SPOTLIGHT: Crewed, uncrewed, mass and increasing contemporary maritime combat capabilities, with Kevin ‘Q’ Quarderer of Leidos Australia and MAJGEN (Ret’d) Mick Ryan

Joint-capabilities
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By: Robyn Tongol

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz and Ukraine’s masterful use of autonomous and uncrewed systems have demonstrated the need for a structural rethink about how Australia and its partners build and deliver contemporary naval power.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz and Ukraine’s masterful use of autonomous and uncrewed systems have demonstrated the need for a structural rethink about how Australia and its partners build and deliver contemporary naval power.

Iran and Ukraine have successfully demonstrated, to varying degrees, the shift currently transforming contemporary naval warfare, raising questions about the future of modern naval power.

In this episode of the Defence Connect Spotlight series, host Steve Kuper is joined by Leidos Australia’s Kevin “Q” Quarderer and Major General (Ret’d) Mick Ryan as they deep dive into the fallout of the conflict in the Middle East and the lessons Australia can learn from the conflict.

 
 

The trio unpack the successful USV raids conducted by Ukraine against the Russian Black Sea Fleet and the importance of investing in these emerging capabilities as a powerful, adaptable and attritable force multiplier that can be delivered at speed and scale.

They also discuss the evolution of contemporary naval force design and the hybridisation of crewed and uncrewed forces as a means of offsetting adversarial advantages, including how nuclear-powered submarines, partnering with the autonomous and uncrewed systems, will shape the future of the Australian Navy.

Finally, they interrogate the shortfalls to date and Australia’s policy towards the acceptance, fielding and training with uncrewed and autonomous systems and moving away from a risk-averse approach to changing with the times and why that needs to change.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect Spotlight team

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Listen to previous episodes of the Defence Connect podcast:

Episode 11: CONTESTED GROUND: Weak, vulnerable, backwater – Australia’s choice between strategic camps and managed decline
Episode 10: PODCAST: Undersea dominance – Australia charts the maritime future through autonomous systems and AUKUS innovation
Episode 9: PODCAST: Australian Army Cadets pathways, submarine industry growth and Australia’s fuel security
Episode 8: CONTESTED GROUND: The blind faith factor – why Australians trust an ADF they don’t understand
Episode 7: PODCAST: Defence preparedness, artificial intelligence productivity, and Australian industrial resilience
Episode 6: CONTESTED GROUND: Shots fired! Chinese missile test shatters Australia’s ‘fog of peace’, with Mike Pezzullo
Episode 5: SPOTLIGHT: Counter-drone innovation, directed energy and delivering operational outcomes, with EOS Defence Systems’ Lee Kormany
Episode 4: PODCAST: Strengthening security ties, Fiji defence pact and Australia’s counter-drone push
Episode 3: CONTESTED GROUND: Lessons from the UK in political polarisation, generational dislocation and intergenerational warfare, with Ben Dullroy, Bravo Delta Advisory
Episode 2: PODCAST: Defence Industry Development Strategy, Defence reform and Australians fighting in Ukraine