Salt Lake City—In 1945, writer George Orwell predicted the rise of two “super-states, each possessed of a weapon by which millions of people can be wiped out in a few seconds.” These two nations were destined to divide the world into a permanent state of cold war.

It was not long before tensions with the Soviet Union reverberated through American neighborhoods, board rooms and the halls of government.

Christian Brose, former staff director of the Senate Armed Services Committee, explained in his 2020 book, “The Kill Chain”: “There was a pervasive belief that America could fail, and that failure could result in another apocalyptic war.”

While the Cold War divided the planet, it also united the country. From opposite coasts, Washington and Silicon Valley became intimate collaborators, designing the technology that would help America stay ahead of the curve for decades. An entire generation of engineers believed that building technology to win the arms race and space race could benefit both their families and national security. For the most part, peace prevailed, and America’s global leadership supported a multi-decade decline in war-related deaths.

Then the Cold War came to a close. The U.S. stood alone as not just a superpower, but a singular hyperpower. Some political scientists declared “the end of history” and, according to Brose, the United States Department of Defense lost its sense of urgency. He summarizes: “The pressure to stay ahead of a strategic rival that had propelled military technological innovation during the Cold War vanished, along with much of the money that had sustained Silicon Valley’s work.”

In recent years, critical innovations like hypersonics and batteries have more often come from China and less often from America. National attention seems to have turned from a cutting-edge and diverse defense technology ecosystem to a slow and bureaucratic industry. Meanwhile, China has been coupling cyber and military aggression with an alarmingly fast defense modernization program. It feels like the U.S. could be slipping into an Orwellian cold war.

To deter conflict, American military technology must be superior to that of its global competitors. But in addition to more capable weapon systems, the U.S. must lead the world on technology for non-defense purposes. The country needs technology that supports secure financial platforms, safe consumer apps, and a high-growth economy.

The nation’s current geostrategic situation demands more from American industry. As the voice of Utah’s aerospace, defense, and cyber companies, 47G believes Utah is rising to the challenge. 47G recently signed an agreement with the Minister for Strategic Industries of Ukraine to help the country expedite victory in war — as well as rebuild their nation.

One of Utah’s great companies, Hypercraft, is building electric drivetrains and battery technology for two distinct product categories: personal recreation and defense. Their systems support manufacturers of various consumer vehicles as well as an off-road vehicle deployed by several branches of the U.S. military.

Intergalactic, based in St. George, takes a similar approach. The company is building thermal management technology for national security applications, as well as for next-generation all-electric passenger aircraft.Report ad

Based in South Jordan, Strider combines open-source data with artificial intelligence to help their Fortune 500 customers defend against state-sponsored risk.

The modern geopolitical climate is challenging, but it doesn’t have to be Orwellian. Utah’s aerospace, defense, and cyber companies are working hard to bring about global stability and peace. As new threats push the U.S. to accelerate its pace of innovation, the nation needs talented people to build the future of American technology. Visit 47G.org to explore new opportunities in Utah, America’s deep tech frontier.