Defence & Security Podcast Network

With Dassault Systèmes looking to have substantial impact on the Australian shipbuilding industry of the future, marine and offshore industries vice president Alain Houard joins host Phil Tarrant at Pacific 2019 to discuss what that future looks like.

Houard will discuss Dassault Systèmes previous Australian projects and explain the virtual shipyard program, revealing why it is breaking new ground by ensuring the development of the best possible product in the most cost-effective and environmentally minded manner. He will also address the importance of cultivating the right talent for upcoming defence projects, discuss the relationship between government and defence industry, and forecast Dassault Systèmes future Australian defence involvement.

Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team

Joining the Defence Connect podcast at Pacific 2019, Leonardo executive chairman Michael Lenton, in a follow-up to his featured episode at the same exposition two years prior, covers the workings of one of the most active businesses in the Australian defence industry since the 1800s.

Recorded live at Pacific 2019, Lenton and podcast host Phil Tarrant discuss the journey that Leonardo has been embarked on since being awarded the SEA 1442 program contract, a multi-phase contract to provide a maritime communications and information exchange architecture to meet the Australian Defence Force's requirements for network-centric warfare in a maritime setting, with Leonardo subsidiary Selex ES Australia delivering the majority of the works.

Lenton also discusses the future of Leonardo in Australia and its focus on the local defence industry.

Enjoy the podcast,

The Defence Connect team

Joining the Defence Connect podcast, Mark Goldsack of the UK government's Defence & Security Organisation discusses how the UK government and industry are working to support the development of a sovereign industry capability.

Speaking to host Phil Tarrant at Pacific 2019, Goldsack discusses the growing relationships between the Australian and British Type 26 teams and how the lessons learned in the UK are informing Australia's sovereign naval shipbuilding ambitions.

Goldsack also highlights the importance placed on interoperability at both the military and industrial level and how both governments are seeking to maximise the joint efforts to develop interlinked and sustainable industry and defence capabilities. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team

Two years have passed since the announcement of the integration of Aegis into the Royal Australian Navy by global security and aerospace company Lockheed Martin Australia. Defence Connect podcast host Phil Tarrant catches up with the organisation's director of business development, Neale Prescott, and its program manager of surface maritime, Rob Milligan, at Pacific 2019 to find out how the project has developed since 2017. They break down the details of the Aegis combat system, the commonalities and points of difference between Australian and overseas implementation, and future projections for Lockheed Martin's collaboration with Hunter Class frigates.

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The Defence Connect team

Host Phil Tarrant is joined at Pacific 2019 by John 'JP' Smith, general manager of defence at consulting firm Noetic Group.

Smith conveys the role of Noetic's work in the Australian defence landscape, what the environment is like for consulting businesses that address the 'harder edge' of government matters, and how his organisation balances tackling issues of the moment with preparing for the future. He also shares the key attributes and skills necessary to succeed in his role, how his company recruits the right people, and details about the unique graduate program offered by Noetic.

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The Defence Connect team

On this episode of the Defence Connect podcast, host Phil Tarrant discusses the newly established Australian Maritime Development Centre with its interim chair Peter Davie, enterprise professor of defence technologies Dr Len Sciacca, and vice president for international development and cooperation at Naval Group, Francois Duthoit.

Recorded live at Pacific 2019, the conversation clarifies the centre's mission and areas of focus, how it aims to instigate a shift towards a more collaborative culture amongst research and development entities, and the subsequent potential for enhancement of Australian capabilities.

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The Defence Connect team

Joining the Defence Connect podcast at Pacific 2017, QinetiQ's non-executive director, Raydon Gates, spoke of ambitious growth targets and how they were planning to capitalise on increased government spending in the defence sector. Two years on, Gates reflects on that growth and deep dives into the importance of test and evaluation in the defence industry. Joining host Phil Tarrant at Pacific 2019, Gates and his colleague George McGuire, general manager of operations and delivery at QinetiQ, share why test and evaluation is integral for the welfare of people, systems and ongoing design. They discuss the important differences between simulated tests and real-world situational testing, explaining why the latter is so integral, and explain how the work being completed with test and evaluation today will shape the defence sector of tomorrow.

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The Defence Connect team

Paul Papalia first joined the Defence Connect Podcast at Pacific 2017 to discuss the opportunities that the 2016 Defence White Paper presented to Western Australia in cementing the region as a defence industry leader. Two years on, he joins us at Pacific 2019 to reflect on the progress that has been seen, discuss the general sentiment towards defence in the area, and reveal why there are many reasons for WA to be optimistic in the current defence climate.

Minister Papalia explains the prominent role that WA plays in the trade economy with China, discusses his role as Tourism Minister for the region, and unpacks the WA Defence and Defence Industries Strategic Plan and how this will further raise awareness of the already thriving defence sector in WA on a global scale.

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The Defence Connect team

In this special episode recorded live at Pacific 2019, host Phil Tarrant is joined by Lockheed Martin's Michael Oliver, the future submarine combat systems integration program director, and Dr John Towers, the human systems integration lead, to discuss their roles in the Future Submarine Program.

They discuss their current engagement with academia and the SME sector and the opportunities available to those seeking involvement, how Lockheed is attracting and cultivating the right talent for the various roles that the program has created, and how previous design expertise is being utilised in the development of the program to best meet the needs of the end user.

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The Defence Connect team

In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, Chief of the Royal Australian Navy, Vice Admiral Michael Noonan joins Phil Tarrant at Pacific 2019 to discuss how the Navy is effectively adapting to change in the Australian defence landscape. VADM Noonan details how the Navy has been able to reach its highest number of members in 25 years and the action being taken to ensure the most talented individuals are recruited and retained. He also explains the importance of assets and equipment reflecting modern advancements, particularly with regard to communication, and projects how the Navy will incorporate technological advancements into the future. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team