Podcast UFO - Inside America’s Lighter-Than-Air Secrets: Joshua Bertrand on Nimitz, Eglin & DARPA

Is the famous “Tic Tac” a home-grown technology? In this deep-dive, Martin Willis sits down with mathematician and technologist Joshua Bertrand to explore the cutting edge—and century-long history—of America’s lighter-than-air programs, vacuum-based aerogels, and the black-budget pathways that may intersect with the Nimitz and Eglin “Apollo” UAP cases.

Bertrand (B.Math, University of Waterloo; Computer Science honors; former EA/industry engineer) has spent nearly a decade cross-referencing open sources, defense programs, and material-science breakthroughs. We cover:

Aerogel & laser-induced graphene: printing electronics into polyimide hulls; rigid “vacuum balloons”; station-keeping swarms; multi-medium propulsion via thermal pumping; stealth & low-drag profiles.

Nimitz (2004): training range context, multiple simultaneous objects, the speed “assumption,” and a test-range scenario including LASH (Littoral Airborne Sensor, Hyperspectral) tethered balloons launched from subs.

Eglin “Apollo spacecraft” video**:** single ducted-fan “organic air vehicle” lineage now marketed as BAE’s Kestrel; why formation flying screams “test profile,” not ET.

Project Walrus & cargo airships: how DARPA’s hybrid UL lighter-than-air efforts evolved into modern platforms—and why Congress lost oversight.

Materials & provenance: Kistler, Monsanto, Los Alamos; tektites; and a MUFON-handled Russian aerogel sample with intriguing lab notes.

We also discuss technology leakage, Five Eyes contractor pipelines, and why transparent congressional oversight matters.