Podcast
Skipjack Series ep2: White Heron and the Edge of Conflict
Meet the Speaker
Carolyn Ford
About This Episode
Guest: Steve Stratton — Award-Winning Author, Retired Green Beret, Former Secret Service Agent, Cybersecurity Expert, and Creator of the Operation Skipjack Series
Summary
In this special episode of Tech Transforms—part of our ongoing Skipjack Series—host Carolyn Ford reconnects with Steve Stratton to discuss his latest installment, Operation White Heron.
Building on the world introduced in Operation Skipjack, this story dives into the unseen frontlines of modern warfare—where shaping operations, secure communications, and real-time intelligence determine the outcome long before the first shot is fired.
From special forces training with Pacific partners to countering disinformation and deploying environmental sensors for threat detection, Stratton reveals how fiction rooted in reality helps military leaders and policymakers prepare for the conflicts of tomorrow.
This episode blends leadership lessons, cybersecurity insights, and multi-domain coordination strategies—all wrapped in a gripping narrative.
If you work in national security, technology, or simply want to understand how stories can shape strategy, this conversation is for you.
Key Takeaways from Operation White Heron
1. Conflict Doesn’t Start with Gunfire
Modern warfare is already underway—in cyberspace, on social media, and through economic and information pressure. Operation White Heron examines “pre-hostility” operations where influence campaigns and shaping activities define the battlespace before combat begins.
2. Operate at the Point of Information
Admiral Nikki Furry empowers her teams to make decisions where the data is collected—not after it’s delayed by layers of bureaucracy. This mirrors real-world shifts toward faster, decentralized decision-making in the U.S. military and intelligence community.
3. Multi-Domain Awareness Requires Unconventional Sensors
From tidal sensors to AI-enhanced intelligence fusion, unconventional data sources—when securely integrated—can detect threats others might miss. Anything connected to the environment can become part of a defense sensor network.
4. Real-Time Data Sharing Is a Tactical Advantage
Tactical data has a short shelf life. Whether stopping hostile coastal landings or countering disinformation, secure, real-time communication between allies can change the outcome.
5. Useful Fiction Makes the Stakes Real
By embedding real technologies—like Owl’s PACSTAR kits and cross-domain guards—into a high-stakes story, Stratton shows not just the how, but the why behind secure communications.
6. Modern Warfare Is a Continuum, Not a Moment
From shaping operations to kinetic conflict and post-conflict recovery, success depends on continuous situational awareness, rapid data processing, and acting faster than the adversary.
📘 Read the First Chapters Now — and Get the Latest Installment
The Skipjack Series continues. Read the opening chapters now and be among the first to access Operation White Heron, launching May 5 at SOF Week.
