Defence & Security Podcast Network

How is Northrop Grumman Australia supporting sovereign defence manufacturing, strengthening local supply chains and developing next-generation counter-drone capabilities?

Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty at Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition 2026, Northrop Grumman Australia country executive Robert Denney discusses the company's priorities for Australian Defence Force capability, including proximity-fused ammunition, Bushmaster cannon systems and emerging counter-uncrewed aerial system technologies.

The conversation explores Northrop Grumman's ambition to develop a fully Australian solid rocket motor supply chain, the opportunities for local manufacturers to support domestic and international programs, and the challenges of producing advanced military...

How is Australia developing sovereign loitering munition capabilities, scaling domestic production and preparing for the changing character of modern warfare?

Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty, Innovaero CEO Gregory Tunny discusses the evolution of drone warfare, the growing importance of affordable precision mass and the lessons emerging from conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

The conversation explores Innovaero's OWL family of loitering munitions, including the OWL-B and turbojet-powered OWL-X, and how a common mission system, electronics and software can support multiple operational roles, including long-range strike and counter-drone interception.

Tunny...

From banks battling big tech for AI talent to ransomware attacks exposing sensitive medical records, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft unpack another eventful week in cyber security – including why your supermarket fridge might be a bigger security risk than you think.

AI is reshaping everything from banking to elections, but are organisations keeping pace with the risks? Hollingworth and Croft explore the race for AI talent, the collapse of Firmus' proposed $44 billion ASX listing, and growing concerns about AI-generated deepfakes in electoral advertising. With AI adoption racing ahead of governance, the pair examine the challenge of balancing in...

Amentum is looking to expand its presence in Australia's defence and national security sectors, with a focus on contested logistics, theatre logistics and support for naval infrastructure.

Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty at Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition 2026, Amentum Australia managing director Kim Katheklakis discusses the company's growth strategy and its priorities for supporting Australian Defence Force capability.

The conversation explores Western Australia's growing defence industry investment, opportunities for collaboration across state governments and the development of supply chain partnerships to support contested logistics across northern Australia.

Katheklakis also...

Israel Aerospace Industries expands into the Indo-Pacific region as it pitches solutions for local deployment of missile, uncrewed aerial vehicle, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems.

Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty at Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition 2026, Israel Aerospace Industries' marketing director, Maxim Zemer, discusses the company's expansion into the Australian and Indo-Pacific regional market.

The conversation explores the importance of new containerised solutions for air defence and other purposes, as well as why the Australian market is considered to be particularly important for IAI.

Zemer also shares his views...

How is Lockheed Martin Australia strengthening defence capability, expanding local manufacturing and delivering complex programs for the Australian Defence Force

Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty, Major General (Ret'd) Jeremy King, chief executive of Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand, discusses his transition from senior Defence leadership into industry and the challenges of delivering major capability programs across Australia and New Zealand.

The conversation explores Lockheed Martin's growing role in Australia's guided weapons enterprise, including the local assembly and firing of Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System missiles and development of domestic production capacity...

Cyber Uncut returns to discuss AI giant conspiracies, data centre impacts, and the dead internet theory.

Are AI giants like OpenAI having their agents hack things on purpose? Senior journalist Daniel Croft and managing editor Liam Garman touch on the theory that these tech giants want their AI models hacking, as any publicity is good publicity.

The two start by discussing dead internet theory and bots causing division, starting with the 2016 election. They then discuss local hacks and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia's AI copyright changes.

Finally, the two talk about data centres...

How do you build an inclusive, adaptable and capable Australian Defence Force through leadership, lifelong learning and the experiences that shape military careers?

Royal Australian Navy Commander Melanie Lennard shares her journey from studying sports science at university to a 17-year career in the Royal Australian Navy, including operational deployments to South Sudan and the leadership lessons that have shaped her professional development.

In this episode of The Progress Report, former news editor Steve Kuper sits down with CMDR Lennard to discuss her experiences as a female naval officer and how the Navy has evolved...

NIOA Group is expanding its role in Australia's munitions manufacturing sector amid growing global demand, supply chain constraints and the need to strengthen domestic defence industrial capability.

Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty at Land Forces 2026, NIOA Group CEO Robert Nioa discusses the company's growing role as a prime contractor, its partnerships with the Australian government and international industry, and efforts to expand domestic production of artillery ammunition, explosives and other munitions.

The conversation also explores global ammunition shortages, the strategic and economic benefits of sovereign manufacturing, proximity-fused warheads for counter-drone systems, and...

Electro Optic Systems is showcasing a range of counter-uncrewed aerial systems technology and a new EOS Interceptor at Land Forces 2026 in Perth.

Speaking with Defence Connect, EOS executive vice president Lee Kormany discusses several of the company's latest announcements, counter-drone treads internationally, domestic manufacturing and the increasing global shortages in proximity fuse ammunition used against drones.

The conversation also explores EOS' focus on remote weapon systems and how the company continues to expand its presence across Australia and international markets.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect team

Information has always shaped power and influence – but in the age of artificial intelligence, the speed, scale and sophistication with which narratives can be created and deployed has changed dramatically.

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson explore how the tradecraft of information warfare is increasingly intersecting with the commercial world, and why influence, narrative and information advantages are becoming critical strategic capabilities for modern businesses.

They unpack the parallels – and important differences – between military information operations and commercial competition, from shaping perceptions and gaining decisi...

SIG Sauer's newly unveiled P385 pistol makes its international debut at Land Forces 2026 in Perth, with Australian defence company Aquaterro showcasing the new weapon alongside the M8 carbine.

Speaking with Defence Connect, Aquaterro founder and managing director Graeme Bulte discusses the P385's capabilities, its compatibility with the existing P320 magazine and what the new pistol could mean for Australian defence and law enforcement users.

The conversation also explores Australia's growing SIG Sauer ecosystem, including the Australian Defence Force's F9 P320 sidearm and Aquaterro's recently signed Defence contract covering the supply, support and sustainment of...

How are global electronics shortages, AI-driven demand and counterfeit components reshaping Australia's defence supply chain

Speaking with Defence Connect Spotlight news editor Robert Dougherty, Astute Group marketing director Mark Shanley, IntelliDesign head of business development Frank Harrington and Moog Australia director of industry development Neil Fitzpatrick discuss the challenges facing defence manufacturers as component shortages, price volatility and extended lead times continue to disrupt critical programs.

The panel examines how AI-fuelled demand for high-bandwidth memory and other semiconductor components is placing unprecedented pressure on global supply chains, driving higher prices and longer procurement timelines.

Cyber Uncut returns with an AI hacking incident at Medicare, ransomware drama, banking breaches, and the surprisingly serious security lessons from getting AI "drunk".

Would you let an AI agent apply for a loan on your behalf? 

New research suggests 59 per cent of Australians would – but Cyber Daily's David Hollingworth and Banking Daily's Daniel Croft aren't convinced. The pair break down the growing willingness to hand AI sensitive financial data and decision-making authority, and why giving an agent autonomy creates a very different risk profile from simply asking ChatGPT to find you the best deal. 

Australia's strategic environment is changing rapidly, but defence procurement and industry must move faster to keep pace.

Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty, former Australian prime minister Scott Morrison discusses the five-year evolution of AUKUS, Australia's defence industrial base, China's economic and strategic influence, critical minerals and the need to accelerate defence procurement.

Morrison argues that AUKUS is already delivering tangible benefits, with US submarines operating from Australia and investment progressing at Henderson to support US, UK and Australian submarine operations.

The pair also discuss US submarine production constraints and Australia's...

Artificial intelligence promises to transform productivity, business and government – but what happens when the technology starts making decisions its human operators never intended?

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Phil Tarrant is joined by Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson to examine the rapidly emerging security risks surrounding AI, from autonomous agents exploiting vulnerabilities to the growing challenge of keeping increasingly powerful systems inside appropriate guardrails.

With businesses racing to deploy AI and governments grappling with how – or whether – to regulate it, Tarrant and Thompson explore whether Australia is moving fast enough to unders...

HPE's Matt Hanmer says organisations must break down the traditional divide between network and security teams as AI accelerates attacks and infrastructure becomes increasingly distributed.

Organisations need to bring network and security operations together to keep pace with increasingly distributed infrastructure and faster-moving cyber threats, according to HPE APJ regional director Matt Hanmer.

Speaking on the Cyber Uncut podcast, Hanmer said the traditional separation between teams is becoming unworkable as organisations connect more people, locations and applications while facing pressure to do more with less. Treating the network as a security sensor can help organisations...

How is AI reshaping the cyber threat landscape, and how can the defence industry respond to new threats giving attackers unprecedented speed and scale?

Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty, Palo Alto Networks chief security intelligence officer Wendi Whitmore and industry principal Tom Scully discuss the rise of frontier AI and its implications for military networks, critical infrastructure, and Australia's defence supply chain.

The trio examine how AI is accelerating cyber attacks, allowing adversaries to identify previously obscure vulnerabilities and target smaller organisations across defence supply chains. They also discuss lessons from contemporary...

Defence Connect co-hosts Phil Tarrant and news editor Robert Dougherty discuss the latest developments shaping Australia's defence industry and national security environment.

The pair examine Australia's recently released 2026 Intergenerational Report, defence workforce requirements, and preparations for Land Forces 2026.

The podcast conversation includes the following topics:

Australia and the United Kingdom share one of the world's deepest strategic relationships – but in an increasingly contested geopolitical environment, that partnership is taking on new significance.

In this episode of Contested Ground, Phillip Tarrant and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson are joined by acting British high commissioner to Australia Dr Brian Jones to unpack the future of AUKUS, the UK's growing Indo-Pacific focus, and the security challenges binding the two nations more closely together.

They also explore the enormous industrial opportunity behind AUKUS, the role Australian businesses and technology can play in UK an...

Australia's plan to divest 68 surplus Defence sites presents an opportunity to reduce estate costs while creating new housing, industrial, community, and environmental outcomes, according to Stantec Australia's Tony Rogers, Leigh McDonald, and Nick Glasson.

The Defence estate spans around 3.5 million hectares, with the government identifying sites that are underutilised or surplus to future Defence requirements.

The divestment program is not simply about raising money through land sales. Instead, it is intended to reduce the cost of maintaining an ageing and increasingly complex estate, while consolidating Defence functions into more suitable and modern facilities.

...

Phil Tarrant is joined by Space Industry Association of Australia CEO Dan Lloyd and chairman Darin Lovett to examine Australia's growing dependence on space and the strategic implications of an increasingly contested space domain.

They unpack the critical role space plays across Australia's economy and national security, from positioning, navigation and timing, and communications to defence, transport, energy, agriculture, and emergency services.

Does Australia have the strategy, investment, and risk appetite needed to turn its space ambitions into a practical national capability?

Genetec's Lee Shelford says AI and cloud are giving security teams faster investigations while turning physical security systems into tools for broader business operations.

Organisations should stop treating AI as a box-ticking exercise and focus on where it can deliver measurable operational gains, according to Genetec's Lee Shelford.

Speaking on the Cyber Uncut podcast with David Hollingworth, Shelford says AI-powered video analytics can cut investigations from hours to minutes, allowing operators to find people, vehicles, objects, and behaviours using natural-language searches and respond while incidents are still unfolding.

Shelford urges organisations to look...

Breaking barriers and building the skills needed to shape the future of Australia's aerospace and defence industries.

RMIT University aerospace engineering and logistics supply chain student Viviene Beins shares her experience competing in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Design/Build/Fly competition in the US, where she helped lead the composite manufacturing of an aircraft and has now taken on a co-lead role for the next 2026–27 team.

In this episode of The Progress Report, news editor Robert Dougherty sits down with Beins to discuss her journey into aerospace engineering, the challenges women face in...

Defence Connect relaunches our podcast with co-host Phil Tarrant, joined by news editor Robert Dougherty, to discuss the latest developments shaping Australia's defence industry.

The pair discuss defence spending, AUKUS, sovereign capability, emerging technologies, and the growing strategic importance of Western Australia.

The podcast conversation includes the following topics:

Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson examine the growing debate over Australia's economic direction, drawing on Chris Uhlmann's recent article in The Australian on the "Argentinisation" of Australia.

They unpack the risks posed by weak productivity, rising regulation, higher costs, and falling investment – and ask what sustained economic underperformance could mean for housing, business confidence, and the nation's broader strategic strength.

Because if Australia enters an increasingly contested world from a position of economic weakness, its ability to fund defence, build sovereign capability, and protect its national interests becomes a much bigger qu...

Australia's emerging defence technology priorities will only deliver their full potential if they are integrated into a broader operational framework connecting platforms, people, data and decision making, according to Microsoft global defence and intelligence solutions manager Jonathon Beesley and Atturra defence lead Richard Campbell, chief executive officer of SME Gateway.

The 2026 Defence Innovation, Science and Technology Strategy identifies long-range fires and hypersonics, high-energy lasers, autonomous systems, quantum, artificial intelligence and undersea warfare as key priorities.

But translating these capabilities into an integrated force will require Defence to look beyond individual platforms and focus on the...

Australia's defence industry faces a period of growing consolidation and uncertainty, how is past procurement impacting national security of the future?

Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty, 127 East Advisory director Colin Storey, a former head of growth at Raytheon and Royal Australian Navy patrol boat navigator, discusses his analysis of major defence contracts awarded over the past decade and what the data reveals about Australia's defence industrial base.

Storey's analysis of 373 contracts found more than 27 per cent went directly through foreign military sales, while more than half of the remaining contracts went to...

Australia's push to develop autonomous ground systems has delivered promising prototypes and live-fire demonstrations, but land-based autonomy remains outside the Australian Defence Force's current priorities.

Speaking with news editor Robert Dougherty, Sightline Intelligence managing director Stephen Bornstein discusses the challenges facing Australia's emerging uncrewed ground vehicles sector and the growing importance of low-cost autonomous systems.

Cyborg Dynamics Engineering's Warfighter UGV progressed from a Queensland-developed platform into a military system, including live-fire Javelin and minigun trials in 2023. However, Bornstein says industry was already aware that land autonomy was being deprioritised ahead of the Defence Strategic Review.<...

AI is pushing financial institutions to modernise, but the answer is not to replace everything. Banks should focus on the technology, data, and processes that directly support business outcomes.

AI is putting modernisation back on the executive agenda as legacy systems increasingly limit banks' ability to adopt AI, access data in real time, and respond to regulatory and resilience demands. Atos executives Dee Lawler and Matthew Hughes argue modernisation is now a business issue, not simply a technology refresh.

"The objective to modernise isn't to modernise the technology or the most technology," Hughes says. "It's...

Cyber threats are becoming increasingly sophisticated, AI enabled and difficult to attribute, creating growing risks for Australia's defence networks, critical infrastructure and broader economy, according to Glenn Maiden, chief security officer and director of threat intelligence for Australia and New Zealand at Fortinet.

The cyber threat landscape is increasingly blurring the lines between state-sponsored actors, cyber criminals and issue-motivated groups.

For Defence, cyber operations offer adversaries the ability to create significant effects without the geographical constraints, cost or attribution challenges associated with conventional weapons.

The challenge for Defence and industry is therefore not...

AI is pushing financial institutions to modernise, but the answer is not to replace everything. Banks should focus on the technology, data, and processes that directly support business outcomes.

AI is putting modernisation back on the executive agenda as legacy systems increasingly limit banks' ability to adopt AI, access data in real time, and respond to regulatory and resilience demands. Atos executives Dee Lawler and Matthew Hughes argue modernisation is now a business issue, not simply a technology refresh.

"The objective to modernise isn't to modernise the technology or the most technology," Hughes says. "It's...

Daniel Croft and David Hollingworth break down the essential AI and security news of the week, from sovereign capability to cyber crime, and fighting property scams.

Hollingworth and Croft open the podcast with a breakdown of why Australian banks are standing up a new partnership program to promote the growth and adoption of local AI innovators – and explain why it's an important step in Australia's AI journey.

At the same time, NSW has said it is taking steps to combat the rise of AI in classrooms by tackling the technology and its impact on the HS...

Quantum technology could become a major force multiplier for Australia's future defence capabilities, according to Kendy Hau, head of defence at Fujitsu Australia, and Mahesh Krishnan, chief technology officer for Australia and New Zealand at Fujitsu Australia.

Quantum technology spans three key areas: quantum sensing, quantum communications, and quantum computing, each at different stages of maturity and offering distinct opportunities for Defence.

For Defence, the opportunity extends beyond quantum computing itself. Quantum-inspired technologies are already available and can help solve complex optimisation problems, while future quantum systems could work alongside high-performance computing and artificial intelligence.<...

How can digital engineering help Australia deliver faster, more capable, guided weapons programs?

In this special episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, news editor Robert Dougherty is joined by Dan Christie, chief technology officer and CEO of Australian Missile Corporation (AMC), and Pierre Marchadier, vice president of value engagement industry consultant at Dassault Systèmes.

The pair discuss AMC's new partnership with Dassault Systèmes and how model-based systems engineering (MBSE) is transforming mission engineering, systems design, and guided weapons development under the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) enterprise.

The podcast conversation in...

A dramatic political shift in Western Australia has put the major parties on notice and raised a much bigger question: what happens to Australia's national resilience when voters stop trusting the institutions that govern them?

Hosts Phillip Tarrant and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson examine the rise of populism in Australia and why growing political polarisation, cost-of-living pressures and economic frustration should be viewed through a national security lens.

They unpack the erosion of trust in government and institutions, the weakening of Australia's traditional political centre and the risk that social division creates opportunities...

Australia's commercial logistics network could become one of its greatest defence advantages, according to Steve Roughsedge, senior vice-president of Theatre Supply Chain within the government and defence division of Toll Group.

The shift from peacetime efficiency to resilience is already reshaping how the Australian Defence Force thinks about logistics. Australia's vast distances, limited transport corridors and vulnerability to weather disruption create challenges that cannot be solved simply by adding more military infrastructure.

The opportunity lies in infrastructure that already exists. Toll operates extensive transport, warehousing and distribution networks supporting Australia's resources sector, much of it...

Join David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft for this week's round-up of cyber security and artificial intelligence news!

The pair kick things off with the startling revelation that young Australians are turning to AI for their financial advice, as cost-of-living pressures bite. Can AI help get your finances in line? The jury is very definitely out.

Then it's on to the impact of cyber crime on Australian businesses, with a relative newcomer ransomware groups targeting Aussie car and automotive dealers. Is it happenstance, or have the hackers found a vulnerable third party, in common with all...

Recent public backlash over the suspected involvement of Pine Gap in the ongoing conflict with Iran has once again raised concerns about Australia's sovereignty, its status as an "imperial" province or valued partner and the future of Pine Gap and other US bases in the country.

The 300-person gathering at Pine Gap in Alice Springs signals a periodic spike rather than a structural acceleration of Australia's anti-bases movement, according to Dr Nicole Townsend, war studies lecturer and director of UNSW Canberra's Second World War Research Group, Asia-Pacific. Yet the movement's durability warrants close attention from defence industry...

Port Wakefield is not a replica of Camden. This distinction matters enormously. James Heading, director and general manager for missiles and fire control at Lockheed Martin Australia, has spent 18 months driving that message home to critics who dismiss the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System operation as mere assembly.

The risk reduction activity that concluded with successful live-fire testing earlier this year was never about final-form production. It was methodical de-risking: importing weapons kits from Arkansas, standing up Australian manufacturing processes, qualifying teams in explosive handling and weapons assembly, and crucially extracting the tacit knowledge embedded in American...