In this episode, hosts DeWayne Allen and Rob Wesley launch the new Power and Propulsion series with aerospace transformation leader Lillian Dukes. Drawing from decades of experience across aviation operations, supply chain, restructuring, and executive leadership, Lillian shares what it really takes to stabilize broken organizations, rebuild credibility, and lead transformation that actually sticks. The conversation covers regulatory pressure, leadership under stress, supply chain realities, the shift from engineer to executive, and the importance of mentorship, sponsorship, and measurable impact for the next generation of aerospace leaders.

Key Takeaways:

00:00 - Introduction to the Power and Propulsion Series

01:22 - Mission of the Series and Introduction of Lillian Dukes

04:15 - Walking Into a Broken Organization

06:31 - What to Ignore in the First 30 Days

10:13 - System Problems vs. Leadership Problems

15:50 - What Real Transformation Looks Like

19:40 - Why Executives Lose Touch With Operational Reality

21:29 - The Structural Challenge in Aerospace Supply Chains

25:21 - From Engineer to Executive

30:04 - Training, Development, and Scaling Leadership

32:24 - AI, Analytics, and Change Readiness

33:38 - Representation, Legacy, and Leadership Responsibility

36:18 - Advice for Black Engineers and Emerging Leaders

38:24 - Mentorship, Sponsorship, and Breaking Through

39:59 - The Leadership Impact That Outlasts a Career

41:51 - Lillian Dukes on Her Work Today and What Comes Next

Resources:

LAD Consulting LLC

Connect with Lillian Dukes on LinkedIn

Connect with us:

DeWayne Allen on LinkedIn

Robert Wesley on LinkedIn

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The StoryTeller by DeWayne Allen

Autonomous Platforms of the Future by Robert Wesley

Produced by NOVA

In this episode, hosts DeWayne Allen and Rob Wesley break down how missile defense systems work using a simple framework: detect, decide, and defeat. They walk through the sensor networks that identify threats, the command-and-control systems that evaluate response options, and the intercept technologies that stop incoming targets. Along the way, they also dig into the business side of missile defense, from billion-dollar sensor programs and software-driven system integration to the growing pressure to lower cost-per-shot against emerging drone and swarm threats.

Key Takeaways:

00:46 – Newsreel: Defense Budget Pressure and Commercial Aerospace Supply Chain Challenges

05:17 – Detect: Why Early Threat Detection Is the Foundation of Missile Defense

05:38 – Technical Breakdown of the Detect Layer

07:06 – Business Dynamics of Sensor Networks and Detection Programs

09:17 – Decide: Command and Control as the Brain of the System

11:18 – Software Integration, AI/ML, and the Business Value of the Decide Layer

14:36 – Defeat: Interceptors, Directed Energy, and Kill Chain Execution

16:02 – Cost-Per-Shot Economics and the Business of Intercept Systems

20:04 – The Low-Cost Drone Threat and Attritable Countermeasures

23:16 – Architecture and Operations: How Detect, Decide, and Defeat Work Together

24:29 – Why Missile Defense Is Sold as an Integrated Architecture

27:53 – Strategic Wrap-Up: Why the Full System Matters

30:22 – Closing and Subscribe for More Aerospace and Defense Conversations

Resources:

CSIS Missile Threat

Connect with us:

DeWayne Allen on LinkedIn

Robert Wesley on LinkedIn

Subscribe to our Newsletter:

The StoryTeller by DeWayne Allen

Autonomous Platforms of the Future by Robert Wesley

Produced by NOVA

In this episode, hosts DeWayne Allen and Rob Wesley break down Weapons and Payloads 101, shifting the focus from aircraft platforms to the systems that actually determine mission success. They walk through air-to-air, air-to-ground, and standoff weapons, explain how payload decisions drive aircraft design, and unpack why integration and lifecycle sustainment account for so much of the cost in aerospace and defense. From the 2026 National Defense Strategy to emerging signals like counter-UAS and interoperability, this episode connects mission requirements to engineering realities and business strategy across the industry.

Key Takeaways:

00:00 – Why the Mission Drives Everything

01:34 – Industry Newsreel: Strategy, Sustainability & Production Shifts

06:28 – What “Payload” Really Means in Aerospace

07:19 – Air-to-Air Weapons (AIM-120, AIM-9)

08:58 – Air-to-Ground Weapons (JDAM, Hellfire, JASSM)

11:36 – Standoff Weapons & Survivability

12:34 – Guns and Cannons in Modern Combat

13:29 – How Weapons Are Mounted (Hardpoints & Bays)

15:37 – The P&L: Why These Systems Cost So Much

18:35 – Market Signals: Counter-UAS, Interoperability, Exportability

20:52 – Key Takeaways: Systems Over Platforms

Connect with us:

DeWayne Allen on LinkedIn

Robert Wesley on LinkedIn

Subscribe to our Newsletter:

The StoryTeller by DeWayne Allen

Autonomous Platforms of the Future by Robert Wesley

Produced by NOVA