Mind control tech, through-wall detection, extreme scooters and browsing the exhibits of a special forces defence event

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast, we head deep into the UK countryside to attend the 3CDSE event and see the special forces kit on display, speak to AAR about its support of the US Navy’s P-8A Poseidon and, in our Industry Voice segment, our sponsor Nammo considers the future of NATO.

• News Round Up (01:17)

This week in the news…

Air domain editor Helen Haxell considers the retention of UK defence sovereignty, in light of the progress of the BAE Systems-led Tempest future fighter programme.

Editor-in-chief Richard Thomas was at Naval Group’s facility in Cherbourg on 12 July for the launch of the first of the French Navy’s Suffren-class nuclear-powered attack submarine, the product of a generation of intellectual and physical labour from French industry, government and military agencies.

The first of the nuclear-powered Barracuda design from Naval Group, Suffren will eventually be joined by five other boats all of which are currently at various stages of construction or development.

In the land domain, reporter Kate Martyr details coverage of the force-on-force portion of Exercise Talisman Sabre 2019, which kicked off on 16 July with the largest-scale Australian-led amphibious landing since World War II. A notable part of the pivotal beach assault was the inclusion of Japanese troops for the first time.

During the event, around 300 members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) came ashore via AAV7s and hovercraft, representing a dramatic scaling-up of its contribution to this biennial and bilateral Australia-US exercise.

• Show coverage – the Three Counties Defence and Security Expo (15:55)

The Shephard team this week attended the Three Counties Defence and Security Expo in picturesque Mavern in the UK to see the special forces-focused technology on display.

The Three Counties of Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire comprise a hub of defence and security with the MoD-based in Herefordshire, Qinetiq and the Malvern Cyber Cluster in Worcestershire and GCHQ in Gloucestershire, plus all the satellite industries which have grown up around them.

As VP of Content Tony Skinner found, special forces applications were at the fore of most companies displays. Among the companies we spoke to were EZ Raider, Iceni Labs, Level Peaks, Prometheus Medical and Ultra Electronics.

• Interview – AAR Corporation (38:00)

We speak to Brian Sartain, SVP Repair and Engineering at AAR Corporation about the company’s support to the US Navy’s P-8A Poseidon and other opportunities. 

• Industry Voice – Nammo (45:40)

In this week’s Industry Voice Tony Skinner, our VP of Content, and Endre Lunde, SVP of Communications for Nammo, discuss the future of NATO.

Music and sound mixing provided by Fred Prest