Defence Connect Podcast Network

In this episode of the Defence Connect podcast, Betsy Clark, former Australian government Department of Defence program reviewer for the F-35, joins host Liam Garman to unpack the history and making of the F-35 Lightning II, and her book, F-35: The Inside Story of the Lightning II. The pair begin the podcast examining the origins of the F-35 program and how Australia found itself a partner. Clark then details some of the hurdles faced by the program managers in developing the aircraft and how they were able to overcome them. The pair wrap up the podcast unpacking how seizing and maintaining air superiority is fundamental in the modern battlespace. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson and Liam Garman unpack the MOVEit file transfer breach and discuss proposals to label AI-generated content. The pair begin the podcast by discussing the recent MOVEit data breach and steps that businesses must take to improve their cyber resilience in the face of zero-day exploits. Dr Thompson and Garman then look into the recent HWL Ebsworth hack before diving into whether the Commonwealth should institute regulations governing ransomware payments. The pair wrap up the podcast by discussing recent proposals to place labels on AI-generated content and how AI-generated content can be used in information operations.   Enjoy the podcast, The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Defence Connect podcast, *Mark, an Australian citizen and volunteer with the International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine, joins DC senior journalist Robert Dougherty to discuss military tactics, equipment, and the future of warfare in the Ukraine War. The Australian fighter has been in combat overseas since early September, in the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia. The pair begin the podcast exploring details of the Ukraine War spurred by the Russian invasion in February 2022, the areas of operation in Kharkiv, and the comradery of Australian and international fighters in the conflict. The podcast then provides insight into the powerful motivation to fight in an overseas battle far from home, battlefield equipment and adjusting to life in the warzone. They wrap up the podcast discussing Russian equipment and tactics, how Ukraine has changed the future of warfare and whether Australia is prepared for a similar fight on its own soil. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team *Name changed to protect identity.

In this episode of the Defence Connect podcast, Vice-Admiral (Ret’d) Paul Maddison joins host Liam Garman to unpack how Australian academics have leveraged AUKUS Pillar II opportunities to build a stronger Australian Defence Force. VAdm (Ret’d) Maddison begins the podcast discussing his time as vice-admiral in the Royal Canadian Navy and High Commissioner of Canada to Australia before his appointment as director of the UNSW Defence Research Institute.  The pair then unpack the Security & Defence PLuS program, a partnership between Arizona State University, King's College London, and UNSW, to leverage opportunities provided by AUKUS and deepen academic collaboration across the three partner nations. The pair wrap up the podcast discussing the Trailblazer program, a nexus between Defence, industry, and academia to support Australian defence innovation. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson and Phil Tarrant unpack the recent Volt Typhoon malware targeting critical infrastructure, and the motivations behind cyber security attacks. Dr Thompson and Tarrant begin the podcast by unpacking the financial and reputational ramifications of a cyber security breach, examining how the Latitude hack has resulted in forecast losses of $95 million to $105 million. The pair then discuss the recent Volt Typhoon malware that has targeted US critical infrastructure in Guam, which could disturb US military communications. The podcast wraps up by analysing recent comments from the AFP Commissioner on state-based hackers attacking Australian infrastructure, and how the military and law enforcement agencies can be better used to keep Australians safe. Enjoy the podcast, The Cyber Security Uncut team 

In this episode of the Defence Connect podcast, host Steve Kuper is joined by Fullbright Scholar and Ukraine War correspondent Misha Zelinsky to unpack the impact of Australia’s cultural cringe on national security The pair discuss: Zelinsky’s diverse employment and academic background and how they have shaped his conceptualisation of Australia's “Cultural Cringe”. The need for Australia to begin viewing itself differently and preparing itself and the people to take on a larger role in the broader geopolitical environment. The podcast wraps up with the pair discussing the impact of hybrid and grey zone warfare on the national psyche and what we need to do to reshape the cultural narrative. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect Team

In this episode of the Defence Connect podcast, hosts Liam Garman and Steve Kuper discuss the challenges of disinformation in the era of great power competition and its implications for national security. The pair discuss: The powerful influence of Russian state-backed disinformation campaigns and efficacy of these operations to undermine social, political, and economic cohesiveness in the West. The pair also discuss the national security implications of losing the cognitive war. The podcast wraps up with a discussion about what can be done to turn the tide against this new style of hybrid warfare. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect Team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson unpack the latest in cyber security, from national security IP theft to the ethics of artificial intelligence (AI). The pair begin the podcast by unpacking recent US defence technology data theft cases and recent concerns from the FBI on the US’ cyber workforce, diving into how law enforcement agencies can collaborate with militaries to build a stronger cyber posture. Dr Thompson and Tarrant then unpack the ethics of AI, discussing recent comments from the chief executive of ChatGPT creator OpenAI calling for greater regulation of AI. The podcast wraps up by looking into the government’s recently announced National Anti-Scam Centre and how cyber resilience is a job for everybody — not just big business. Enjoy the podcast, The Cyber Security Uncut podcast

In this episode of the Defence Connect podcast, artificial intelligence and autonomous systems expert Dr S. Kate Devitt joins DC senior journalist Robert Dougherty to discuss ethical military AI in an unethical and increasingly defensive world, as well as the future of defence AI development in Australia. Dr Devitt is a former chief scientist of Trusted Autonomous Systems Defence CRC, and current adjunct associate professor at the University of Queensland and Queensland University of Technology. She is also the chief executive officer of BetterBeliefs and director of Augmented Decisions. The pair begin the podcast discussing the development of the Athena AI integrated military artificial intelligence decision support tool, and the increasing demand for innovative autonomous development. The podcast then discusses ethical, legal, and responsible decision making as part of the AI development process and defence applications for AI and autonomous projects. They wrap up the podcast discussing Dr Devitt’s expectations for future international defence development and a “perfect scenario” for the innovation in sovereign projects. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Edward Farrell, director and principal consultant at Mercury Information Security Services joins hosts Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson to discuss the world of cyber assurance testing. The trio begin the podcast by defining whether “ethical hacking” is an appropriate blanket term for advisers engaged in cyber assurance testing, before assessing the relationship between ethics and ideology in penetration testing.  The podcast then continues unpacking the importance of grappling with multiple points of view to understand the motivations behind threat actors, before Farrell unpacks his day-to-day work in penetration testing.  The podcast wraps up by looking into how one might pursue a career in penetration testing, before examining the difference between external and internal pen testers and how they can help businesses. Enjoy the podcast, The Cyber Security Uncut team