Building the Base

"Building the Base" - an in-depth series of conversations with top entrepreneurs, innovators, and leaders from tech, financial, industrial, and public sectors. Our special guests provide their unique perspectives on a broad selection of topics such as: shaping our future national security industrial base, the impact of disruptive technologies, how new startups can increasingly contribute to national security, and practical tips on leadership and personal development whether in government or the private sector. Building the Base is hosted by Lauren Bedula, is Managing Director and National Security Technology Practice Lead at Beacon Global Strategies, and the Honorable Jim "Hondo" Geurts...

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Building the Base

Episodes (89)

Jan 20th Capacity as Deterrent: The Defense Production Imperative with Ken Bedingfield, L3Harris
Jan 15th Patient Capital, Urgent Mission: Paul Kwan on Funding Defense Innovation
Jan 13th Wide Not Deep: Anduril's Strategy for Modern Defense Manufacturing with CBO and President Matthew Steckman

Building the Base

Jan 20, 2026
27½ minutes
36 MB

In this episode of Building the Base, Hondo Geurts and Lauren Bedula sit down with Ken Bedingfield, Chief Financial Officer and President of Missile Solutions at L3Harris, and President of Aerojet Rocketdyne. This episode was recorded on December 6, 2025 at the Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, CA. Ken discusses his journey across the defense industrial base, from leadership at a traditional prime to serving as the 20th employee and CEO at venture-backed counter-UAS startup Epirus, to his current dual role at L3Harris. The conversation explores the fundamental shift from requirements-driven to capacity-driven defense strategy, and examines...

Building the Base

Capacity as Deterrent: The Defense Production Imperative with Ken Bedingfield, L3Harris

Building the Base

00:00 -26:30