SPOTLIGHT: What does sovereignty mean in a post-DIDS industry? With Stephen Kowal, CEO of Atturra

Have you picked up on the rising swell of interest in mission engineering? In this episode, Rachel Hatton, Downer Professional Services’ Head of Mission Engineering, and Nathan Rickard, Technical Director, join Liam Garman to help demystify mission engineering, explaining why it has become a hot topic and what industry need to know. The trio begin the podcast unpacking how making projects and platforms “king” in the capability life cycle has resulted in a force that isn’t fit for purpose in the new strategic context, suggesting a paradigm shift that prioritises evidence-based decision making and a “top-down” approach. Hatton and Rickard explain the what, how, and why of mission engineering and its critical role in delivering capability at speed and on budget while ensuring that Defence is building the right things to enable key mission outcomes. The team talk about mission engineering’s evolution within the US Department of Defense and wraps up with an analysis of how mission engineering will be pivotal to delivering the strategic imperatives outlined in the Defence Strategic Review. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team

In this episode of the Defence Connect Spotlight podcast, Tim Walmsley, founder and CEO of BenchOn, joins host Liam Garman to officially launch the Australian Digital Defence Industry Matrix – an AI-powered platform that connects suppliers with the requirements of project teams from right across Defence industry.  The pair begin the podcast discussing how the Defence Strategic Review and Defence Industry Development Strategy changed the landscape of defence industry, making it easier for overseas companies to compete with Australian suppliers for Defence projects. Walmsley then unveils the Australian Digital Defence Industry Matrix (ADDIM) as a solution – a platform that connects suppliers and contractors to smooth the peaks and troughs of defence contracting to help Australian businesses compete across Australian and AUKUS supply chains. Launching this week, Walmsley then discusses how thousands of Australian small-to-medium sized enterprises have already joined the platform to leverage the benefits of interconnectivity. The pair wrap up the podcast looking at how ADDIM will support defence businesses and improve the resiliency of Australian supply chains. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Sabeen Malik, vice-president of global government affairs and public policy at Rapid7, joins Liam Garman to discuss the changing nature of global tech policy – applauding Australia’s stringent cyber security legislation. The pair begin the podcast by discussing Malik’s time developing tech policy within the Obama administration and how there is a hesitancy among policymakers to acknowledge the nefarious application of popular new technologies. Malik then applauds Australia as a world leader in cyber security and recommends that Australia could strengthen its frameworks yet further with privacy regulations that make cyber personally relevant to all individuals and organisations. They then discuss the necessity of public-private partnerships for cyber security, given the expertise of the private sector. The podcast wraps up with some tips for businesses to get ahead of the curb and prepare for future regulations in the sector, including developing bespoke processes based on unique risk profiles. Enjoy the podcast, The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Ben Miller, chief information security officer at Dragos, joins host Liam Garman to unpack the increasing number of ransomware attacks directed towards industrial organisations and how OT/ICS operators can better protect their assets. The pair begin by unpacking how threat groups have adapted their TTPs to attack modern industrial organisations and how ransomware attacks on manufacturers continue to disrupt global supply chains. Miller then details how OT/ICS operators can strengthen their cyber security posture and how the industry can better collaborate to enhance cyber resilience. The podcast wraps up by unpacking how Dragos enhances the threat detection and response strategies of industrial operators and what the future of OT cyber security looks like. Enjoy the podcast, The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Defence Connect Spotlight podcast, Stephen Kowal, chief executive officer of Atturra, joins host Liam Garman to unpack how Atturra is building a uniquely sovereign workforce to deliver for Defence – and deliver some top tips for SMEs in the defence industry. The pair commence unpacking the importance of sovereignty given Australia’s geographic isolation, and what the Defence Industry Development Strategy (DIDS) means for Australian industrial capability. Kowal then unpacks the workforce constraints facing the defence industry, and what initiatives Atturra employs to get the most from their workforce. The podcast wraps up with some top tips for SMEs navigating this journey, and how Atturra will continue delivering for Defence. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Raj Samani, senior vice-president and chief scientist at Rapid7, joins host Liam Garman to provide intelligence direct from the cyber security battlefield. The pair begin the podcast by discussing the links between leading threat groups and rogue states, detailing their TTPs and operating models. Samani then unpacks recent findings from North Korea’s Kimsuky threat group, lifting the veil on how such threat actors target companies and how Rapid7 works with governments and businesses to keep them safe online. The podcast wraps up by examining emerging TTP trends and how businesses can build effective systems and processes to monitor their organisation’s attack surface. Enjoy the podcast, The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, host Liam Garman is joined by Paul Cale, the Australian Army’s subject matter expert for the Army Combatives Program (ACP), to unpack how Cale developed ACP and the importance of combatives in modern close-quarters combat. The pair begin the podcast unpacking the origins of ACP and how Cale drew from his experiences in Afghanistan as a member of 2 Commando and a career in martial arts to develop the Army Combatives Program. Cale then unpacks the ACP core principles and theory, and how they are universal across close-quarters fighting. The podcast wraps up looking at how Army can enhance the delivery of ACP, including encouraging the art of hand-to-hand combatives in the military through the introduction of combatives master trainers. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team

In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, host Steve Kuper is joined by Jeffrey Hawkins, managing director of Pivot Maritime International, to discuss the role of innovation in Australia’s modern defence industry. The pair discuss: The history of Pivot Maritime International and what sets the Tasmanian company apart from competitors to see the company emerge as one of the nation’s great unsung defence industry innovators. Hawkins’ experience and what it takes – skills and mindset – to build an innovative business culture and what he believes sets Pivot apart from other companies. What is next for Hawkins and Pivot as the company continues to focus on innovation and delivering for Australia’s defence capability. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson unpack how foreign actors are targeting persons of interest on social media and how Australians are falling victim to unsophisticated credential stuffing campaigns. Like all news over recent months, the podcast begins talking about Taylor Swift – and how regular Australians became victims of credential stuffing campaigns on a popular ticketing website. The podcast continues with a look into pop culture deepfakes and how artificial intelligence (AI) poses a risk to geopolitical stability. The pair wrap up the podcast by looking into ASIO’s Annual Threat Assessment and how foreign actors have targeted people of interest online, before analysing some of the world’s most high-profile recent data breaches. Enjoy the podcast, The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, host Robert Dougherty is joined by Brian Lim, Australian space industry insider and the CEO and founder of Dandelions. The pair discuss: Lim’s previous career in the Singaporean Army and how the island-trading nation’s geostrategic situation has changed in the last 20 years, plus its evolving relationship with the rising power of China. The growing relationship between Australia and Singapore and the opportunities for collaboration and partnership to support Australian deployments in the south-east Asian region. Lim’s history in engaging with Silicon Valley as a space-tech entrepreneur during his time in the United States and the challenges and opportunities facing entrepreneurs seeking to raise capital and build cutting-edge businesses. The need for greater government support for Australia’s space industry following a quick break out of the block and the breakdown of how revenue is generated in Australia’s space industry. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team