Everyone talks about missiles.

Almost no one talks about the bottleneck that decides whether they actually get built.

In this episode of Mission Critical: Defense and Aerospace Recruiting, Katherine Jerald sits down with Will Edwards, CEO and co-founder of Firehawk Aerospace, to discuss the overlooked weakness inside the defense industrial base: rocket propulsion manufacturing.

Firehawk Aerospace is approaching that challenge from a completely different direction. By developing 3D printed rocket propellant, the company is working to reduce production timelines from months to hours while dramatically increasing manufacturing flexibility and scale.

Will shares how an outsider perspective led him to question long standing assumptions in propulsion manufacturing and why solving "unsexy" problems like base bleed motors and rocket propellant could unlock billions in defense production capacity.

"Everyone wants to build the flashy systems. But fortunes are made in components."

Inside this episode:– Why rocket propulsion has become one of the most fragile bottlenecks in the U.S. defense supply chain – How Firehawk's 3D printed propellant reduces production timelines from months to hours – Why solving "unsexy" component problems can unlock billions in defense capacity – The hidden challenge of scaling missile production in the defense industrial base – How startups can collaborate with primes without slowing innovation – Why past performance and facilities create a difficult barrier for new defense companies – How base bleed propulsion systems extend artillery range and why they are so difficult to manufacture – Why Firehawk is building the first U.S. facility dedicated to 3D printed rocket propellant

If you work in defense manufacturing, aerospace, or national security technology, this episode offers a look at how new startups are helping rebuild the industrial capacity needed to support modern conflict. Connect with Will Edwards:linkedin.com/in/will-edwards Learn more about Firehawk: https://firehawkaerospace.com/

Connect with Katherine Jerald: http://www.elraysearch.com

Produced in partnership with http://www.podlad.com