenecks. Jonathan sits down with both congressmen to discuss their initiatives, how a caucus without markup power actually moves legislation, and whether bipartisan cooperation on defense can last.

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