Defence & Security Podcast Network

"Right now in Australia, within the defence industry ... although we're competitors, we work together, and we can work together well. Those partnerships and those teaming arrangements to deliver the best capability to the customer is what we're all focused on. It's not about us doing it on our own. Whether it's with SMEs or whether it's some of our bigger partners ... we're here to deliver the best capability that we can to the Australian Defence Force." This week on the Defence Connect Podcast, we introduce you to BAE Systems Australia's new chief executive Gabby Costigan. Costigan, an ex-colonel in the Australian Army, takes us through her illustrious career starting with her time in the Australian Defence Force, her experience working with NATO, her deployment to Afghanistan where she worked in logistics, followed by her posting to the US where she went to Central Command in Tampa, before leaving Defence and finding her way to the role of CEO for Linfox Asia. Tune in as the logistics and supply chain expert talks us through the bids BAE Systems has put forward for major projects AIR 2025 Phase 6 JORN, LAND 400 and SEA 5000, mobilising the workforce for these projects and the prime's collaboration with Australia's SMEs.

Colin Thorne joined KPMG Australia's Management Consulting division in November 2015 to lead its Engineering and Asset Management Advisory business – a diverse entity that aims to support Australia's defence sector. An electronics engineer with more than 30 years' experience in the defence sector, much of it specialising in the acquisition and sustainment of airborne surveillance systems, Colin shares his story of transition from the military to the corporate sector – and his views on the opportunity for defence industry in the years ahead. Having retired from the Royal Australian Air Force in 2013 at the rank of Air Vice-Marshal, Colin was responsible for the acquisition and sustainment of all Australian Defence Force fixed wing aircraft. Speaking to Defence Connect's Phillip Tarrant, he gives insights to his time in the military leading these major programs, the skills garnered to support his career in defence industry and the key priorities for KPMG. www.defenceconnect.com.au

"Industry has come from a background of they've had to pursue projects on a project by project basis, and the department has pretty much let contracts on a project by project basis without taking a broader view of developing an integrated and comprehensive industry base. There's some great people in defence industry of course, but the leadership and the culture of the defence industry will have to mature somewhat to reflect this newfound national sovereign responsibility." This week on the Defence Connect Podcast, former CEO of the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) and current chairman of Navantia Australia Warren King joins us to talk us through his 50 years of experience within Defence and defence industry, and what Navantia has offered as key components of its SEA 5000 bid. King takes us through his beginnings as a Navy apprentice, his time when he was seconded to the US Navy, what he learned from working in an SME and his eventual rise to CEO of the DMO. The chair of Northrop Grumman Australia's advisory board offers his advice for those leaving the military, how Defence can achieve the most from its 2016 Defence White Paper ambitions and the need to grow leadership within defence industry.

Newly minted senator for South Australia and former submariner Rex Patrick is already making waves within Parliament and Defence, and this week he joins the Defence Connect Podcast to talk us through his ambitions for the job and what we can expect to see from him in 2018. The former defence industry contractor takes us through his defence and political career so far, starting from his 11 years in the Navy, his work with then opposition spokesman for defence David Johnston and his role as media adviser to Nick Xenophon. In this no holds barred podcast, Patrick explains the role he played in revealing that there was a leak within Naval Group to the Australian government, what this means for the Future Submarines project and how he hopes to see Australia develop a sovereign shipbuilding capability.

This week on the Defence Connect Podcast, Rojone managing director Livia Brady takes us through the ins and outs of running a successful business in the defence industry sector. Formally established by Brady's mother in the 1981, Rojone has gone from selling cable assemblies to unique voice interactive GPS vehicle tracking systems, through to high performance commercial and military components. Brady discusses how the business has grown with the advancement of technology in the field, equipping Defence with communication technologies, how she has learnt to run a successful SME, how small businesses can learn to add value to major primes and the future of manufacturing in Australia's defence industry. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team.

"Defence is making it clear to all the primes, local and international, that they do need to engage local industry and to engage them in meaningful work, not just superficial type work. And as a result, they're all knocking on the doors of SMEs and trying to establish partnerships in areas to work together." This week on the Defence Connect Podcast, president of AIDN NSW and Milspec Manufacturing business development manager Medhat Wassef joins us to discuss the future of small to medium sized businesses in the defence industry and how Australia can create a successful defence export industry by emulating the US and UK models. Wassef takes us through the history of Milspec Manufacturing, his three decades of experience in defence and now the defence industry, and offers his advice to SMEs looking to make it in the defence space. https://www.defenceconnect.com.au/

"We can be listening under the sea. We can be observing with cameras the surface of the ocean. We can be listening with electronic sensors for other electronic signatures, and then we can be transmitting them back. One can do that, but a fleet of these things can do so much more. If you had a number of these, for example, off the north of Australia, for a fraction of the cost of a ship, you could have these things out there 24/7, continuous coverage at low cost, and nobody in harm's way." Robert Dane, chief executive and founder of NSW business OCIUS Technology, joins the Defence Connect Podcast to discuss the potential for unmanned surface vessels (USVs) in the defence space and how the technology is continuing to expand to play a key role in filling capability gaps. Dane has taken his passion for the environment and recreational sailing and, together with the team at OCIUS and its 20-plus years of experience, created the Bluebottle USV – the 'satellite of the sea'. The autonomous data gathering and communications platform offers a unique solar sail, continuous and wide coverage, reduced operational costs and harvests all the weather on the ocean; the sun, the wind and the waves so it can advance under all conditions and can remain at sea for months at a time. The Intel Environment Laureate and WWF Future Maker recipient takes us through the immense applications the technology can offer defence, its recent success demonstrating its incorporation of a Thales thin line array to allow the Bluebottle to engage in anti-submarine warfare and the USV's potential to aid the Navy and Collins Class submarines before the Future Submarines come online.

This week on the Defence Connect Podcast, social media expert Nicole Matejic joins us to discuss the growing influence of social media in the defence sector. Matejic, a former strategic communications and ministerial services specialist for Defence, takes us through the changing world of Defence in the age of social media, the advent of ISIS, and social media in a conflict environment. An instructor for and speaker to NATO, Matejic gives us her perspective on how Defence can embrace social media as an asset rather than a threat and the value it holds in recruitment. www.defenceconnect.com.au

"I know we're winning a lot of work. We haven't got the headline jobs, where they're building the submarines, the land forces contracts ... There's a lot of capability goes into those projects from New South Wales." Executive director of the Industry Capability Network NSW Peter Webster joins the Defence Connect Podcast to discuss the organisation's service as "an industrial dating service", its role in targeting big spend Defence projects and building up the capabilities of NSW businesses. Webster takes us through the organisation's ambitions to create more effective ways for primes and SMEs to communicate and capitalise on Defence spending, its supply chain development services and how NSW can target the lucrative through-life support contracts of major projects. http://www.defenceconnect.com.au

UK-Australian defence collaboration has always been strong, supported by a shared history, alliance, commonality of objectives and a deep understanding of purpose. Opportunities to capitalise on increased Australian government defence spending is attracting international interest from companies seeking to enter our domestic supply chain. The UK government and UK businesses are particularly active in this regards, leveraging the connectivity between our two nations to win defence work. Join Defence Connect host Phil Tarrant as he speaks with head of the Defence and Security Organisation within UK Trade & Investment Stephen Phipson CBE, who gives insight into UK trade expansion strategy, and how his department is promoting UK interests abroad. http://www.defenceconnect.com.au