Defence Connect Podcast Network

In this special podcast, hosts Liam Garman and Steve Kuper speak with UNSW Canberra Associate Professor Wayne Reynolds to discuss the impact of today’s AUKUS submarine announcement. The trio begin discussing Australia’s long history of partnership with the United Kingdom on nuclear power, nuclear-propelled submarines, and research collaboration. They then shift to discuss the impact of the Cold War agreements which hindered Australia’s development of a nuclear-capable workforce and the challenges facing the country as it stands up the engineering, trade, and naval workforce necessary to operate, maintain, and upgrade the nuclear-powered submarine fleet. Finally, the trio discuss the basing arrangements of the future submarine fleet and the infrastructure investments which will be responsible for hosting the future submarine fleet. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team

In this episode of the Defence Connect Spotlight podcast, Steve Froelich, vice-president of operations for RMS, Lockheed Martin Australia, and Kendell Kuczma, international business development director RMS, Lockheed Martin Australia, join host Liam Garman to unpack the prime’s AIR 6500 Phase 1 offering, and the company’s expectations for their proposed Joint Air Battle Management System (JABMS). The trio begin the podcast defining how the JABMS fits within the broader AIR 6500 program, and how the capability can be deployed to overcome next-generation threats.  The podcast continues assessing how the prime’s Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance enterprise solution can be integrated to enhance subsequent phases within Australia’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence System. The podcast wraps up discussing how Lockheed Martin Australia seeks to integrate Australian SMEs into the delivery of the project, including their plans to build an integrated air and missile defence hub. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Annie Haggar, principal at Cyber GC, joins hosts Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson to discuss the emerging legislative and regulatory frameworks surrounding business cyber security requirements. The podcast begins by unpacking the federal government’s recently introduced cyber security strategies and the potential benefits of introducing a Cyber Security Act to simplify cyber legislation. Haggar then provides case studies to detail the legal implications of substandard cyber security practices for businesses that have been breached. The podcast wraps up with a discussion surrounding how to build greater awareness of cyber security requirements in the business world and the evolving domain of cyber law. Enjoy the podcast, The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Defence Connect podcast, Adam Lockyer, associate professor in strategic studies at Macquarie University and a non-resident fellow at the Sea Power Centre – Australia, joins host Liam Garman to discuss how governments build a coherent defence policy and the history of Australian defence epochs. The podcast commences with a deep dive into policy and strategy formulation, before examining what lessons can be learnt from the Singapore strategy in a renewed era of regional competition. The pair assess the role of geography in defence strategy and how the Commonwealth and Australian Defence Force can best exploit this. The podcast wraps up with a discussion of the potential future flashpoints in the region and how Australia can best work with regional partners to deter an aggressive China. Lockyer’s book that was referenced throughout the podcast, Australia's Defence Strategy Evaluating Alternatives for a Contested Asia, can be found here. Enjoy the podcast,The Defence Connect team

In this episode of the Defence Connect Spotlight podcast, Northrop Grumman Australia’s Triton program director, Andrew “Jake” Campbell, joins host Phil Tarrant to discuss the way uncrewed systems like the MQ-4C Triton will help reshape the Royal Australian Air Force and provide an update on the program ahead of the release of the Defence Strategic Review.  Campbell provides a history of his time in uniform and experience operating the P-3C Orion conducting maritime surveillance and intelligence operations across Australia’s northern approaches, and how this experience informed the pursuit of the next-generation MQ-4C Triton capability for the RAAF.  The pair also discusses how uncrewed platforms like Triton will help complement the crewed P-8A Poseidon fleet to conduct high-priority operations hunting for adversarial submarines by providing unmatched time on station, reliable, real-time access to large volumes of intelligence and surveillance data, and how this will enable the ADF to establish a fifth-generation warfighting capability.  The podcast wraps up by unpacking the survivability and the operational advantages Triton will provide to the ADF in high-intensity operations, and the future of uncrewed platforms ahead of the release of the Defence Strategic Review. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Robert Lee, chief executive officer and co-founder of ICS/OT technology provider Dragos, joins Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson to analyse the threat of cyber breaches on national infrastructure. The podcast begins unpacking Lee’s passion for defending critical civilian infrastructure, before assessing whether Australian companies are prepared to defend their systems from sophisticated state-based attackers. Lee then unpacks the corporate, economic, and physical risks of a cyber attack on Australian infrastructure — from board members being held liable for breaches through to the physical destruction of energy sources. Lee, Thompson, and Tarrant then discuss the myth of isolated systems, observing that industrial systems are almost always connected to a broader network and not immune from penetration. Wrapping up the podcast, Lee provides fundamental lessons to business leaders and discusses how Dragos helps keep businesses safe. To learn more about Dragos and recent ICS/OT trends, you can visit the Dragos Year in Review 2022 here. Enjoy the podcast, The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Defence Connect Spotlight podcast, Ken Kota, vice-president, and James Heading, director of programs, Australian Defence Strategic Capabilities Office, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, join host Liam Garman to unpack the company’s role in building Australia’s sovereign missile capability.  The trio begin the podcast discussing why it is fundamental for Australia to develop a sovereign missile capability, and the company’s role in building Australian expertise in this field through the Australian Defence Strategic Capabilities Office. Kota and Heading then explain how the company’s guided weapons solutions, including the HIMARS, have been so successful on the modern battlefield. The podcast wraps up unpacking how a sovereign missile capability fits into the company’s broader joint all domain operations offering, and how Australian SMEs can play a part in this supply chain.  Editor’s note: This podcast was recorded prior to the Commonwealth confirming the acquisition of HIMARS in January.  Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team

In this episode of the Defence Connect Spotlight podcast, Rear Admiral (Ret'd) Nevin Carr, former Chief of Naval Research at the US Navy and current Vice President, Navy Strategic Account Executive at Leidos, joins host Liam Garman to discuss how autonomous naval vessels can be deployed within the Royal Australian Navy to defend the nation’s maritime borders. RADM (Ret'd) Carr begins the podcast outlining the challenges of defending Australia’s maritime approaches, and the future role of autonomous systems. The podcast continues with an analysis of the AUKUS agreement and how Leidos’ recent advancements in autonomous technology could be embedded within this framework to preserve Australian security. The pair wrap up the podcast unpacking how Leidos’ Sea Hunter and Seahawk programs can expand Australia’s force structure in yet unforeseen ways. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, Momentum Media director of defence Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret'd) Marcus Thompson unpack the latest current affairs in cyber security. The podcast begins by unpacking the news cycle over the holiday break and how Australia has earned the unfortunate mantle of the most hacked nation on the planet. The year 2022 saw Australia go through a raft of cyber security disasters, from Medibank to Optus, and the pair explore how this has impacted the cyber security policy debate. The pair then discuss the ramifications of the recent LastPass data breach, and how much of the data we see get lost in a breach is available elsewhere. The podcast wraps up with an analysis of a new zero-trust agreement between the Five Eyes nations, and how important it is for Australia’s national security, and the security of its allies. Enjoy the podcast, The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Defence Connect Spotlight podcast, Managing Director – Indo-Pacific, CAE Defence & Security, Matthew Sibree, joins host Liam Garman to unpack how the company is accelerating training for Australia’s next generation of ADF personnel. The pair begin the podcast discussing the relationship between acquisition and training, and how CAE pursues multi-domain training operations to hone the capabilities of Australia’s warfighters. Sibree and Garman continue by analysing how Defence can best allocate resources to optimise ADF training and the industry’s role in embedding enhanced defence capabilities in national security architecture. The podcast wraps up discussing what’s next on the horizon for CAE, including advanced synthetic and simulated training scenarios. Enjoy the podcast,The Defence Connect team