In this episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric dive into autonomous defense at sea, surveillance tech exported by U.S. firms, and the leadership needed when crises hit. After a quick scan of the geopolitical hotspots. 

They unpack Australia’s Ghost Shark program and what undersea autonomy means for allied procurement and deterrence, then ask who is responsible when American technology enables a surveillance state abroad. Finally, they turn to personnel and accountability inside the US government, using a recent high-profile manhunt and cabinet-level missteps to show how leadership experience (or the lack of it) can limit U.S. statecraft.

Timestamps: 

00:00 Introduction to Understandable Insights

04:32 Russia-Ukraine Conflict Analysis

08:49 Middle East Tensions and US Leadership

11:16 Brazil's Political Landscape

13:34 Venezuela and US Military Actions

17:17 Ghost Shark: Australia's Defense Innovations

23:39 US Tech and China's Surveillance

26:13 Government Responsibility in Tech Control

29:11 The Rule of Law and Technology Use

36:52 Leadership in Crisis Management

39:29 The Role of Vision in Leadership

40:25 Effective Leadership and Organizational Success

41:44 The Importance of Trust in Leadership

48:26 Conclusion and Future Outlook

About the show:

Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence with Sue Gordon is the national security podcast that provides you an elemental understanding of the world as it is, not how you prefer it to be.

Each week, Eric Koepp — a former Marine, father, and entrepreneur — sits down with the Honorable Sue Gordon, the nation’s former top career intelligence officer. Together, they break down the headlines shaping our world and ask what they really mean for citizens, leaders, and institutions.

From armed conflict to emerging tech, foreign interference to the resilience of democracy — this is where raw information becomes real intelligence. Unfiltered. Candid. Unapologetically clear.

Website and Feedback:
Remember we’re here for you. Provide us feedback or suggest topics for next time: Feedback

Send us a text

New episodes every Tuesday. Follow or subscribe today.