Five Eyes Connectivity

Although the Five Eyes partnership is traditionally an intelligence-gathering arrangement, it also plays a crucial role in linking together the militaries of its member nations. 

With the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the threat of peer warfare is suddenly very real. 

The Five Eyes partnership is best known as an intelligence-sharing arrangement. 

The Five Eyes partnership is best known as an intelligence-sharing arrangement. 

The future is increasingly uncertain for Canada and its allies, both in terms of military threats and technological developments. 

Australia and New Zealand face many of the same defence technology challenges and opportunities as the other Five Eyes nations. 

 In this second series, we are exploring the military connectivity issues facing the Five Eyes nations and looking at the work underway to ensure communication networks can withstand the expected threats of tomorrow.

 Last time we looked at the UK, and heard how a rapidly-shifting threat environment is driving a transformation of British military capabilities.

 In today’s episode, we look at two of the smaller partners in the Five Eyes alliance – Australia and New Zealand – and hear how their militaries are responding to a rapidly changing world.

The UK and its allies are operating in a rapidly changing world. 

 Last time we discovered how a new focus on Joint All Domain Operations is dominating future thinking on warfare for the US military and its allies.

 In this episode, we focus on the UK, and hear how a rapidly shifting threat environment is driving a transformation of British military capabilities.

 In response, more of the same will not be enough. 

In the chaos of combat, warfighters need fast, secure communications and instant access to information. 

However, the digital information age we know today has changed the nature of warfare across all domains.

Military commanders are acutely aware that new networks, systems and technologies are needed to ensure timely and effective communications.

This is Shephard Studio’s podcast series on Five Eyes Connectivity, sponsored by our partner Viasat.

In Series One, we looked at connectivity issues facing the Five Eyes grouping of countries - Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the US - through the prism of three key technology areas.

For this second series, we are diving further into these issues, speaking to senior military leaders about the work underway to ensure military communication networks can withstand the expected threats of tomorrow.

In this opening episode, we dive into the connectivity issues facing the US military and its further development of the Multi-Domain Operations concept (also now known as Joint All Domain Operations and Joint All-Domain Command and Control).

This episode was produced by Tony Skinner with research support by Jack Austin, scriptwriting by Gerrard Cowan, and audio editing and mastering by Kevin Stokes.

A big thanks to everyone who gave their time to support the project.

This episode was based on open-source information and all participants were expressing their own opinions, not necessarily those of the organisations they represent.

In the Five Eyes Connectivity podcast special, we look at the changing face of modern warfare across the land, sea and air domains through the prism of three key technology areas: Satellite communications, line of sight data links and cybersecurity.

We hear from two major military services, the US Navy and Canadian Army, and learn how they're shaping their organisations to better deal with the new cybersecurity challenges. 

And we speak to our sponsor, ViaSat, on how the private sector is stepping in to assist militaries further develop these technology areas.

In the Five Eyes Connectivity podcast special, we look at the changing face of modern warfare across the land, sea and air domains through the prism of three key technology areas: Satellite communications, line of sight data links and cybersecurity. 

There is increased use of advanced extremely high-frequency satellite systems, aimed at providing survivable anti-jam and low probability of intercept or detection SATCOM connectivity. There are also developments in on-the-move antennas to avoid interference and detection by enemy forces, as well as supporting more discreet operations. 

And we will hear from our sponsor, Viasat, about how the private sector is stepping in to help militaries develop these technology areas further.