Private capital key to driving SME growth, with Mark Stevens

In this edition of the Defence Connect Podcast, host Steve Kuper is joined by Lieutenant Colonel Meng Wang of Aviation Command, who led the capability management team of the multi-billion-dollar project to transform the Army Aviation capability. The pair begin the discussion focusing on the Army’s need for a seamless and high-speed acquisition of UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters to replace the troubled fleet of MRH-90 Taipan helicopters. They also discuss:  The Army’s emphasis on building and operating a fleet of reliable, interoperable airlift helicopters that will enjoy continued support, maintenance, and upgrade pathways out to the middle of the century and potentially beyond.  Navigating the US defence bureaucracy and the foreign military sales ecosystem to provide a capability that delivers a value for money proposition and true capability outcomes for the Australian Defence Force. LTCOL Wang’s career in the Army, beginning as an aviation engineer responsible for supporting the operation of the Army Chinook fleet, and the consolidation and commonality of Army’s aviation platforms around the country to deliver enhanced capability. Enjoy the podcast,  The Defence Connect team

In this exclusive episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, senior journalist Robert Dougherty is joined by former prime minister and treasurer of Australia, Scott Morrison. The pair discuss: Morrison’s departure from politics and plans for the future, his new role as non-executive vice-chairman at American Global Strategies, and as adviser with venture capital firm DYNE. A recent visit to South Korea, Australia’s relationships in the Indo-Pacific as well as speculation surrounding defence companies Hanwha and Austal. About a modern, grey-zone Cold War between the United States and the People’s Republic of China. Australia’s increasingly complex relationship with the People’s Republic of China and a recent incident between a PLA fighter jet and a Royal Australian Navy helicopter. The empowerment of Australia’s closest neighbourhood partnerships with Nauru and the Solomon Islands, and maintaining the Indo-Pacific status quo. Australian involvement in, and the behind-the-scenes formation of, the AUKUS trilateral partnership, its original intent and vision. The US presidential election and possible re-election of Donald Trump. The accomplishments and downfalls of Morrison’s career in politics and during his time as the 30th Prime Minister of Australia. Morrison’s own experiences with Australian Defence Force equipment such as F-35 stealth aircraft, Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles and a personal favourite – the Nimitz Class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, hosts Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson, Phil Tarrant and Liam Garman unpack what advertisers and business leaders can learn from military information warfare campaigns and just how many similarities these fields share. They begin the podcast by looking at the history of influence on the battlefield and how business leaders today seek to harness influence through social and traditional media to proliferate their messaging.  The trio then look at core lessons from the Russian campaign during the 2016 presidential election in the US – and how Russia’s market segmentation delivers interesting lessons for modern advertisers. The podcast wraps up with an analysis of how branding and narrative can capture the imaginations of a target audience.  Enjoy the podcast, The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, host Liam Garman is joined by Mark Stevens to discuss the recently launched Periscope Capital Partners, and how the $1 billion fund will drive growth in local defence technology and innovation. The pair begin by unpacking how access to private capital will foster growth in Australia’s sovereign defence industry, supporting supply chain resilience and delivering local economic growth. Stevens then explains how the veteran-led team is personally motivated to ensure that the Australian Defence Force can leverage world-leading defence technology, detailing how Australia’s defence SMEs can access private capital to grow their businesses. They wrap-up the podcast examining how private capital can deliver much needed funds to defence SMEs amid Commonwealth funding uncertainty. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Liam Garman and David Hollingworth unpack how the US and Australian governments are holding social media giants responsible for their content and data safety. The pair begin by discussing revelations that Congress is looking to force ByteDance to sell TikTok in the United States to an approved third party or face being shut down. They then discuss how Julie Inman Grant, Australia’s eSafety commissioner, is challenging X for hosting videos of the Wakeley stabbing attack and their rocky history. The podcast wraps up by analysing the recent OracleCMS hack.  Enjoy the podcast, The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, Renee Wilson joins host Phil Tarrant to announce the rebrand of War Widows NSW to the Families of Veterans Guild, and how the organisation has a renewed mission to support all veteran family members.  The podcast begins detailing the reason behind the rebrand and how the organisation will support all family members of veterans who have quietly served. Wilson then outlines the history of War Widows NSW and how the newly rebranded Families of Veterans Guild is rising to the challenge to fill the gaps between existing veteran organisations, including providing support to family members of veterans who may not meet the stringent eligibility criteria of current groups. The pair then unpack how the Families of Veterans Guild will work alongside other veteran organisations to help serve former ADF members and their families. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team

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, hosts Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson unpack building a nexus between academia, business and our national security organisations to build a stronger domestic cyber security industry. MAJGEN (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson begins the podcast by discussing his experience setting up the Australian Defence Force’s initial cyber and information warfare capabilities and discusses creating a pathway into the cyber security industry to foster public-private innovation. The pair then unpack the challenges in creating a nexus between academia, industry and national security with the risk of foreign interference on university campuses. Tarrant and Thompson then discuss the Change Healthcare hack and the operating model of politically and financially motivated criminal gangs. The podcast wraps up by analysing the benefits of the European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act and the Australian Digital ID legislation and how governments can improve legislation yet further. Enjoy the podcast, The Cyber Uncut team