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40 I-CONNECT007 MAGAZINE I OCTOBER 2026 I N T E RV I E W BY M A RCY L A RO N T, I - C O N N ECT 0 07 MILITARY AND AEROSPACE manufacturers are being asked to move faster, whether developing new drone technologies, responding to supply constraints, or getting new designs from prototype to production. James Hofer of Accurate Circuit Engineering sees that pressure as changing more than just manufac- turing schedules. He talks about the growing role of quick-turn PCB fabrication, new relationships between defense primes and startups, and why even long-es- tablished approaches to standards and manufacturing have to become more adaptable. Marcy LaRont: James, I'd like to begin our conver- sation with your work in the Mil/Aero market, in- cluding some of the conferences you've attended in that space. What are you seeing right now? James Hofer: The industry is getting busier and, for many reasons, there is a need to increase the country's stockpiles of armament. We've learned that the defense industry needs to make a change, moving away from those multi-million-dollar mis- siles toward a more cost-effective consumable defense product. With James Hofer The Need for Speed in Mil/Aero Manufacturing