IDA Ideas

Wargaming Approaches for Varied Warfighting Functions

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 04:45:00 -0400

IDA Ideas host Rhett Moeller spoke with Akar Bharadvaj, Rachel L. McVicker and Rosemary K. Tropeano about all-things wargaming at IDA. In this episode, they explain why wargames are useful, reveal the complexities designers must consider when developing games, and provide an overview of several types of wargames that IDA produces.

Transcript

Alternative Approaches in Military Compensation Benchmarking

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 04:45:00 -0500

IDA Ideas guests Jackie Burhmann and Mikhail Smirnov joined host Rhett Moeller to discuss IDA’s evaluation of the military compensation benchmark for the Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation. In this podcast, they explain how factors that dual-income military households face play a role in service members’ decisions to stay in the military or leave to join the civilian labor market. The U.S. military is an all-volunteer force, so it’s essential that service members are compensated at level that promotes retention decisions.

Transcript

Defense Applications for Behavioral Neuroscience

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 04:45:00 -0400

IDA Ideas guest Sujeeta Bhatt joins host Rhett Moeller to discuss behavioral neuroscience and how this field applies to Department of Defense interests such as interviews and interrogations, human-machine teaming and non-lethal weapons.

Transcript

Challenges in Critical Mineral Tradeoffs

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 04:45:00 -0500

IDA Ideas guest Ashley Nunes joins host Rhett Moeller to discuss the complexities that critical minerals present, including the global tradeoffs and policy goals relating to these rare, yet essential, resources. Ashley is a researcher at the Science and Technology Policy Institute, an IDA-operated federally funded research and development center.

Transcript

New Challenges in Nuclear Deterrence and Posture

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 14:24:36 -0500

IDA Ideas guest James "Jim" Platte joins host Rhett Moeller to explain nuclear deterrence and the geopolitical and technological factors that affect U.S. nuclear strategy. Jim is a researcher within the Strategy, Forces and Resources Division of the Systems and Analyses Center, an IDA-operated federally funded research and development center.

Transcript

Exploring AI and Machine Learning Capabilities

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 04:45:00 -0400

IDA Ideas guest Arun Maiya joins host Rhett Moeller to discuss artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning: what they are, their capabilities and limitations, ongoing developments in the AI field and applicability in the defense industry.

Transcript

Insights on Federally Funded Research and Development Centers

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 04:35:00 -0400

IDA Ideas host Rhett Moeller speaks with IDA President Norty Schwartz about the nature of federally funded research and development centers and what makes IDA a standout organization.

Transcript

Addressing Challenges in Weapons Sustainment

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 12:15:06 -0400

In this transcript of an episode of the podcast IDA Ideas, host Rhett Moeller speaks to V. Bram Lillard and Benjamin Ashwell about weapons system readiness and sustainment. Bram is the Director of the Operational Evaluation Division (OED) in the Systems and Analyses Center, an IDA-operated federally funded research and development center. Benjamin is a researcher in OED.

Transcript

Understanding Defense Supply Chain Risk

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 04:45:00 -0500

IDA Ideas host Rhett A. Moeller spoke to James S. Thomason and Julie C. Kelly, researchers at the IDA Systems and Analyses Center, about how they estimate the risks to critical supply chains.

Transcript

Orbital Debris: Policy Implications

Tue, 02 May 2023 04:45:00 -0400

IDA Ideas host Rhett Moeller spoke to Assistant Director at IDA’s Science and Technology Policy Institute (STPI) Asha Balakrishnan about the challenges orbital debris poses and how to respond to them in the policy arena.

Transcript

DATAWorks 2023: Day 3 Attendee Reactions

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 04:59:00 -0400

IDA Ideas host Rhett A. Moeller spoke to Curtis Miller and Mark Herrera, researchers in the IDA Systems and Analyses Center, about their experiences as attendees on the last day of the Defense and Aerospace Test and Analysis Workshop (DATAWorks) 2023, held at IDA in Alexandria, Virginia, on April 25-27.

Transcript and Notes

DATAWorks 2023: Day 2 Attendee Reactions

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 04:59:00 -0400

IDA Ideas host Rhett A. Moeller spoke to John T. Haman and Jason M. Hustedt, researchers in the IDA Systems and Analyses Center, about their experiences as attendees on the second day of the Defense and Aerospace Test and Analysis Workshop (DATAWorks) 2023, held at IDA in Alexandria, Virginia, on April 25-27.

Transcript and Notes

DATAWorks 2023: Day 1 Attendee Reactions

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 04:59:00 -0400

IDA Ideas host Rhett A. Moeller spoke to Addison D. Adams and Olivia Gozdz, researchers in the IDA Systems and Analyses Center, about their experiences as attendees on the first day of the Defense and Aerospace Test and Analysis Workshop (DATAWorks) 2023, held at IDA in Alexandria, Virginia, on April 25-27.

Transcript and Notes

Peter Levine on the Defense Management Institute

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 04:55:00 -0400

IDA Ideas host Rhett Moeller spoke to IDA Senior Fellow Peter Levine about his role as director of the Defense Management Institute (DMI), a DOD organization launched at a kickoff symposium at IDA on January 31, 2023. Peter explains how DMI will bring together a broad range of experts from outside the DOD to inform what goes on inside DOD. He also describes the scope of the challenge, which covers how best to conduct day-to-day business operations from sustenance, housing, and health care to training, sustainment, and logistics through efficient management, governance, and organizational alignment of these businesses.

Transcript and Notes

DATAWorks 2022: Day 3 Attendee Reactions

Fri, 29 Apr 2022 07:37:48 -0400

IDA Ideas host Rhett Moeller spoke to Breeana G. Anderson and Kelso W. “Kelly” Horst Jr., researchers in the IDA Systems and Analyses Center, about their experiences as attendees on the first day of the Defense and Aerospace Test and Analysis Workshop (DATAWorks) 2022, held at IDA in Alexandria, Virginia, on April 26-28.

Transcript and Notes

DATAWorks 2022: Day 2 Attendee Reactions

Thu, 28 Apr 2022 07:12:57 -0400

IDA Ideas host Rhett Moeller spoke to Ricky D. Lindsey Jr. and Steven A. Rabinowitz, researchers in the IDA Systems and Analyses Center, about their experiences as attendees on the second day of the Defense and Aerospace Test and Analysis Workshop (DATAWorks) 2022, held at IDA in Alexandria, Virginia, on April 26-28.

Transcript and Notes

DATAWorks 2022: Day 1 Attendee Reactions

Wed, 27 Apr 2022 07:21:26 -0400

IDA Ideas host Rhett Moeller spoke to Nicole L. DeGregorio and Allison L. Goodman, researchers in the IDA Systems and Analyses Center, about their experiences as attendees on the first day of the Defense and Aerospace Test and Analysis Workshop (DATAWorks) 2022, held at IDA in Alexandria, Virginia, on April 26-28.

Transcript and Notes

Orbital Debris Tracking: Improving Orbital Debris Environment Predictions Using Satellite Movement Data

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 04:30:00 -0500

IDA Ideas host Rhett Moeller speaks to Daniel Pechkis, Jason Sheldon, and Stephen Ouellette about how they and others at IDA recommended an approach to improve predictions about the orbital debris environment using satellite movement data. Many of the discussion topics arose during the IDA Forum on Orbital Debris Risks and Challenges, held on October 8–9, 2020, which was attended by IDA researchers and decision makers from the Department of Defense, U.S. Air Force, Department of Commerce, NASA, Federal Aviation Administration and Federal Communications Commission.

Transcript and Notes

Orbital Debris and Kinetic Anti-satellite Concerns: How a “Kessler Syndrome” Threatens U.S. Use of Space Assets

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 04:50:00 -0400

IDA Ideas host Rhett Moeller spoke to IDA President Norton Schwartz, Joel Williamsen of the IDA Systems and Analyses Center’s Operational Evaluation Division, and James Heagy of the IDA Systems and Analyses Center’s Science and Technology Division about the threat of orbital debris and kinetic anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons to the economic and military value of satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO), especially satellite constellations. Many of the comments in this podcast arose during the IDA Forum on Orbital Debris Risks and Challenges, held on October 8–9, 2020, and attended by IDA researchers and decision makers from the Department of Defense (DoD), U.S. Air Force, Department of Commerce, NASA, Federal Aviation Administration, and Federal Communications Commission.

IDA has supported nearly 20 years of sponsored and independent research into the effects of orbital debris and ASAT weapons on satellite systems. This research has intensified in recent years due to the phenomenal growth in satellite constellations in LEO, and the DoD’s expected use of such constellations for national defense. Much of IDA’s work has centered on predicting the effect of orbital debris on spacecraft mission loss, both in the short term from collateral damage due to satellite collisions or ASAT tests and in the long term as the background orbital debris population continues to grow. This growth has led to what many researchers believe to be the beginning stages of a Kessler Syndrome, named after the original NASA researcher who predicted the onset of a self-sustaining debris growth environment as existing debris hits operating and nonoperating satellites, creating more debris. Such a debris environment increases the risk of losing reliable and safe access to affected regions of space.

Transcript and Notes

China's Commercial Space Sector

Fri, 15 May 2020 11:57:24 -0400

In this episode of IDA Ideas, host Rhett Moeller interviews researchers from IDA’s Science and Technology Policy Institute (STPI) about their research into China’s commercial space sector. STPI researchers Bhavya Lal, Irina Liu, Shirley Han, and Tom Colvin provide an overview of their work, their discussions with Chinese space experts, their thoughts on technological advancements in China, and their assessment of China’s strengths and weaknesses in the sector.

Transcript