ENERGY SECURITY³ PODCAST

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February 18, 2026

On this episode of the Energy Security Cubed Podcast, Joe talks with Jahara Matisek about defence industrial supply chains, critical mineral vulnerabilities, prioritizing ecosystems, and the Canadian defence industrial strategy.

For the intro, Joe covers nuclear supply chains, plans for an enormous natural gas power plant, and an update on Venezuela.

Guest Bio:

• Jahara Matisek is an active-duty US Air Force officer whose work focuses on the policy implications of national security spending, with an emphasis on critical infrastructure resilience

Host Bio:

• Joe Calnan is an Energy Security Analyst and Vice President, Energy Security and Calgary Operations at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute.

Recommended Readings:

• Old and New Battle Spaces by Jahara Matisek and Buddhika Jayamaha
• Military Strategy, Joint Operations and Air Power by Ryan Burke, Michael Fowler, and Jahara Matisek
• How the World Really Works: The Science Behind How We Got Here and Where We're Going by Vaclav Smil

Jahara's articles mentioned in episode:

• How to Supercharge the US Military's Arsenal

• Why the US Military Could Lose the Contest for Materials Crucial to AI

• LOGISTICS LEFT OF BOOM: UNDERSTANDING ADVERSARY THREATS TO THE DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE AHEAD OF CONFLICT

• These Materials Could Cripple America’s Defense Industrial Base

• MINERALS, MAGNETS, AND MILITARY CAPABILITY: CHINA’S RARE EARTH WEAPONIZATION SHOULD BE A WAKE-UP CALL

• The US Is Not Built For War Or Peace: America's Industrial Resilience Gap

Produced by Joe Calnan | Music by Drew Phillips.