Mission Critical is a video podcast breaking down U.S. national defense for a curious, informed audience. Hosted by veteran journalist Ryan Robertson, the show explores U.S. military operations with a strong focus on the maritime domain—while spotlighting pivotal stories across every domain of warfare. From the depths of the ocean to the edge of space, Mission Critical covers what matters most to America’s armed forces.
Future USS George M. Neal christening marks milestone in US shipbuilding
A new warship was christened at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Christening ceremonies are always about more than smashing a bottle of champagne—but the DDG 131 christening marks the start of a new era in U.S. shipbuilding. Those aren’t our words. That’s what the acting Undersecretary for the U.S. Navy said. In this episode of Mission Critical, we take you to Pascagoula for the christening of the future USS George M. Neal (DDG-131) at Ingalls Shipbuilding. You'll hear f...
8 Jul 2026
This military ATV can launch drones, counter GPS jamming, and drive itself
What happens when championship off-road racing meets cutting-edge military technology? A whole lotta chaos! Controlled chaos, that is. In this episode of Mission Critical, Host Ryan Robertson gets an exclusive look at HII's Chaos RZR platform demonstrator—a heavily modified Polaris side-by-side designed to support today's special operations forces and tomorrow's autonomous battlefield. Built with tactical mobility in mind, this isn't just another military vehicle. It integrates electron...
26 Jun 2026
Can America rebuild its navy without sending money overseas?
The Pentagon wants $1.85 billion to explore building U.S. Navy vessels in foreign shipyards, specifically South Korea and Japan. Supporters say America's allies can help close critical shipbuilding gaps, but critics argue the move could undermine the U.S. industrial base, workforce development, supply chain security, and long-term naval readiness. In this episode of Mission Critical, host Ryan Robertson sits down with Matt Paxton, President of the Shipbuilders Council of America, to discuss t...
17 Jun 2026
Inside DefenseTech Live 2026: Lasers, drones, and the future of war
HII may be America's largest military shipbuilder, but at Defense Tech Live 2026 the focus wasn't on ships—it was on the technologies that could shape the future battlefield. In this episode of Mission Critical, Ryan Robertson goes behind the scenes at HII's Defense Tech Live event for an up-close look at unmanned systems, electronic warfare technologies, high-energy lasers, and other mission-enabling systems. Ryan also speaks with Josh Peters, HII's Director of Energy Systems, to discuss why...
3 Jun 2026
The future of CJADC2: Connecting platforms, people, programs
Winning the next war will have less to do with which side has bigger ships and faster missiles, and more to do with how quickly military systems can connect, communicate, and operate together. In this episode of Mission Critical, host Ryan Robertson breaks down “integration” as a warfighting concept, and how it could become America’s next strategic advantage. The goal of integration is straightforward: allow warfighters in any domain to bring the might of the US armed forces to bear in ...
20 May 2026
Drones helping in Hormuz
The fight to make the Strait of Hormuz safe for commercial shipping is a global economic crisis unfolding in real time. In this episode of Mission Critical, host Ryan Robertson breaks down how the U.S. and its partners may reopen the Strait to shippers by using autonomous surface vessels and underwater drones to confront the challenge of sea mines. Featuring expert insights from: Naval historian and shipping analyst Sal MercoglianoFormer U.S. Navy officer and Hudson Institute senior fellow Br...
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