In this News Review episode, Grant McHerron, Nigel Pittaway and Ben Felton review and discuss some of the recent news of interest that's occurred in the world of Defence since early December.

We start off noting that the government has shifted into election mode with plenty of announcements with almost every quote in the announcement stating that the "Albanese government" has done something, as opposed to only one of the quotes being written in this manner. We discuss Minister Conroy's recent announcements regarding ASCA, Mission Black Thorn, and funding to support local industry joining AUKUS supply chains. We also look at Boeing's fourth quarter results which were released on the day we recorded, noting that their Defense, Space & Security division expects to have pre-tax charges of US$1.7 billion across the KC-46A, T-7A, Starliner, VC-25B and MQ-25 programs.

Next up is news from across the ditch with the RNZN not replacing HMNZS Manawanui that sank off Samoa last year, but will instead use HMNZS Otago to pick up much of the work previously tasked to Manawanui. Additionally the NZDF have launched an RFT to cover replacement of the RNZAF's aging Boeing 757 K2 fleet with the Airbus A321NEO (either the LR or XLR variant) and the Boeing 737 Max 8 being the acceptable platforms. Finally the RNZAF C-130Hs are commencing retirement as all the new C-130Js are in the country, and 60 new utility vehicles from Spain's UROVESA have been ordered to replace a quarter of the existing Unimog and Pinzgauer fleet.

We wrap the episode with a discussion on the Army's sea boats replacement transitioning to an FMS order from the US Navy instead of a local solution, the release of the Naval Shipbuilding and Sustainment Plan and Review of the ADF Reserves on the last working days of December, and Nigel talks about his visits to Japan to view the Mogami Frigate and to the USA to visit a number of Lockheed Martin production facilities.

LINKS:

Defence opts for FMS to replace Army sea boats:

www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/defence-opts-for-fms-to-replace-army-sea-boats

HMNZS Manawanui will not be replaced, Government says:

www.1news.co.nz/2025/01/19/hmnzs-manawanui-will-not-be-replaced-government-says

Strategic Review of the Australian Defence Force Reserves:

www.defence.gov.au/about/reviews-inquiries/strategic-review-of-the-adf-reserves

Defence releases Naval Shipbuilding and Sustainment Plan

www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/defence-releases-naval-shipbuilding-and-sustainment-plan

------------------

The ADM Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of Australian Defence Magazine, a Yaffa Media title (www.australiandefence.com.au).

The views of the people appearing on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of Australian Defence Magazine, the Department of Defence or the guests' employer.

If you wish to use any of this podcast's audio, please contact Australian Defence Magazine via their website www.australiandefence.com.au or email them via [email protected] to get involved.

ADM Podcasts are a blend of public interest journalism and sponsored content with a focus on the Defence community. Conversations with leaders and thinkers from a range of backgrounds including academia, Defence, industry, and associations. ADM Podcasts aims to educate, explain and explore some of the bigger issues around Defence.

For sponsored content opportunities, please contact ADM Associate Publisher Kylie Leonard and/or National Sales Manager Michael Flanagan.

Hosted by Grant McHerron

Producer: Steve Visscher

Australian Defence Magazine - © 2025

In this News Review episode, Grant McHerron, Nigel Pittaway and Ben Felton review and discuss some of the recent news of interest published on the ADM site.

We start off looking at the recent agreement for RAAF KC-30As to refuel Indian P-8Is at any time, not just in exercises, and how this will likely expand to cover their other aircraft. We also touch on India's unique position of dealing with Western countries as well as Russia, and their blue water anti-submarine capability.

The discussion then moves on to the recent down-select of SEA 3000 options to TKMS and MHI but it appears that the designs being discussed aren't really those already in the water. Certainly there will be issues such as the need to meet Australian regulations but if we're creating a new design then it could be Hunter Frigates all over again, let alone having "orphan" vessels with unique combat, radar and communications systems. There's also the question of whether this will be decided before the 2025 federal election and, if so, whether the resulting government will change the agreement afterwards.

Meanwhile, the LCH design has been awarded to Damen in the Netherlands but we note that it was as a sole-source tender with no indication of why Birdon's design, which is attacting attention from the US Army, wasn't selected. We also hope that Austal won't experience a "valley of death" between completing their remaining vessels and commencing the LCM builds which has not yet been locked in.

We wrap the episode with a discussion of Fleet Space's work with DSTG on the ASCEND2LEO program which has seen their Centauri 6 LEO satellite demonstrate data and voice for the ADF. The final observation is that the Dec/Jan issue of ADM will be arriving in January with the annual Industry Top 40 information, which should make for interesting reading.

LINKS:

RAAF signs AAR agreement with India

www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/raaf-signs-aar-agreement-with-india

Project Sea 3000 down to three designs

www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/project-sea-3000-down-to-three-designs

Damen design selected for LCH

www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/damen-design-selected-for-lch

Fleet Space Technologies demos data and voice for ADF:

www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/fleet-space-technologies-demos-data-and-voice-for-adf

------------------

The ADM Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of Australian Defence Magazine, a Yaffa Media title (www.australiandefence.com.au).

The views of the people appearing on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of Australian Defence Magazine, the Department of Defence or the guests' employer.

If you wish to use any of this podcast's audio, please contact Australian Defence Magazine via their website www.australiandefence.com.au or email them via [email protected] to get involved.

ADM Podcasts are a blend of public interest journalism and sponsored content with a focus on the Defence community. Conversations with leaders and thinkers from a range of backgrounds including academia, Defence, industry, and associations. ADM Podcasts aims to educate, explain and explore some of the bigger issues around Defence.

For sponsored content opportunities, please contact ADM Associate Publisher Kylie Leonard and/or National Sales Manager Michael Flanagan.

Hosted by Grant McHerron

Producer: Steve Visscher

Australian Defence Magazine - © 2024

In this episode, Grant McHerron and Ben Felton talk with David Wiseman, Vice President for Secure Communications at BlackBerry, about ensuring mobile communications can remain secure.

We start the discussion by getting an overview of David’s talk ‘Spying on mobile’ at the Military Communications and Information Systems (MilCIS) Conference, which highlights the need for sovereign communication systems. David shares his views on the recent hack of US telecom networks in the lead up to their election, giving us an insight into the vulnerabilities and implications that such attacks involve, and the value that metadata is presenting for wiretapping operations. We also discuss how Australia could be at risk for similar attacks, and how BlackBerry has designed their technology to protect calls, texts, messages, and files whilst still ensuring they can be shared in real-time. 

We wrap up with David giving us his opinion on what leaders in Australia should be doing to mitigate the growing risks of communications spills, the implications of conversations being exposed, as well as how sovereign secured communication systems can be established.

LINKS:

BlackBerry secure communications:

www.blackberry.com/us/en/products/secusuite?utm_medium=paid_digital&utm_source=adm-podcast&utm_campaign=fy25-q3_secusmart-uem-ues_milcis-canberra_ev_anz&utm_content=secure-comms-podcast

------------------

The ADM Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of Australian Defence Magazine, a Yaffa Media title (www.australiandefence.com.au).

The views of the people appearing on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of Australian Defence Magazine, the Department of Defence or the guests' employer.

If you wish to use any of this podcast's audio, please contact Australian Defence Magazine via their website www.australiandefence.com.au or email them via [email protected] to get involved.

ADM Podcasts are a blend of public interest journalism and sponsored content with a focus on the Defence community. Conversations with leaders and thinkers from a range of backgrounds including academia, Defence, industry, and associations. ADM Podcasts aims to educate, explain and explore some of the bigger issues around Defence.

For sponsored content opportunities, please contact ADM Associate Publisher Kylie Leonard and/or National Sales Manager Michael Flanagan.

Hosted by Grant McHerron

Producer: Steve Visscher

Australian Defence Magazine - © 2024

In this News Review episode, Grant McHerron, Nigel Pittaway and Ben Felton review and discuss some of the recent news of interest published on the ADM site.

We open the discussion by looking at the big news from Defence that JP9102 for a Geostationary communications satellite capability is no longer going ahead as originally intended (aka it's pretty much been cancelled). It's not surprising given the ways a satellite can be compromised these days, along with the transition to Low Earth Orbit constellations for sensing & comms, and the need for agility with construction and launch of replacements.

Next up are the recent Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordinance announcements, including Thales Australia being contracted to establish a 155mm shell construction line, despite Nioa having an existing facility that produces 155mm shells for Germany. We discuss the differences between US 155mm and European 155mm shells along with the effort required to obtain certification for Australian built munitions to be used with US weapons and aircraft.

We start wrapping up the episode by looking at the Black Hawk fleet numbers and their uses as they ramp up the new capability, the ANAO looking into the MRH-90 disposal process, and our latest donations to Ukraine of M1A1 Abrams, RHIBs and JDAM-ERs. We also have a quick chat about the recent Senate Estimates hearings and some of the highlights from a Defence perspective.

LINKS:

Defence confirms JP9102 cancellation:

www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/defence-confirms-jp9102-cancellation

Government announces GWEO initiatives:

www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/government-announces-gweo-initiatives

Army Black Hawk fleet hits ten airframes:

www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/army-black-hawk-fleet-hits-ten-airframes

Ukraine to receive Australian Abrams:

www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/ukraine-to-receive-australian-abrams

Australia to donate RHIBs to Ukraine:

www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/australia-to-donate-rhibs-to-ukraine

Australian JDAM-ERs sent to Ukraine:

www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/australian-jdam-ers-sent-to-ukraine

------------------

The ADM Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of Australian Defence Magazine, a Yaffa Media title (www.australiandefence.com.au).

The views of the people appearing on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of Australian Defence Magazine, the Department of Defence or the guests' employer.

If you wish to use any of this podcast's audio, please contact Australian Defence Magazine via their website www.australiandefence.com.au or email them via [email protected] to get involved.

ADM Podcasts are a blend of public interest journalism and sponsored content with a focus on the Defence community. Conversations with leaders and thinkers from a range of backgrounds including academia, Defence, industry, and associations. ADM Podcasts aims to educate, explain and explore some of the bigger issues around Defence.

For sponsored content opportunities, please contact ADM Associate Publisher Kylie Leonard and/or National Sales Manager Michael Flanagan.

Hosted by Grant McHerron

Producer: Steve Visscher

Australian Defence Magazine - © 2024

In this episode, Grant McHerron and Ben Felton talk with Giles Evans who is the Director of Nuclear Consulting at ADCG and Co-Founding CTO of Australian Nuclear Power. We discuss the steps that need to be taken for Australia to acquire nuclear capable submarines.

We start by getting an overview of Giles’ extensive naval career, then move into discussions surrounding the likelihood of whether the US will increase production to authorise Virginia sub-delivery, whether nuclear capability is worth the immense financial investment, and the benefits of joining nations in operating nuclear submarines. We also look at the infrastructure that would be required to have a rotational and permanent force, plus get an insight into whether Australia should only focus on setting up the necessary infrastructure and supplying crew for US/UK submarines rather than also building and operating our own fleet.

Lastly, the discussion wraps up by unpacking the infrastructure challenges surrounding our lack of testing centres, docks, jetties, and trained operators. 

LINKS:

Australian Defence Consultancy Group:

www.adcg.com.au

Government announces Henderson consolidation:

www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/government-announces-henderson-consolidation

Industry responds to new Henderson precinct:

www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/industry-responds-to-new-henderson-precinct

------------------

The ADM Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of Australian Defence Magazine, a Yaffa Media title (www.australiandefence.com.au).

The views of the people appearing on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of Australian Defence Magazine, the Department of Defence or the guests' employer.

If you wish to use any of this podcast's audio, please contact Australian Defence Magazine via their website www.australiandefence.com.au or email them via [email protected] to get involved.

ADM Podcasts are a blend of public interest journalism and sponsored content with a focus on the Defence community. Conversations with leaders and thinkers from a range of backgrounds including academia, Defence, industry, and associations. ADM Podcasts aims to educate, explain and explore some of the bigger issues around Defence.

For sponsored content opportunities, please contact ADM Associate Publisher Kylie Leonard and/or National Sales Manager Michael Flanagan.

Hosted by Grant McHerron

Producer: Steve Visscher

Australian Defence Magazine - © 2024

In this News Review episode, Grant McHerron, Ewen Levick and Ben Felton review and discuss some of the recent news of interest published on the ADM site.

We start with a discussion about the big announcement of the Henderson consolidation which was reported as involving billions but actually only committed a relatively small amount for breakwater extensions and a three year study. This leads us to a discussion of the fallacy of Defence as a method of economic growth, alternate funding mechanisms, and the concept of patriotic capital for funding national security.

Next up was the announcement of a Foreign Military Sales case starting for purchase of SM-6 and SM-2IIIC missiles, but there was no notification from the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency, unless that was done a while ago and we're finally acting on it? We then acknowledge that a sovereign missile construction capability would have to be producing products for international sales as the Australian market isn't large enough to make local production economical. Production in Australia can also enhance resilience in supply chains and complicate things for adversaries by increasing the number of routes to block.

We wrap the episode with a discussion of the recent ADM Australia-Defence Congress and KADEX events, the presence of Australian industry, Defence and CASG representatives, and the increasing number of Korean companies who are looking to diversify into other markets through partnerships with Australian companies, especially in space industry.

LINKS:

Government announces Henderson consolidation:

www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/government-announces-henderson-consolidation

Defence Financing Summit:

admevents.com.au/defence-financing-summit

Defence announces SM-6, SM-2IIIC order:

www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/defence-announces-sm-6-sm-2iiic-order

ADM Australia-Korea Defence Congress:

admevents.com.au/adm-australia-korea-defence-congress

KADEX 2024 becomes the largest ever:

www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/kadex-2024-becomes-the-largest-ever

------------------

The ADM Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of Australian Defence Magazine, a Yaffa Media title (www.australiandefence.com.au).

The views of the people appearing on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of Australian Defence Magazine, the Department of Defence or the guests' employer.

If you wish to use any of this podcast's audio, please contact Australian Defence Magazine via their website www.australiandefence.com.au or email them via [email protected] to get involved.

ADM Podcasts are a blend of public interest journalism and sponsored content with a focus on the Defence community. Conversations with leaders and thinkers from a range of backgrounds including academia, Defence, industry, and associations. ADM Podcasts aims to educate, explain and explore some of the bigger issues around Defence.

For sponsored content opportunities, please contact ADM Associate Publisher Kylie Leonard and/or National Sales Manager Michael Flanagan.

Hosted by Grant McHerron

Producer: Steve Visscher

Australian Defence Magazine - © 2024

In this episode, Grant McHerron talks with Pieter Penhall, Defence Systems Engineering Specialist, and Sam Mancarella, Systems Engineering Director, from MEMKO about their Non-Intrusive Flight Test Instrumentation (NIFTI) system.

We start the discussion by getting an overview of how MEMKO was founded, the engineering and digital aerospace ecosystems they primarily operate in, as well as the scope and development of their NIFTI system. We get an insight into how NIFTI operates across different levels of testing from props to jets, the scalability and flexibility it provides, and the expected timeline for future capability developments. The discussion also explores how the NIFTI Sensor Nodes are attached and removed from the airframe, with considerations surrounding adhesives and airframe surfaces. 

We wrap up by getting a sneak peak into NIFTI’s upcoming developments with new harnesses, sensor nodes, and node connection methods.

LINKS:

MEMKO: memko.com.au

NIFTI: nifti.aero

------------------

The ADM Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of Australian Defence Magazine, a Yaffa Media title (www.australiandefence.com.au).

The views of the people appearing on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of Australian Defence Magazine, the Department of Defence or the guests' employer.

If you wish to use any of this podcast's audio, please contact Australian Defence Magazine via their website www.australiandefence.com.au or email them via [email protected] to get involved.

ADM Podcasts are a blend of public interest journalism and sponsored content with a focus on the Defence community. Conversations with leaders and thinkers from a range of backgrounds including academia, Defence, industry, and associations. ADM Podcasts aims to educate, explain and explore some of the bigger issues around Defence.

For sponsored content opportunities, please contact ADM Associate Publisher Kylie Leonard and/or National Sales Manager Michael Flanagan.

Hosted by Grant McHerron

Producer: Steve Visscher

Australian Defence Magazine - © 2024

In this episode, Grant McHerron and Ben Felton talk with Dr Matthew Ilich, National Solutions Specialist for Defence at Vocus, about Low Earth Orbit Satellite Communications as a tool for diplomacy and humanitarian aid.

We kick off the discussion by getting a background of Mathew’s path into communications and his experiences in the Army. We review the evolution of LEO SatComs technology and their applications in the field, and its suitability for Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief (HADR) scenarios due to their portability, consistent coverage, and high data speeds. We also explore operational prioritisations for low, mid, and geostationary satcoms, involving considerations with ensuring encryption, privatised solutions, and the parties involved in the operation. The discussion also dives into real world experiences of deploying LEO communications, with insights into the planning involved, possible sources of service disruptions, and the retention of radio technologies. 

We wrap up by considering the possible diplomatic risks involved with deploying LEO SatCom during disasters, and the increased competition that the space is seeing.

LINKS:

Vocus Satellite Comms: www.vocus.com.au/enterprise/connectivity/satellite-services

------------------

The ADM Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of Australian Defence Magazine, a Yaffa Media title (www.australiandefence.com.au).

The views of the people appearing on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of Australian Defence Magazine, the Department of Defence or the guests' employer.

If you wish to use any of this podcast's audio, please contact Australian Defence Magazine via their website www.australiandefence.com.au or email them via [email protected] to get involved.

ADM Podcasts are a blend of public interest journalism and sponsored content with a focus on the Defence community. Conversations with leaders and thinkers from a range of backgrounds including academia, Defence, industry, and associations. ADM Podcasts aims to educate, explain and explore some of the bigger issues around Defence.

For sponsored content opportunities, please contact ADM Associate Publisher Kylie Leonard and/or National Sales Manager Michael Flanagan.

Hosted by Grant McHerron

Editor: Chris Visscher

Producer: Steve Visscher

Australian Defence Magazine - © 2024

In this News Review episode, Grant McHerron, Nigel Pittaway and Ben Felton review and discuss some of the recent news of interest published on the ADM site.

We start by discussing the United States approving another 100 AGM-88G AARGM-ER missiles for sale to Australia, noting that it's in addition to the 63 approved last year and that exact numbers being purchased are unknown as these allow "up to" 163 to be purchased. Following this we move on to Australia saying they won't integrate the UK's Stingray torpedo on RAAF P-8As despite implications from the UK Secretar of State for Defence implying all three AUKUS nations would.

We then talk about BAE's STRIX unmanned aircraft looking different when displayed at Land Forces last month, indications that its powertrain has changed, and that it is scheduled to fly later in October. We also comment on BAE developing STRIX and ATLAS for international customers while Army and RAN are interested, there's no funds until the 2026 Integrated Investment Program.

The episode wraps up with a look at the Laser Directed Energy Weapon work being performed by DSTG and QinetiQ, which is combining QinetiQ UK's work on the DragonFire project with DSTG's own research on lasers and amplifiers.

LINKS:

Defence to acquire more anti-radar missiles:

www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/defence-to-acquire-more-anti-radar-missiles

Australia won't integrate Stingray torpedo aboard P-8A fleet:

www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/australia-won-t-integrate-stingray-torpedo-aboard-p-8a-fleet

BAE Systems prepares STRIX for flight:

www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/bae-systems-prepares-strix-for-flight

Sovereign Lasers for future air defence:

www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/sovereign-lasers-for-future-air-defence

------------------

The ADM Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of Australian Defence Magazine, a Yaffa Media title (www.australiandefence.com.au).

The views of the people appearing on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of Australian Defence Magazine, the Department of Defence or the guests' employer.

If you wish to use any of this podcast's audio, please contact Australian Defence Magazine via their website www.australiandefence.com.au or email them via [email protected] to get involved.

ADM Podcasts are a blend of public interest journalism and sponsored content with a focus on the Defence community. Conversations with leaders and thinkers from a range of backgrounds including academia, Defence, industry, and associations. ADM Podcasts aims to educate, explain and explore some of the bigger issues around Defence.

For sponsored content opportunities, please contact ADM Associate Publisher Kylie Leonard and/or National Sales Manager Michael Flanagan.

Hosted by Grant McHerron

Producer: Steve Visscher

Editor: Chris Visscher

Australian Defence Magazine - © 2024

In this episode, we present the last of the interviews we recorded at Land Forces 2024.

John Fry, Managing Director of Kongsberg Defence Australia:

John updates us on the delivery of Kongsberg Defence Australia's components of the NASAMS Air Defence system to Army, the StrikeMaster launcher for the Naval Strike Missile Coastal Defence System that employs the Thales Bushmaster flatbed utility vehicle, the accelerated acquisition and successful live firing of NSM at RIMPAC, the delivery of Joint Strike Missiles for the RAAF’s F35 by next year. The discussion also reviews the opening of their Adelaide production facility, timelines for their recently announced missile manufacturing and maintenance facility in Newcastle, and the continued focus on sovereign supply and production.

David Wiseman, Vice President of Secure Communications at BlackBerry:

We discuss how BlackBerry's focus on security, mobile communications, and trust has supported its pivot from mobile devices into a backbone of secured communications used by governments, defence, and banks globally. We discuss a few of its methods and tiers of protection, the risks involved with self registered encrypted chat systems such as WhatsApp, and how its systems are used by NATO to communicate between parties. We also review how BlackBerry certifies and guarantees its secure transmission systems, and their ongoing mission to proactively respond to new and emerging cyber threats, stopping attacks before they execute with advanced AI.

Allen Dickson, Head of Sales (EMEA) at BlackBerry AtHoc:

We discuss BlackBerry's critical event management platform which provides two way communication that circumvents network compromises and retains integral metadata for reporting. The platform has extensive applications and integration opportunities to disseminate important information to the correct person in the right location at the right time. We discuss the system's ability to considerably improve critical response times from emergency and defence services and review examples of its use.

LINKS:

Kongsberg Defence Australia: www.kongsberg.com/kda/Who-we-are/australia

Kongsberg news on ADM: www.australiandefence.com.au/search?q=kongsberg

BlackBerry secure communications: www.blackberry.com/us/en/solutions/secure-communication

BlackBerry AtHoc: www.blackberry.com/us/en/products/critical-event-management

------------------

The ADM Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of Australian Defence Magazine, a Yaffa Media title (www.australiandefence.com.au).

The views of the people appearing on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of Australian Defence Magazine, the Department of Defence or the guests' employer.

If you wish to use any of this podcast's audio, please contact Australian Defence Magazine via their website www.australiandefence.com.au or email them via [email protected] to get involved.

ADM Podcasts are a blend of public interest journalism and sponsored content with a focus on the Defence community. Conversations with leaders and thinkers from a range of backgrounds including academia, Defence, industry, and associations. ADM Podcasts aims to educate, explain and explore some of the bigger issues around Defence.

For sponsored content opportunities, please contact ADM Associate Publisher Kylie Leonard and/or National Sales Manager Michael Flanagan.

Hosted by Grant McHerron

Producer: Steve Visscher

Australian Defence Magazine - © 2024