Podcast - Defence Connect

THE PROGRESS REPORT: Building the future – Viviene Beins on aerospace engineering, women, and Australia’s defence industry

Breaking barriers and building the skills needed to shape the future of Australia’s aerospace and defence industries.

September 18 2026

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PODCAST: Australian defence industry faces a changing strategic landscape, with Phillip Tarrant and Robert Dougherty

Defence Connect relaunches our podcast with co-host Phil Tarrant, joined by news editor Robert Dougherty, to discuss the latest developments shaping Australia’s defence...

September 17 2026

CONTESTED GROUND: Is Australia slowly regulating away its own prosperity – and, with it, its national resilience?

Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson examine the growing debate over Australia’s economic direction, drawing on Chris Uhlmann’s recent article in...

September 16 2026

SPOTLIGHT: Building an integrated ADF through cloud and emerging technology, with Jonathon Beesley and Richard Campbell

Australia’s emerging defence technology priorities will only deliver their full potential if they are integrated into a broader operational framework connecting platforms,...

September 15 2026

PODCAST: Australia’s defence procurement is narrowing and becoming less resilient, with 127 East Advisory’s Colin Storey

Australia’s defence industry faces a period of growing consolidation and uncertainty, how is past procurement impacting national security of the future?

September 11 2026

PODCAST: Australia’s UGV dilemma and why land autonomy remains stuck in the mud, with Stephen Bornstein

Australia’s push to develop autonomous ground systems has delivered promising prototypes and live-fire demonstrations, but land-based autonomy remains outside the...

September 10 2026

SPOTLIGHT: Building resilience against next-generation cyber threats, with Fortinet

Cyber threats are becoming increasingly sophisticated, AI enabled and difficult to attribute, creating growing risks for Australia’s defence networks, critical...

September 08 2026

SPOTLIGHT: Quantum technology could reshape Australia’s defence advantage, with Fujitsu Australia

Quantum technology could become a major force multiplier for Australia’s future defence capabilities, according to Kendy Hau, head of defence at Fujitsu Australia, and...

September 04 2026

PODCAST: Digital engineering, GWEO, and the future of guided weapons, with Australian Missile Corporation and Dassault Systèmes

How can digital engineering help Australia deliver faster, more capable, guided weapons programs?

September 03 2026

CONTESTED GROUND: Is Australia’s political discontent becoming a national security problem?

A dramatic political shift in Western Australia has put the major parties on notice and raised a much bigger question: what happens to Australia’s national resilience when...

September 02 2026

SPOTLIGHT: The hidden defence advantage of Australia’s commercial logistics network

Australia’s commercial logistics network could become one of its greatest defence advantages, according to Steve Roughsedge, senior vice-president of Theatre Supply Chain...

September 01 2026

PODCAST: The broad church – why Pine Gap remains the focal point of Australia’s anti-bases movement

Recent public backlash over the suspected involvement of Pine Gap in the ongoing conflict with Iran has once again raised concerns about Australia’s sovereignty, its status...

August 27 2026

SPOTLIGHT: From assembly to manufacturing – how Port Wakefield transforms Australian missile capability

Port Wakefield is not a replica of Camden. This distinction matters enormously. James Heading, director and general manager for missiles and fire control at Lockheed Martin...

August 25 2026

PODCAST: Drones over Williamtown, radar exports and Australia’s evolving defence partnerships

How can Australia strengthen the protection of critical defence infrastructure while navigating the modern drone-heavy environment?

August 21 2026

SPOTLIGHT: Cyber loyal wingmen – how frontier AI transforms Defence from defender disadvantage to asymmetric advantage

An adversary’s numerical advantage is something Australia faces across all domains, but the cyber domain is one area where Australia can offset that advantage, building...

August 20 2026

SPOTLIGHT: Building Australia’s missing middle – how DIDS reshapes defence industry economics

Australia’s 2026 Defence Industry Development Strategy (DIDS) signals a significant shift in how Defence acquires capability, moving beyond traditional procurement models...

August 18 2026