All Team Members

John Paul “Spear” Mintz

Partner

John Paul “Spear” Mintz is a defense strategist, technologist, and warfighter with two decades of experience at the nexus of technology and national security. As an Air Force officer, he commanded at multiple levels and served as a strategic advisor at NORAD/USNORTHCOM, the CSAF Strategic Studies Group, and most recently at DARPA. There, he acted as Chief of Staff and worked across DARPA’s portfolio of advanced technologies — including biotech, human performance, microsystems, electromagnetic warfare, artificial intelligence, cyber, hypersonics, air, and space — to transition and integrate technology into the Air Force, the Space Force, and the Combatant Commands and real-world combat environments. He established and led the USAF’s spectrum warfare engineering group, led operational test across the span of Air Force combat capabilities, and served as an operational fighter pilot in Japan, the Arctic, the Middle East, and for homeland defense.  

As an advisor and visionary Air Force leader with deep operational credibility, Spear is known as a savvy ambassador with strong relationship skills. He also brings an uncommon technical acumen and a standout record of delivering transformative capabilities through collaboration with senior civilian and military leaders, technologists, and warfighters.  

Dr. Mintz holds a PhD in Military Strategy and Artificial Intelligence, various master’s degrees, and is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and the USAF Weapons School. He is the founder of High Aspect Technologies.