At the start of July, the federal government announced a $270 billion commitment to defence spending for the coming decade, and a new holistic strategy for dealing with an increasingly uncertain world in the Indo-Pacific.
In this exclusive interview, the Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld, AO, DSC, gives host Phil Tarrant the inside story on how his team is rethinking what a modern air force should look like – and how it can better collaborate with other elements of the ADF and government to drive change.
AIRMSHL Hupfeld lifts the lid on working with artificial intelligence on the Loyal Wingman platform, “robust” conversations with his counterparts in the Navy and Army on an integrated military, the drive towards a fifth-gen fighting force and how the lesson from COVID-19 must be to shore up global supply chains.
He also talks candidly about his love of flying, his journey into the top job in the RAAF, and how he can’t wait to get out in his Airtourer and P-51 Mustang in the near future.
Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect team
Listen to previous episodes of the Defence Connect podcast:
Episode 316: PODCAST: The worsening geostrategic environment
Episode 315: PODCAST: News wrap – Strengthening maritime capability
Episode 314: SPOTLIGHT: Unpacking the Aegis combat weapons system, with Lockheed Martin Australia’s Neale Prescott and Rob Milligan
Episode 313: PODCAST: Building a regional maritime hub, with Babcock’s Brad Yelland
Episode 312: SPOTLIGHT: Building a stronger RAN with Gareth Evans, managing director of Rohde & Schwarz Australia
Episode 311: PODCAST: The healing power of sport
Episode 310: PODCAST: Building a defence hub in Hunter, with Tim Owen
Episode 309: PODCAST: The long road to Invictus Games 2022
Episode 308: PODCAST: Assessing the government’s defence policy, with Senator Rex Patrick
Episode 307: PODCAST: Invictus Australia — Michael Hartung, OAM, CEO Invictus Australia
