Eddie Zaneski never expected to work in defense technology. Then a chance conversation changed the course of his career, leading him to join Defense Unicorns and eventually putting him aboard a C-17 to test a live software deployment in flight.
Today, as our Field Chief Technology Officer, Eddie connects mission users with the teams building the technology they rely on. His job sits at the intersection of engineering, product development, and the operational mission: understand what users truly need, translate those needs for product teams, and help shape solutions that work in the real world. It is a role that draws on his background in developer relations and open source software, as well as his willingness to challenge assumptions.
Watch the full interview to learn more about Eddie and his work at Defense Unicorns.
Deploying Software From a C-17
Eddie has always loved airplanes, but he never imagined that his software career would put him aboard a military aircraft. That changed during a test of UDS Fleet capabilities on a C-17.
The goal was ambitious: deploy software live on the aircraft in flight over an internet connection.
The flight was a vivid demonstration of what modern mission software delivery can look like. The team took off, established connectivity, and tested the ability to update software while airborne.
The experience connects directly to the Air Force’s concept of “fly, fix, fly.” A pilot takes an aircraft up to evaluate new software, sends feedback to the development team on the ground, lands, loads an improved build, and returns to the air. The faster and more reliably that cycle happens, the faster new capability reaches the mission.
That rapid feedback loop has long been an aspiration. UDS Fleet is designed to help make it practical.
Making Complex Infrastructure Feel Familiar
UDS Fleet is built to simplify the management and deployment of mission software. The challenge is significant: the highly complex software systems must be manageable by pilots, aircrew, maintainers, and other operators who should not have years of IT experience.
Eddie understands that complexity firsthand. He spent roughly seven years as a Kubernetes maintainer and technical lead, working deep inside the project. Kubernetes is powerful, but it is also notoriously difficult to master.
His current focus is distilling that complexity into an operator experience that feels more like downloading an app than administering a software platform.
The goal is to make updating the software on a jet as easy as downloading Candy Crush to a phone. That simplicity is not just about convenience. It helps ensure pilots enter a mission with the latest available capabilities.
Building Around Real Mission Needs
UDS Fleet is already supporting deployments to platforms including the F-22, and the team is preparing for additional efforts across the Navy, Army, and Air Force.
For Eddie, the most exciting part is not any single feature. It is the opportunity to build capabilities around real operational requirements, informed by direct work with the people carrying out the mission.
That is ultimately the purpose of a Field CTO: bring the product team closer to the field and bring the field’s reality into every product decision.
If you’re interested in learning more about UDS Fleet, schedule time to connect with us here.
