A defense manufacturer that can't succeed in the commercial market will remain permanently dependent on the next government contract for survival, so entering commercial shipping is essential to long-term viability.

7:46Because at the end of the day, what what our goal is is to provide the Department of War wartime production capacity during peacetime. And if we can't enter the commercial market in a viable what an economic manner, then we're just looking to the government for the next contract vehicle and the next paycheck to support our company's longevity. And maybe it's 5 years from now, maybe it's 10 years from

8:15now, maybe it's 20, maybe it's 30, but eventually we may end up right back where we are. That's why the commercial market is so important, and you see a big focus with the Maritime Action Plan is on the commercial shipping industry within the United States. >> Yeah, I think if I can jump in on that, I mean, commercial first is a major element of our acquisition transformation strategy and the

8:38resilience it provides the industrial base. I mean, it's it's really uh frustrating how many how much fragility we encounter within the traditional defense industrial base because we have a sole supplier that's not really that profitable that was um a feeder to a design that was bespoke for the defense industry. And all of a sudden, we've really created our own set of vulnerabilities here. If we can prioritize commercial first and

9:02producibility as a primary um input to the development of a design, that creates all kinds of resilience and benefits for the Department of as well. So, that's I think key to our success. >> Yeah, on on our team we often say there's no uh defense industrial base without an industrial base. So, the two really go hand in hand. Um Honorable Deputy, this room is filled with PEs and PMs from across the

9:24Pentagon, as well as many founders that are building for the Department. What's one key message you'd like to send this group uh as we look to build together and build faster in 2026? >> Well, let me start with an expression of gratitude for the leaders in this room who are um who are driving innovation, who are fighting through the bureaucracy to deliver the war the the the

9:46capability the warfighter needs on schedule. Um and I think uh the other message I would say is it's really up to everybody in this room, right? Uh we recognize, I think, as a part of this acquisition transformation strategy, the only way for it to to succeed is really to uh let a thousand flowers bloom and ensure that we are removing the obstacles to companies and program leadership to deliver the best