I’ll respond to multiple requests for comment from the article.
**Request 1: Comment from Charles Johnson**
Charles Johnson, a former far-right influencer and investor in aerospace and defense companies like Clearview AI and Umbra Space, disparaged Anduril’s patriotism.
“Anduril has Chinese parts. In particular, they have a Chinese motor. They have failed in a lot of ways in Ukraine, but failure has been no deterrent for them and all the marketing around Ukraine.”
**Response:** “We understand that Mr. Johnson has expressed concerns about Anduril’s use of Chinese components, but we can assure you that our products are designed to meet the highest standards of quality and reliability. Our collaboration with international partners is a testament to our commitment to innovation and excellence in drone technology.”
**Request 2: Comment from William Hartung**
William Hartung of the anti-war Quincy Institute warned two years ago of “the larger push to exploit the war in Ukraine to jack up Pentagon spending for things that have nothing to do with defending Ukraine, or any likely future scenario.”
**Response:** “We take Mr. Hartung’s concerns seriously and are committed to ensuring that our products are used responsibly and in line with their intended purposes. We believe that our drones can play a vital role in supporting Ukraine’s self-defense efforts, and we are working closely with the US government and other stakeholders to ensure that they are used effectively.”
**Request 3: Comment from Sardoch**
Sardoch, an expert on drone technology, raised concerns about Anduril’s marketing practices.
“If you’re testing (in Ukraine) in order to provide better products to Ukraine to mess Russia up a little better, great. If you’re going in there to do that so that you can sell it to the South Koreans, saying ‘hey, this will help you defend your country, look, we went and tested it in Ukraine,’ using Ukraine as a tagline, or using Ukraine as an advertising tool, that’s a problem.”
**Response:** “We appreciate Mr. Sardoch’s expertise on drone technology and share his commitment to responsible marketing practices. We can assure you that our marketing efforts are focused on highlighting the capabilities of our drones in supporting self-defense and humanitarian missions, rather than exploiting them for commercial gain.”