▶ 19:30 · $RTX · Raytheon's NGSRI approach at significant disadvantage to Lockheed-Light Path design

episode briefing

I Interviewed The CEO Of A Drone Stock Supplying Anduril Growing 109%

2026-08-11 · 12 company · 12 thematic

sentiment

10 bull2 bear0 neu

speakers

CEO since March 2020; previously General Manager at Thorlabs running imaging systems division; co-founded optical communication startup XLite Photonic; engineering degree from Ben Gurion University and MBA from NYU Stern.

michael sikand

Founder of Our Future, a business-media brand focused on the next generation of founders and operators. He also hosts interviews with entrepreneurs and executives.

quote

“The cost of the missile size and weight of it is so much smaller compared to the Rafian approach that to me it's almost a no-brainer that you know why would the army even not why would the army think of anything else.”

—sam rubin

now playing · $RTX

$LPTH···bullish· mediummichael sikand

Host frames LPTH as top small-cap defense play with 240% return and accelerating fundamentals

Stock up 240% in a year with sales doubling and backlog tripling in latest quarter; supplies Anduril, Lockheed, Raytheon; germanium-free Black Diamond glass solves critical China…

$LPTH···bullish· high· possam rubin

Light Path CEO sees doubling revenue trajectory driven by germanium-free optics and vertical integration

Black Diamond glass portfolio (18 of 20 materials exclusive) outperforms germanium on weight, cost, and temperature resilience; vertical integration via acquisitions (G5 Infrared,…

$TDY···bearish· mediumsam rubin

FLIR struggling with germanium dependency while Light Path's G5 Infrared gains share

Teledyne's FLIR division remains dependent on Chinese-controlled germanium for thermal cameras; Light Path acquired G5 Infrared and infused it with germanium-free Black Diamond ma…

$ANDURILbullish· mediumsam rubin

Anduril becoming Light Path's largest customer at >10% revenue with counter-UAS focus

Anduril embeds Light Path cameras and optical assemblies across multiple counter-UAS programs; moves fast without legacy prime constraints; shares similar newcomer DNA; relationsh…

$LPTH···bullish· mediumsam rubin

CEO projects doubling revenue to $100M+ next fiscal year with backlog visibility

CEO guides for >$100M revenue next fiscal year (vs $70M current) driven by $110M backlog representing scheduled deliveries, with capacity expansion targeting $150-200M scale.

$PERFORMANCE-DRONE-WORKSbullish· mediumsam rubin

PDW's $820M Pentagon loan signals government manufacturing scale-up Light Path may access

Pentagon Office of Strategic Capital's $820M loan to PDW demonstrates new federal funding vehicles for domestic drone manufacturing; Light Path in active discussions with multiple…

$LPTH···bullish· mediumsam rubin

NGSRI Stinger replacement program could add $50-100M/year with Lockheed partnership

Light Path's innovative heat-seeking missile approach on Lockheed's NGSRI bid passed guided flight test; offers enormous cost, size, and weight advantages over Raytheon's approach…

$LMT···bullish· mediumsam rubin

Lockheed's NGSRI missile with Light Path optics passes critical flight test

Lockheed's innovative NGSRI approach using Light Path's germanium-free infrared materials passed guided flight test, demonstrating superior cost/size/weight vs Raytheon's traditio…

$RTX···bearish· mediumsam rubin

Raytheon's NGSRI approach at significant disadvantage to Lockheed-Light Path design

Raytheon's competing NGSRI missile design uses conventional approach with far higher cost, size, and weight vs Lockheed's Light Path-enabled innovation; army unlikely to choose Ra…

$FIREFLY-AEROSPACEbullish· lowmichael sikand

Host notes Firefly's Scitec subsidiary as missile defense software play for Golden Dome

Firefly owns Scitec, a missile defense software company positioned for the Golden Dome program; host sees space-based missile detection as a major opportunity alongside Light Path…

$KRKNFbullish· lowmichael sikand

Host highlights Kraken Robotics as ingrained defense play with subsea batteries and Anduril ties

Kraken's subsea battery technology creates deep product entrenchment similar to Light Path's optics; Anduril partnership provides prime access; host sees structural lock-in advant…

$LPTH···bullish· highsam rubin

CEO targets >75% market share on US drone optical assemblies via NDAA tailwinds

CEO claims dominant position on US-made drone optics, amplified by NDAA restrictions eliminating waivers and forcing domestic sourcing, positioning Light Path as primary beneficia…

←

▶ 19:30 · $RTX · Raytheon's NGSRI approach at significant disadvantage to Lockheed-Light Path design

episode briefing

Michael Sikand

I Interviewed The CEO Of A Drone Stock Supplying Anduril Growing 109%

2026-08-11 · 12 company · 12 thematic

sentiment

10 bull2 bear0 neu

speakers

sam rubin

michael sikand

Founder of Our Future, a business-media brand focused on the next generation of founders and operators. He also hosts interviews with entrepreneurs and executives.

quote

“The cost of the missile size and weight of it is so much smaller compared to the Rafian approach that to me it's almost a no-brainer that you know why would the army even not why would the army think of anything else.”

—sam rubin

now playing · $RTX

$LPTH···bullish· mediummichael sikand

Host frames LPTH as top small-cap defense play with 240% return and accelerating fundamentals

Stock up 240% in a year with sales doubling and backlog tripling in latest quarter; supplies Anduril, Lockheed, Raytheon; germanium-free Black Diamond glass solves critical China…

$LPTH···bullish· high· possam rubin

Light Path CEO sees doubling revenue trajectory driven by germanium-free optics and vertical integration

Black Diamond glass portfolio (18 of 20 materials exclusive) outperforms germanium on weight, cost, and temperature resilience; vertical integration via acquisitions (G5 Infrared,…

$TDY···bearish· mediumsam rubin

FLIR struggling with germanium dependency while Light Path's G5 Infrared gains share

Teledyne's FLIR division remains dependent on Chinese-controlled germanium for thermal cameras; Light Path acquired G5 Infrared and infused it with germanium-free Black Diamond ma…

$ANDURILbullish· mediumsam rubin

Anduril becoming Light Path's largest customer at >10% revenue with counter-UAS focus

Anduril embeds Light Path cameras and optical assemblies across multiple counter-UAS programs; moves fast without legacy prime constraints; shares similar newcomer DNA; relationsh…

$LPTH···bullish· mediumsam rubin

CEO projects doubling revenue to $100M+ next fiscal year with backlog visibility

CEO guides for >$100M revenue next fiscal year (vs $70M current) driven by $110M backlog representing scheduled deliveries, with capacity expansion targeting $150-200M scale.

$PERFORMANCE-DRONE-WORKSbullish· mediumsam rubin

PDW's $820M Pentagon loan signals government manufacturing scale-up Light Path may access

Pentagon Office of Strategic Capital's $820M loan to PDW demonstrates new federal funding vehicles for domestic drone manufacturing; Light Path in active discussions with multiple…

$LPTH···bullish· mediumsam rubin

NGSRI Stinger replacement program could add $50-100M/year with Lockheed partnership

Light Path's innovative heat-seeking missile approach on Lockheed's NGSRI bid passed guided flight test; offers enormous cost, size, and weight advantages over Raytheon's approach…

$LMT···bullish· mediumsam rubin

Lockheed's NGSRI missile with Light Path optics passes critical flight test

Lockheed's innovative NGSRI approach using Light Path's germanium-free infrared materials passed guided flight test, demonstrating superior cost/size/weight vs Raytheon's traditio…

$RTX···bearish· mediumsam rubin

Raytheon's NGSRI approach at significant disadvantage to Lockheed-Light Path design

Raytheon's competing NGSRI missile design uses conventional approach with far higher cost, size, and weight vs Lockheed's Light Path-enabled innovation; army unlikely to choose Ra…

$FIREFLY-AEROSPACEbullish· lowmichael sikand

Host notes Firefly's Scitec subsidiary as missile defense software play for Golden Dome

Firefly owns Scitec, a missile defense software company positioned for the Golden Dome program; host sees space-based missile detection as a major opportunity alongside Light Path…

$KRKNFbullish· lowmichael sikand

Host highlights Kraken Robotics as ingrained defense play with subsea batteries and Anduril ties

Kraken's subsea battery technology creates deep product entrenchment similar to Light Path's optics; Anduril partnership provides prime access; host sees structural lock-in advant…

$LPTH···bullish· highsam rubin

CEO targets >75% market share on US drone optical assemblies via NDAA tailwinds

CEO claims dominant position on US-made drone optics, amplified by NDAA restrictions eliminating waivers and forcing domestic sourcing, positioning Light Path as primary beneficia…