On ChinaTalk, Bryan Clark co-hosts a discussion on the defense industrial base that considers the challenges and threats from Iran. He highlights critiques to United States defense procurement and innovation, arguing that bureaucratic incentives, acquisition politics, and tensions between the Pentagon and tech firms continue to slow the fielding of new military capabilities.
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A production line of the Glide, a high-altitude glider that delivers munitions across thousands of miles, is seen at the defense tech startup Mach Industries in Huntington Beach, California, on September 11, 2025. (Getty Images)