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SPOTLIGHT: Next-gen mine countermeasure capability, with Gavin Henry and Peter Newnham from Thales, and Neil Hodges from BlueZone Group

Joint-capabilities
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By: Robyn Tongol
SPOTLIGHT: Next-gen mine countermeasure capability, with Gavin Henry and Peter Newnham from Thales, and Neil Hodges from BlueZone Group

In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, Gavin Henry, business development manager at Thales; Peter Newnham, director of engineering at Thales; and Neil Hodges, co-founder of BlueZone Group, discuss their proposal for the Royal Australian Navy’s SEA 1905 Tranche 1 – Maritime Mine Countermeasures (MCM) Survey program.

In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, Gavin Henry, business development manager at Thales; Peter Newnham, director of engineering at Thales; and Neil Hodges, co-founder of BlueZone Group, discuss their proposal for the Royal Australian Navy’s SEA 1905 Tranche 1 – Maritime Mine Countermeasures (MCM) Survey program.

  


Topics discussed by the trio include:

  • The progress of Thales’ bid for SEA 1905 Tranche 1.
  • Thales’ sovereign MCM offering and the emergence of autonomous capability.
  • BlueZone Group’s contribution to the SEA 1905 proposal.
  • The importance of interoperability with international partners, leveraging common supply chains.
  • BlueZone Group’s growth ambitions. 

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect Team

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Listen to previous episodes of the Defence Connect podcast:

Episode 11: CONTESTED GROUND: The information advantage – how AI is reshaping influence, competition and power
Episode 10: PODCAST: Next-generation equipment at Land Forces 2026, with Aquaterro’s Graeme Bulte
Episode 9: SPOTLIGHT: Defence electronics supply chains, counterfeit components and shortages
Episode 8: PODCAST: AUKUS, China and Australia’s defence industrial future, with former prime minister Scott Morrison
Episode 7: CONTESTED GROUND: When AI goes rogue – the emerging threat Australia isn’t ready for
Episode 6: PODCAST: Frontier AI, cyber warfare, and defending Australia’s military networks, with Wendi Whitmore and Tom Scully
Episode 5: PODCAST: Australia’s 2026 Intergenerational Report and national security implications, with Phillip Tarrant and Robert Dougherty
Episode 4: CONTESTED GROUND: AUKUS, deterrence, and the deepening Australia–UK strategic partnership
Episode 3: SPOTLIGHT: Unlocking Australia’s Defence estate through divestment, with Stantec Australia
Episode 2: CONTESTED GROUND: Is Australia ready to secure its place in an increasingly contested space domain?