Defence & Security Podcast Network

In this edition of the weekly Inside Defence, hosts Phil Tarrant and Steve Kuper discuss the latest developments and issues shaping the Defence, defence industry and national security ecosystem this week.

Inside Defence is your source for all the very latest in Australian Defence, defence industry and national security policy news.

Tune in every week to hear hosts Phil Tarrant and Steve Kuper bring you the biggest stories over the past few days, covering everything you need to know about the issues, programs and developments shaping Australia's national security, defence and strategic relationships in the Indo-Pacific region.

In this episode, Phil and Steve discuss the recent partnership announcement between Rheinmetall Defence Australia and Queensland Gaskets in support of the RDA's LAND 400 Phase 3 bid to supply the Australian Army with its KF 41 Lynx IFV. They also discuss the Government's recent announcement of a $300 million investment into a submarine detection capability in WA, developments by Flinders University to help track terrorist through environmental testing, Royal Australian Air Force F-35s training with their US counterparts at Eglin Air Force Base.

Finally, the pair also discuss the implications of the multi-billion strategic reorientation and investment in defence capability announced by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, which is billed as the most significant strategic and defence policy shift for the United Kingdom since the end of the Cold War, with great power status once again on the agenda.

In this first edition of the weekly Inside Defence, hosts Phil Tarrant and Steve Kuper discuss the latest developments and issues shaping the Defence, defence industry and national security ecosystem this week.

What's Making Headlines is your source for all the very latest in Australian Defence, defence industry and national security policy news.

Tune in every week to hear hosts Phil Tarrant and Steve Kuper bring you the biggest stories over the past few days, covering everything you need to know about the issues, programs and developments shaping Australia's national security, defence and strategic relationships in the Indo-Pacific region.

In this episode, Phil and Steve discuss the Prime Minister's visit to Japan and the foundations of a new strategic partnership between the two nations and its impact on the Indo-Pacific. The pair also discuss the latest in the developments in the multibillion-dollar SEA 1000 submarine program, the latest round of contract developments for developing Australia's strategic defence training facilities and research and development programs enhancing the lethality of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

In this episode, Defence Connect Analyst and Editor, Steve Kuper is joined by Chris Deeble of Northrop Grumman Australia, Platinum Partner of the Australian Defence Industry Awards, and two finalists in the Engineer of the Year category: Claire Milton of CASG and Akhlaquor (Aka) Rahman of OPEC Systems.

The four discuss defence industry's response to the COVID pandemic and the way defence businesses of all sizes have pivoted to support the economic response and collaborated to support the Australian defence supply chain.

They also discuss Milton's transition from the Royal Australian Air Force to CASG and supporting some of Air Force's key air mobility programs and the evolution of Rahman's career as an engineer and speciality in fuel security for defence.

The four also deep dive into their immediate goals, objectives and challenges they foresee over the coming twelve to eighteen months and what they believe set them apart from the competition for this year's awards.

Defence Connect will continue to recognise the achievements of talented professionals in the lead up to the 2020 Australian Defence Industry Awards — despite a limited capacity to gather physically.

Registration is free for our live stream, which will be held at 8:15PM AEDT on Thursday, 26 November.

Register now to be a part of the Defence Connect 2020 Australian Defence Industry Awards Live Stream.

In this episode, Defence Connect Analyst and Editor, Steve Kuper is joined by Scott Thompson of Lockheed Martin Australia, Platinum Partner of the Australian Defence Industry Awards, and two finalists in the SME of the Year (Metro) category: Craig Maynard, of Axiom Precision Manufacturing and Matt Wilcox of FifthDomain.

The four discuss defence industry's response to the COVID pandemic and the way defence businesses of all sizes have pivoted to support the economic response and collaborated to support the Australian defence supply chain.

They also discuss the evolution of Axiom and its participation in the global F-35 program, Maynard also details the transition of the company from an automotive manufacturing company to a specialist, high-performance aerospace and defence manufacturing business.

Wilcox details the expansion of FifthDomain since its foundation and the growing recognition by Government and Defence industry that Australian SMEs are willing and capable of meeting the exacting cybersecurity requirements expected in a contested era.

The four also deep dive into their immediate goals, objectives and challenges they foresee over the coming twelve to eighteen months and what they believe set them apart from the competition for this year's awards.

Defence Connect will continue to recognise the achievements of talented professionals in the lead up to the 2020 Australian Defence Industry Awards — despite a limited capacity to gather physically.

Registration is free for our live stream, which will be held at 8:15PM AEDT on Thursday, 26 November.

Register now to be a part of the Defence Connect 2020 Australian Defence Industry Awards Live Stream.

In this episode, Defence Connect Analyst and Editor, Steve Kuper is joined by Michael Hardy from KBR, Principal Partner of the Australian Defence Industry Awards, and two finalists in the Naval Business of the Year category: John Giffard of OPSTAR and Clint Thomas of Serco Defence.

The four discuss defence industry's response to the COVID pandemic and the way defence businesses of all sizes have pivoted to support the economic response and collaborated to support the Australian defence supply chain.

They also discuss the ways in which Giffard and Thomas have supported their respective businesses through the challenges, the immediate goals and what they believe set them apart from the competition for this year's awards.

Defence Connect will continue to recognise the achievements of talented professionals in the lead up to the 2020 Australian Defence Industry Awards — despite a limited capacity to gather physically.

Registration is free for our live stream, which will be held at 8:15PM AEDT on Thursday, 26 November. Register now to be a part of the Defence Connect 2020 Australian Defence Industry Awards Live Stream.

President-elect Joe Biden promises a return to 'normality' for America's global engagement following the turmoil of the Trump administration, with direct impacts for Australia. On this episode of the Defence Connect: Insight podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant and Steve Kuper are joined by Stephen Loosley AM to discuss the fall out of the tumultuous US election and the election of Joe Biden. They cover the dramatic shift in foreign policy and the challenges that face a Biden administration in Europe, the Middle East and, critically for Australia, the Indo-Pacific. As part of this they unpack the Australia-US alliance and how it will move forward under the 46th President, including overhauling the nation's response to the COVID pandemic and setting the course for economic recovery. The trio also talk about the return to traditional alliance structures and enhancing the international order, abandoned by President Trump, and the importance they will play in reasserting American leadership in the face of great power competition and the way in which the US under President Biden will move to counter the increasingly belligerent rise of the People's Republic of China. Finally, they discuss the regional response to the election result and what nations throughout the Indo-Pacific are saying, as well as the economic impact for Australia and its regional partners over the coming decade.

Enjoy the podcast,

The Defence Connect team

South-east Asia is key to Australia's long-term economic and strategic stability, nurturing those relationships is critical to mutual security and stability. On this episode of the Defence Connect: Insight podcast, host Steve Kuper is joined by Ben Bland, director of the Southeast Asia Program at the Lowy Institute, where the pair discuss the transformation of south-east Asia since the end of the Cold War and Australia's place in it. The pair cover the growing importance of the Australia-Indonesia relationship as both nations navigate the defining factor of economic and strategic security in the region: the US-China relationship. Bland discusses his experience on the ground in Indonesia and the challenges facing Indonesia's long-term development in the coming decades, as well as the immense opportunities available to Australia in supporting the development of Indonesia. Finally, they talk about the response of south-east Asia to growing tensions in the South China Sea, the historic rivalries shaping the regional dynamics and the ramifications of rising tensions between mainland China and Taiwan. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team

BidWrite plays a pivotal role helping defence and industry communicate to meet capability requirements, while generating business in the hotly contested defence industrial ecosystem. On this episode of the Defence Connect podcast, host Steve Kuper is joined by Dr Rodger Manning and David Harvey, principal consultants at BidWrite, to discuss the evolving nature of responding to tenders to support the $270 billion Defence Strategic Update and the 2020 Force Structure Plan. The trio also cover the initial impact of COVID-19 on Defence and defence industry, the immense opportunity available to both primes and SMEs, and the way in which industry as a whole is evolving to the new normal. Dr Manning and Harvey also discuss the importance of getting the right balance when responding to the complex nature of Defence tenders, with key points of focusing on the customer's needs and the unique capacity the business brings to solving the challenges proposed by Defence. Finally, they talk about the varying challenges in the tendering process, breaking down language and technicalities in order to help both parties better understand one another's objectives.

Enjoy the podcast,

The Defence Connect Team

Beca draws on 100 years of experience delivering some of the region's most complex engineering and consulting challenges, with an expanded foothold in defence and defence industry firmly in the company's sights. On this Defence Connect Podcast, host Phil Tarrant is joined by Brendon Pett, operations manager trans-Tasman defence & national security at Beca, as they discuss the evolution of the company from a traditional multi-disciplinary, consulting engineering firm to a key supporter of both the Australian and New Zealand Defence Forces. The pair discuss the integral role Beca played in supporting the delivery and integration of the mission system upgrade for the Royal New Zealand Air Force's P-3K2 Orion anti-submarine warfare and maritime patrol aircraft. Pett and Tarrant also cover the role Beca plays in supporting the Sea Sprite helicopters in service with the Royal New Zealand Navy and the role collaborating with other local companies and major global defence primes has played in shaping Beca's capability offering. Finally, the pair discuss the evolving role and relationship Beca enjoys with both key stakeholders within Defence and global primes providing a fundamental input to capability, capable of meeting the demands of the end user. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect Team

Hawker Pacific is one of the leading aircraft sales and support companies in APAC, and one of the largest independent companies of its type in the region, with 800 employees. In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, host Phil Tarrant talks to the business' Vice President Regional Operations, Middle East and Pacific, Ian D'Arcy, about RBI Hawker, a collaboration between Hawker Pacific and Bell Helicopters that specialises in rotor blade repair. D'Arcy discusses the plan to bring a true home base to Australia after 15 years' experience in Dubai while looking at launching satellite operations in countries such as Papua New Guinea. He talks through the challenges and opportunities, and how the market is changing.

Enjoy the podcast,

The Defence Connect team