# Rethinking Contested Logistics with Austin Gray, Co-Founder of Blue Water Autonomy - Show: [Tough Tech Vets](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/tough-tech-vets) - Published: 2025-01-06 - Length: 39m - Episode: 3 - Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/tough-tech-vets/2025-01-06-rethinking-contested-logistics-with-austin-gray-co-founder-of-blue-water-autonom - Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/72d70951 ## Summary Austin Gray, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Blue Water Autonomy, discusses the company's development of unmanned surface vessels (USVs) for contested logistics, drawing on his experience as a Navy Intelligence Officer and his time working in a drone factory in Ukraine. Gray argues that the US Navy needs a fleet of cheap, attritable vessels rather than relying solely on large, expensive ships, and highlights the critical need to improve the government feedback loop to accelerate the adoption of such technology by warfighters. He details the significant regulatory and operational hurdles of testing USVs in commercial harbors, such as Boston Harbor, and emphasizes that defense tech offers a rewarding career path for veterans who can leverage their unique credibility and understanding of national security needs. ## Chapters - [0:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/tough-tech-vets/2025-01-06-rethinking-contested-logistics-with-austin-gray-co-founder-of-blue-water-autonom#t=1) Introduction: Austin Gray and Blue Water Autonomy - [0:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/tough-tech-vets/2025-01-06-rethinking-contested-logistics-with-austin-gray-co-founder-of-blue-water-autonom#t=39) From Navy Intel to Ukraine Drone Factory - [2:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/tough-tech-vets/2025-01-06-rethinking-contested-logistics-with-austin-gray-co-founder-of-blue-water-autonom#t=127) The Case for Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) - [2:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/tough-tech-vets/2025-01-06-rethinking-contested-logistics-with-austin-gray-co-founder-of-blue-water-autonom#t=158) Learning from Ukraine's Rapid Acquisition Model - [5:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/tough-tech-vets/2025-01-06-rethinking-contested-logistics-with-austin-gray-co-founder-of-blue-water-autonom#t=324) Closing the Feedback Loop Between Commercial and Defense - [6:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/tough-tech-vets/2025-01-06-rethinking-contested-logistics-with-austin-gray-co-founder-of-blue-water-autonom#t=378) Leadership, Trust, and the Veteran's Duty - [9:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/tough-tech-vets/2025-01-06-rethinking-contested-logistics-with-austin-gray-co-founder-of-blue-water-autonom#t=572) Lessons from Managing a Navy Budget as an Ensign - [11:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/tough-tech-vets/2025-01-06-rethinking-contested-logistics-with-austin-gray-co-founder-of-blue-water-autonom#t=687) The Hardware/Software Challenge of Contested Logistics - [13:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/tough-tech-vets/2025-01-06-rethinking-contested-logistics-with-austin-gray-co-founder-of-blue-water-autonom#t=823) Validating Hypotheses and Mapping the Market - [17:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/tough-tech-vets/2025-01-06-rethinking-contested-logistics-with-austin-gray-co-founder-of-blue-water-autonom#t=1055) Regulatory Hurdles and Harbor Testing Challenges - [26:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/tough-tech-vets/2025-01-06-rethinking-contested-logistics-with-austin-gray-co-founder-of-blue-water-autonom#t=1619) Navigating the Transition from Military Structure to Startup Ambiguity - [31:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/tough-tech-vets/2025-01-06-rethinking-contested-logistics-with-austin-gray-co-founder-of-blue-water-autonom#t=1919) Advice for Veterans: Primary Sources and Go-to-Market Talent ## Topics - [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company) - [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs) - [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture) - [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit) - [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce) - [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education) ## Most relevant to early-stage companies ## Mentioned - Blue Water Autonomy (company) - StarCube (company) - DIU (company) - Task Force 59 (other) - SoCon (other) - SpaceX (company) - Royal Caribbean (company) - FedEx (company) - Amazon (company) - Flexport (company) - Facebook (company) - X (company) - Uber Eats (company) - Anderol (other) - New North Ventures (company) ## Related episodes from other shows - [Episode Forty: Edward Timpson](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2023-03-10-episode-forty-edward-timpson) (Robot Talk) - [152: What the U.S. Navy Can Teach You About Industry 4.0 with Marty Groover](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2023-09-05-152-what-the-u-s-navy-can-teach-you-about-industry-4-0-with-marty-groover) (Manufacturing Happy Hour) - [Riley Knox: Leviathan Air, Flying Cargo Ships, and Altering Global Trade | Hard Tech Podcast #21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2024-07-21-riley-knox-leviathan-air-flying-cargo-ships-and-altering-global-trade-hard-tech) (Hard Tech Podcast) - [Autonomous submarines for ocean exploration; drone autonomy with Exyn Technologies](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-12-03-autonomous-submarines-for-ocean-exploration-drone-autonomy-with-exyn-technologie) (The Robot Report Podcast) - [Episode 99: Robots mapping the deep ocean - Joe Wolfel](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-11-22-episode-99-robots-mapping-the-deep-ocean-joe-wolfel) (Robot Talk) ## Citing this page If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/tough-tech-vets/2025-01-06-rethinking-contested-logistics-with-austin-gray-co-founder-of-blue-water-autonom. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Tough Tech Vets.