Fusing the Frontline: Bridging Technology and Policy in National Security with Ben Rohrbaugh

As counter-UAS threats grow more sophisticated, the biggest failure point facing modern defense isn't the technology—it’s the human cognitive burden.

In this episode of Impact Point, co-hosts Marsha Slocum and Neelima Grover (Founder & CEO of Q2 Impact) sit down with Ben Rohrbaugh, co-founder of Lantern UAS and former Director for Enforcement and Border Security at the National Security Council. Drawing from his extensive background inside the Department of Homeland Security and the White House, Ben cuts through the noise of national security acquisition.

Discover why data fusion and human-centered design are critical for modern warfighters, how artificial intelligence must be leveraged to ease operator decision-making, and what it truly takes for government systems to adapt before defense windows close.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

00:00 – Introduction

02:15 – Moving From Policy to Entrepreneurship

08:30 – The Reality of the Modern Drone Threat

15:45 – Why the "best technology" fails if operators are overwhelmed.

24:10 – The messy, fragmented reality of software interoperability.

33:20 – Government Procurement and why the acquisition window is closing on outdated hardware.

42:05 – Humans in the Loop and designing interfaces for users operating under extreme pressure.

51:15 – The Q2 Impact 28 years of human-centered design applied to national security.

54:14 – Outro

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