For me it’s definitely a question of offensive vs defensive purposes and often its hard to make the distinction between the two. There is no question that defense contractors have access to the coolest tools, materials, process and budgets to realize real innovation. I have often daydreamed of working on projects that have a much larger positive impact on the world than what i currently do and defense projects can definitely fit that bill.
I’d also like to point out that some of my, and i suspect “our” biggest idols worked with the military.
There’s an argument to made that the positive impact they had on design and the world in general came directly from their relationship with the military.