This week on the Goat Rodeo, Garrett Smith, Dave Caudle, and Simon Coon cover defense tech investment, the air war over Iran, and a spirited debate over what programs to cut from the federal budget.

The conversation opens with Hermes's $350 million Series C and what it signals about a broader venture shift from software to hardware-centric defense platforms. They then cover U.S. aircraft losses over Iran, including an A-10 Warthog over the Strait of Hormuz, and what that means for crewed aircraft in contested airspace. The episode also tackles the inter-service debate over who owns the counter-UAS mission before closing on the president's $1.5 trillion DoD budget request and a round of programs each host would cut to balance the books.

Our Podcast:

National security, defense tech, and geopolitics; serious topics, but that doesn't mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast brings you three military veterans turned defense insiders, breaking down the biggest stories shaping the future of warfare. Expect sharp insights, unfiltered debates, and the occasional defense industry hot take, because let's be honest, this space can be a total goat rodeo.

Listen on other platforms: https://linktr.ee/GoatRodeoPodcast

This Episode:

This week on Goat Rodeo, Garrett Smith and Dave Caudle cover a mix of military optics, defense tech momentum, and developments in the Iran war.

The conversation starts with the Apache helicopter flyover at Kid Rock’s property and the questions it raises about training, judgment, and public trust in the military.

They then turn to a surge in defense tech funding, including major rounds for Shield AI, Saronic, and others, and what those investments signal about autonomy, scale, and the future of the industrial base.

The episode also covers recent developments in the Iran conflict, including force posture, potential next steps, and the growing role of asymmetric responses.

Finally, they discuss emerging threats to U.S. technology companies and how cyber and infrastructure targets are becoming part of the modern battlefield.

Our Podcast:

National security, defense tech, and geopolitics; serious topics, but that doesn’t mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast brings you three military veterans turned defense insiders, breaking down the biggest stories shaping the future of warfare.

Expect sharp insights, unfiltered debates, and the occasional defense industry hot take, because let’s be honest, this space can be a total goat rodeo.

Listen on other platforms:

https://linktr.ee/GoatRodeoPodcast

This Episode:

This week on Goat Rodeo, Garrett Smith, Simon Coon, and Dave Caudle break down the latest developments in the Iran war and the growing conversation around potential U.S. ground involvement.

The discussion focuses on recent force movements, including Marine Expeditionary Units and elements of the 82nd Airborne, and what those deployments are designed to signal and enable.

They also examine what modern ground forces actually look like today, from largely unchanged infantry formations to the increasing role of sensing, targeting, and AI-enabled systems shaping operations around them.

Finally, the episode touches on what these dynamics mean for logistics, sustainment, and how the defense industrial base is preparing for prolonged conflict.

Our Podcast:

National security, defense tech, and geopolitics; serious topics, but that doesn’t mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast brings you three military veterans turned defense insiders, breaking down the biggest stories shaping the future of warfare.

Expect sharp insights, unfiltered debates, and the occasional defense industry hot take, because let’s be honest, this space can be a total goat rodeo.

Listen on other platforms:

https://linktr.ee/GoatRodeoPodcast