Defence & Security Podcast Network

In this special compilation episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, host Phil Tarrant is joined by multiple attendants of the Avalon International Airshow and Defence Exposition to discuss their roles in defence industry. First to join the show is Air Marshal (Ret'd) Greg Bagwell, CB, CBE, to reflect on his 36 years in the RAF and discuss his current role as executive vice president of business development for Cobham. He will discuss his transition from uniform to the corporate defence sector, discuss the need for education around air power and discuss the similarities and synergies between the UK and Australian air force sectors. Josh Polette, director of strategic initiatives with Thales Australia, is next to join the show and will discuss Thales' immersion the space sector, including unpacking its rich history within the area, share his thoughts around the Australian Space Agency and some of the opportunities and challenges that will arise as a result. Mark Burgess, the CEO and managing director at Quickstep Holdings, is next to join host Phil Tarrant. He previously joined the show when he was only two months into his current role to discuss his ambitious plans of reshaping the strategies and practices within the company. Burgess will share how Quickstep has achieved a huge uptick in productivity, the work that it is currently involved in, including its F-35 partnership, and share his tips for other SMEs looking to enter the global supply chain. Finally, Doug Shaffer, the program manager for the MQ-4C Triton at Northrop Grumman, will discuss the program, compare the Global Hawk to the Triton, and talk about the proposals and bids that Northrop Grumman currently has underway. Shaffer will share his thoughts around comparable autonomous systems, the interest in the Triton outside of Australia and the different stakeholders that will benefit from the implementation of the technology.

In this special episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, recorded live on site at the 2019 Avalon International Airshow and Defence Exposition, host Phil Tarrant is joined by new Victorian defence industry advocate John O’Callaghan to talk about the integration of Victoria’s defence industry in the defence supply chain; Andrew Pryor, business development director at Northrop Grumman Technology Services; and Michael Hardy, general manager, modelling, simulation and training at KBRwyle. O’Callaghan will discuss the evolution of Victoria’s defence industry and the growing capability of the SME sector to support large-scale projects like LAND 400 Phase 2, SEA 1000 and SEA 5000, as well as the role of collaboration between the various state and territory defence industry advocates and their organisations to help support the Commonwealth government’s agenda for development of ADF capability.  During the discussion, Pryor will focus on the role Northrop Grumman is playing in supporting key Royal Australian Air Force capabilities, like the KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport and the C-27J Spartan airlifter, and the importance of close collaboration and relationships between industry and Defence to enhance the capability and service life of key capabilities.  Finally, Hardy will discuss the shifting nature of training, modelling and simulation in supporting the next-generation warfighter. He will focus on the growing place for augmented and enhanced reality training simulation technology and the training requirements of a fifth-generation ADF.  Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team

In this special episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, recorded live on site in Avalon on day two of the Australian International Airshow and Aerospace and Defence Exposition, host Phil Tarrant is joined by Lockheed Martin Australia chief executive Vince Di Pietro and Professor Deborah Hodgson from the University of Newcastle to discuss the Altitude Accord and the role defence primes play in supporting the development of Australia's future workforce. They will talk about the role defence primes like Lockheed Martin Australia play in supporting the development of regional Australia and the impact the Altitude Accord, signed between Regional Development Australia Hunter, Lockheed Martin Australia and the University of Newcastle, will have in creating economic opportunities. As the program of focus for Australia's F-35s has shifted from acquisition to the operational and sustainment stage, Di Pietro and Professor Hodgson will discuss the importance of the support provided by primes like Lockheed Martin in supporting the $1 billion defence and aerospace industry in the Hunter region, while also looking at the role tertiary education institutions like the University of Newcastle can play in supporting Defence and industry.Finally, they will address the role of nurturing the growing talent pool of regional Australia and the investment model for industry and academic collaboration, which will play a critical role in supporting the long-term development of Australia's future defence and aerospace workforce. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team  

In this special episode of the Defence Connect Podcast recorded live on-site at the Avalon International Airshow and Defence Exposition, host Phil Tarrant is joined by the senior analyst of defence strategy and capability at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Dr Malcolm Davis, and Defence Connect journalist Steve Kuper to discuss some of the challenges facing the Australian defence landscape. Dr Davis will share his thoughts on Australia's position in the global defence environment, discussing the likelihood of Australia being at direct threat and how Australian involvement could look in future conflicts. He will address the gap that he believes has been created with the retirement of the F-111 and will also expand his take on the attitudes of defence leaders towards long-range strike capability. Finally, they will address the 2016 Defence White Paper and its relevance in the current defence climate, the push to keep Australian training and knowledge within Australia, and why communication with the US defence sector is paramount to our success. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team

In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, Seeing Machines general manager Patrick Nolan and flight simulation and training lead Alexander Robinson join host Phil Tarrant to discuss the work that they are completing in the human factors science sector to create AI technology that observes driver habits and attention, and the opportunities that such technology is presenting in training within the RAAF. They will reflect on the history of the company, having been founded out of the Australian National University in Canberra, the challenge of matching technological capabilities with industry requirements, and how the scope of transport vehicles that they are serving has grown and developed. Nolan and Robinson will address how their technology is being implemented in pilot training with the RAAF, the type of data that can be obtained and how that information is being best utilised, and how it is aiding in the success and cost effectiveness of pilot training. Finally, they analyse their point of difference in the market against those with similar product offerings to Seeing Machines, discuss how their technology is being implemented into various vehicles and systems, and the projects that they are currently involved in within defence industry.

As the executive director of the Australian postgraduate research internship program at the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute, Gary Hogan is bridging the gap between SMEs and academic research and intelligence. In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, Hogan joins host Phil Tarrant to discuss this little-known program and how it can, in his opinion, revolutionise the business models and outputs of various SMEs. He will talk about how SMEs can find an academic expert to solve a technical concern or innovation within their company, how this relationship is structured in terms of the created intellectual property, and how the government rebate subsidisation can reduce financial outlay. Finally, Hogan will discuss why he is such an advocate of the opportunities that the program offers, reveal his thoughts surrounding a push for more women to be involved in the sector, and how interested SMEs can utilise the services. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team

In this special episode of the Defence Connect Podcast recorded live on site in Avalon on day one of the Australian International Airshow and Aerospace & Defence Exposition, host Phil Tarrant is joined by Lockheed Martin's Steve Sheehy, BD VP for F-35 sustainment; Andrew Doyle, Australian sustainment lead; and Greg Ulmer, F-35 executive vice president and general manager to discuss the progress of the F-35 program on both an Australian and global level. They will talk about how they are tracking the development and performance of all elements of the aircraft, their deliberate goal to reduce the sustainment price and how they are accomplishing this benchmark. With the program placing a focus on a condition-based maintenance approach, they will discuss the generational differences in reaction and support that they are seeing from those involved, the responsibilities of Australia within the global execution of the program, and how the program is utilising the strengths of each of the involved parties in creating a collaborative joint program. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team

Greg Barsby, the managing director of QuinetiQ Australia first joined the Defence Connect podcast during Avalon 2017 to discuss their announcement of the acquisition of logistics support and project management business Rubicon. Greg now joins us to discuss what made that integration a success, and how they have capitalised on this growth opportunity. In their shift from consulting business to engineering leader, Barsby will unpack the challenges that they have faced along the way, the programs that they are currently involved in, and the fundamentals of their relationship with DST. Finally, Barsby will explain how they differentiate themselves from other organisations in terms of incentivisation, rewards and recognition for their team, the culture and attributes that they are trying to nurture within the business and how they are striving to be a workforce rich in "diversity of thought". Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team

In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, the now vice-chancellor and president of the University of Newcastle, Alex Zelinsky, joins host Phil Tarrant to reflect on his previous role as chief defence scientist and head of Defence Science and Technology (DST). Zelinsky will discuss the expectations of the position within defence industry, share his thoughts surrounding the 2006 white paper and reveal the role of academics in their decision-making process. Discussing his recent appointment with the University of Newcastle, Zelinsky will share how he sees the position as a role to incite real change in the sector, and address how the university's direct relationship with the end user is resulting in better-tailored solutions to problems and ultimately further research into defence industry. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team

In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, Wing Commander (AAFC) Paul Martin Hughes JP joins host Phil Tarrant to discuss his role in shaping the future of the RAAF by attracting talented youth into the sector. WGCDR (AAFC) Martin Hughes will reflect on his journey to his current position, what his responsibilities now entail, and how the voluntary nature of the role for himself and those around him impacts the results that they strive to achieve. He will examine the relationship between RAAF infrastructure and the cadets program, whether it will aid those involved to seek further involvement in the services and share how his full-time career within the mental health sector sees synergies with the work that he does with the No. 3 Wing Air Force Cadets. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team