Unit X
Raj M. Shah, Christopher Kirchhoff
Language: English
Published by Simon and Schuster, US, 2025
- Softcover
- New
Seller: Rarewaves USA, HEBRON, KY, U.S.A.Rarewaves USA
AbeBooks seller since June 10, 2025
Condition: New
£ 13.18
Quantity: Over 20 available
Add to basketItem description from seller
Shortlisted for the 2024 Financial Times Business Book of the Year "An exceedingly important book!" -General David Petraeus, US Army (Ret.), former Director of the CIA "Essential reading for understanding how technology will change the future of warfare." -Chris Miller, New York Times bestselling author of Chip War "Inspiring. A riveting reminder of how hard protecting our nation's security can be.A must-read." -Walter Isaacson, New York Times bestselling author Steve Jobs and Elon Musk A compelling inside look at an elite unit within the Pentagon-the Defense Innovation Unit, also known as Unit X-whose mission is to bring Silicon Valley's cutting-edge technology to America's military: from the two men who launched the unit.A vast and largely unseen transformation of how war is fought as profound as the invention of gunpowder or advent of the nuclear age is occurring. Flying cars that can land like helicopters, artificial intelligence-powered drones that can fly into buildings and map their interiors, microsatellites that can see through clouds and monitor rogue missile sites-all these and more are becoming part of America's DIU-fast-tracked arsenal. Until recently, the Pentagon was known for its uncomfortable relationship with Silicon Valley and for slow-moving processes that put the brakes on innovation. Unit X was specifically designed as a bridge to Valley technologists that would accelerate bringing state of the art software and hardware to the battle space. Given authority to cut through red tape and function almost as a venture capital firm, Shah, Kirchhoff, and others in the Unit who came after were tasked particularly with meeting immediate military needs with technology from Valley startups rather than from so-called "primes"-behemoth companies like Lockheed, Raytheon, and Boeing. Taking us inside AI labs, drone workshops, and battle command centers-and, also, overseas to Ukraine's frontlines-Shah and Kirchhoff paint a fascinating picture of what it takes to stay dominant in a fast-changing and often precarious geopolitical landscape. In an era when America's chief rival, China, has ordered that all commercial firms within its borders make their research and technology available for military exploitation, strengthening the relationship between Washington and Silicon Valley was always advisable. Today, it is an urgent necessity.…
Seller Inventory # LU-9781668031391
- Title
- Unit X
- Author
- Raj M. Shah, Christopher Kirchhoff
- Publisher
- Simon and Schuster, US
- Publication year
- 2025
- Condition
- New
- Binding
- Paperback
- Language
- English
- ISBN 10
- 1668031396
- ISBN 13
- 9781668031391
- Item weight
- 259 grams
“An exceedingly important book!” —General David Petraeus, US Army (Ret.), former Director of the CIA
“Essential reading for understanding how technology will change the future of warfare.” —Chris Miller, New York Times bestselling author of Chip War
“Inspiring. A riveting reminder of how hard protecting our nation’s security can be…A must-read.” —Walter Isaacson, New York Times bestselling author Steve Jobs and Elon Musk
A compelling inside look at an elite unit within the Pentagon—the Defense Innovation Unit, also known as Unit X—whose mission is to bring Silicon Valley’s cutting-edge technology to America’s military: from the two men who launched the unit.
A vast and largely unseen transformation of how war is fought as profound as the invention of gunpowder or advent of the nuclear age is occurring. Flying cars that can land like helicopters, artificial intelligence-powered drones that can fly into buildings and map their interiors, microsatellites that can see through clouds and monitor rogue missile sites—all these and more are becoming part of America’s DIU-fast-tracked arsenal.
Until recently, the Pentagon was known for its uncomfortable relationship with Silicon Valley and for slow-moving processes that put the brakes on innovation. Unit X was specifically designed as a bridge to Valley technologists that would accelerate bringing state of the art software and hardware to the battle space. Given authority to cut through red tape and function almost as a venture capital firm, Shah, Kirchhoff, and others in the Unit who came after were tasked particularly with meeting immediate military needs with technology from Valley startups rather than from so-called “primes”—behemoth companies like Lockheed, Raytheon, and Boeing.
Taking us inside AI labs, drone workshops, and battle command centers—and, also, overseas to Ukraine’s frontlines—Shah and Kirchhoff paint a fascinating picture of what it takes to stay dominant in a fast-changing and often precarious geopolitical landscape.
In an era when America’s chief rival, China, has ordered that all commercial firms within its borders make their research and technology available for military exploitation, strengthening the relationship between Washington and Silicon Valley was always advisable. Today, it is an urgent necessity.
"Synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author
Christopher Kirchhoff, an expert in emerging technology, helped create the Defense Innovation Unit, which he continues to advise. During the Obama administration, he was the director of strategic planning for the National Security Council and senior civilian adviser to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Chris obtained an AB degree from Harvard College and a PhD in social and political sciences from Cambridge University.
"About the title" may belong to another edition of this title.
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