Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Defence & Security Podcast Network

How is AtkinsRéalis supporting Australia's AUKUS submarine enterprise, addressing critical workforce shortages and translating global expertise into sovereign defence capability?

Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty at Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition 2026, AtkinsRéalis defence market director David Eyles discusses the company's priorities for Australia's defence industry, including nuclear submarine infrastructure, workforce development and support for the Australian Defence Force.

The conversation explores the challenges of accelerating AUKUS delivery, securing the specialist skills required for the nuclear-powered submarine enterprise and addressing bottlenecks associated with overseas security clearance recognition, visa requirements and workforce mobility.

Eyles also discusses the importance of collaboration between government, industry, universities and TAFE providers in developing a sustainable sovereign workforce, alongside the role of state governments in strengthening defence industry investment and supporting national security priorities.

He shares his views on emerging opportunities across defence infrastructure and the guided weapons enterprise, building partnerships with government and industry, and leveraging global expertise to deliver locally tailored solutions for Australia's evolving defence requirements.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect team

From AI-driven bank job cuts and online radicalisation to critical PHP vulnerabilities and ransomware gangs using AI to analyse stolen data, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft unpack a week where artificial intelligence is reshaping both business and cyber crime.

AI is transforming banking, but the benefits come with a human cost. On this week's Cyber Uncut, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft examine Commonwealth Bank's rise to become Asia-Pacific's leading AI bank, alongside mounting job cuts across the sector. With banks struggling to guarantee job security and AI operating costs climbing, could some businesses soon find it cheaper to hire people than run the technology?

The cyber threat landscape is getting uglier, too. Two critical remote code execution vulnerabilities in PHP have put potentially millions of websites at risk, with outdated systems particularly exposed and AI accelerating the development of working exploits. The pair also examine how ransomware gangs are using AI to analyse stolen files and build more targeted extortion campaigns, while warning that online networks and AI-generated propaganda are contributing to radicalisation and real-world harm.

There are signs of progress amid the gloom. Westpac New Zealand is seeing growing adoption of open banking, giving customers more control over secure data sharing and payments. The hosts also explore the growing backlash against data centre developments, why community consultation matters, and Gartner's predictions for 2027 – including the decidedly cyberpunk prospect of "wetware-as-a-service", using biological systems for computing.

Tune in for the stories shaping the intersection of AI, business, and cyber security.

Enjoy,
The Cyber Uncut team

How are university engineering programs and hands-on aircraft design competitions helping develop the next generation of aerospace engineers for Australia's defence industry?

Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty, RMIT University aerospace engineering honours student Marcus Serong discusses his experience competing in the AIAA Design/Build/Fly competition in the United States in April 2026 and how practical engineering experience is shaping his career in the Australian defence sector.

The conversation, recorded at the 35th Congress of the International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences, explores the competition's challenges, including designing and building a lightweight aircraft capable of carrying payloads, completing simulated charter flights and deploying a banner.

Serong discusses the growing importance of small uncrewed aerial systems in modern warfare, the engineering challenges posed by battery technology and the lessons students can take from developing low-cost, composite uncrewed aircraft.

He shares his views on strengthening collaboration between universities and industry, equipping graduates with practical problem-solving skills and creating opportunities for students and tradespeople to enter the defence sector.

The discussion also examines what defence companies can do to attract and retain emerging engineering talent, including providing effective graduate onboarding, early involvement in projects and opportunities to work across a range of technical challenges.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect team

How is Northrop Grumman Australia supporting sovereign defence manufacturing, strengthening local supply chains and developing next-generation counter-drone capabilities?

Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty at Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition 2026, Northrop Grumman Australia country executive Robert Denney discusses the company's priorities for Australian Defence Force capability, including proximity-fused ammunition, Bushmaster cannon systems and emerging counter-uncrewed aerial system technologies.

The conversation explores Northrop Grumman's ambition to develop a fully Australian solid rocket motor supply chain, the opportunities for local manufacturers to support domestic and international programs, and the challenges of producing advanced military components to demanding operational standards.

Denney also discusses the company's proposed 50mm gun-based air defence system capability, known as Raid Hunter, designed to provide an additional layer of defence against drones and other aerial threats.

He shares his views on accelerating capability delivery, strengthening industry partnerships and the role of trade shows in connecting Defence with existing and emerging solutions.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect team

How is Australia developing sovereign loitering munition capabilities, scaling domestic production and preparing for the changing character of modern warfare?

Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty, Innovaero CEO Gregory Tunny discusses the evolution of drone warfare, the growing importance of affordable precision mass and the lessons emerging from conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

The conversation explores Innovaero's OWL family of loitering munitions, including the OWL-B and turbojet-powered OWL-X, and how a common mission system, electronics and software can support multiple operational roles, including long-range strike and counter-drone interception.

Tunny also discusses the company's participation in the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator's Mission Talon-Strike, which is designed to progress emerging capabilities towards manufacture, certification and potential entry into service. He explains the importance of reliability, testing and certification for weaponised uncrewed systems.

The discussion then examines the importance of sovereign manufacturing, with Tunny arguing that Australia must be able to produce affordable drone-based munitions at scale rather than rely solely on access to overseas suppliers. He also outlines Innovaero's plans to expand production capacity following its initial public offering.

Looking ahead, Tunny discusses the growing role of autonomy, electronic warfare resilience, software-driven upgrades and increased speed and range in future drone systems. He also examines the importance of maintaining warm production capacity, component stockpiles and the industrial infrastructure needed to rapidly scale output during a conflict.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect Spotlight team

From banks battling big tech for AI talent to ransomware attacks exposing sensitive medical records, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft unpack another eventful week in cyber security – including why your supermarket fridge might be a bigger security risk than you think.

AI is reshaping everything from banking to elections, but are organisations keeping pace with the risks? Hollingworth and Croft explore the race for AI talent, the collapse of Firmus' proposed $44 billion ASX listing, and growing concerns about AI-generated deepfakes in electoral advertising. With AI adoption racing ahead of governance, the pair examine the challenge of balancing innovation, economic opportunity and accountability.

Then it's on to the week's cyber crime headlines, from French supermarkets hit by compromised refrigeration systems to ransomware groups claiming vast troves of sensitive healthcare data. The incidents affecting a pair of Aussie healthcare providers highlight the risks of third-party providers and compromised back-ups. Hollingworth and Croft also discuss why connected operational technology needs stronger security controls and why organisations must treat their suppliers as part of their own cyber perimeter.

There's good news, too. Australia's new ASD Essentials framework marks an evolution of the Essential Eight, reflecting a threat landscape increasingly shaped by AI. And in a standout example of AI used for good, Indigenous rangers in Arnhem Land are using MegaDetector to streamline wildlife monitoring, cutting the images requiring analysis by 81.4 per cent.

Tune in to Cyber Uncut for the latest developments, sharp analysis and a reminder that technology's biggest risks and most promising applications can emerge from the same place.

Enjoy,
The Cyber Uncut team

Amentum is looking to expand its presence in Australia's defence and national security sectors, with a focus on contested logistics, theatre logistics and support for naval infrastructure.

Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty at Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition 2026, Amentum Australia managing director Kim Katheklakis discusses the company's growth strategy and its priorities for supporting Australian Defence Force capability.

The conversation explores Western Australia's growing defence industry investment, opportunities for collaboration across state governments and the development of supply chain partnerships to support contested logistics across northern Australia.

Katheklakis also shares her views on workforce challenges, international knowledge-sharing under AUKUS, the importance of building sovereign capability and the role of industry in integrating solutions to meet Australia's evolving defence requirements.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect team

Israel Aerospace Industries expands into the Indo-Pacific region as it pitches solutions for local deployment of missile, uncrewed aerial vehicle, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems.

Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty at Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition 2026, Israel Aerospace Industries' marketing director, Maxim Zemer, discusses the company's expansion into the Australian and Indo-Pacific regional market.

The conversation explores the importance of new containerised solutions for air defence and other purposes, as well as why the Australian market is considered to be particularly important for IAI.

Zemer also shares his views on industry trends, AI development, human-in-the-loop theory and cooperation with local companies at Land Forces 2026.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect team

How is Lockheed Martin Australia strengthening defence capability, expanding local manufacturing and delivering complex programs for the Australian Defence Force

Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty, Major General (Ret'd) Jeremy King, chief executive of Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand, discusses his transition from senior Defence leadership into industry and the challenges of delivering major capability programs across Australia and New Zealand.

The conversation explores Lockheed Martin's growing role in Australia's guided weapons enterprise, including the local assembly and firing of Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System missiles and development of domestic production capacity for GMLRS and Precision Strike Missiles.

King also discusses collaboration with Australian industry partners on warhead development, testing and the integration of local suppliers into global supply chains.

The discussion examines Lockheed Martin's involvement in major Defence programs, including the company's investment in the Air Power Precinct at RAAF Williamtown in NSW.

Looking ahead, King discusses the challenges of growing Australia's developing skilled workforces, expanding apprenticeship programs and helping Australian small and medium-sized businesses meet the technical and quality requirements needed to participate in global defence supply chains.

He also reflects on the value of his career in the Australian Defence Force and how the experience on both sides of the acquisition process informs his approach to industry leadership.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect Spotlight team

Cyber Uncut returns to discuss AI giant conspiracies, data centre impacts, and the dead internet theory.

Are AI giants like OpenAI having their agents hack things on purpose? Senior journalist Daniel Croft and managing editor Liam Garman touch on the theory that these tech giants want their AI models hacking, as any publicity is good publicity.

The two start by discussing dead internet theory and bots causing division, starting with the 2016 election. They then discuss local hacks and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia's AI copyright changes.

Finally, the two talk about data centres and the impact they could have on markets. Are data centres set to cause a "mining boom" effect in small, regional towns? How are rental and housing markets going to be impacted? Should data centre developers be building housing right next to their projects? The answer might not be as clear as you might think.

That's this week in the Cyber Uncut podcast.

Enjoy,
The Cyber Uncut Team

How do you build an inclusive, adaptable and capable Australian Defence Force through leadership, lifelong learning and the experiences that shape military careers?

Royal Australian Navy Commander Melanie Lennard shares her journey from studying sports science at university to a 17-year career in the Royal Australian Navy, including operational deployments to South Sudan and the leadership lessons that have shaped her professional development.

In this episode of The Progress Report, former news editor Steve Kuper sits down with CMDR Lennard to discuss her experiences as a female naval officer and how the Navy has evolved to create greater opportunities for women across the ADF.

The pair also explore the role of formal and informal mentoring in developing the next generation of military leaders, the importance of continuous professional development, and how learning from colleagues, operational experiences and international partners can shape leadership approaches.

Beyond leadership and diversity, CMDR Lennard reflects on her deployments to South Sudan in support of a United Nations mission, the challenges of working alongside more than 60 nations, and the perspective these experiences provide on Australia's security, freedoms and way of life.

The conversation also examines the opportunities emerging from Navy's modernisation, the potential for career changes and further study while serving, and the importance of sharing positive stories about the people serving in the ADF.

The Progress Report. New voices. Real stories. Big shifts.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Progress Report team

NIOA Group is expanding its role in Australia's munitions manufacturing sector amid growing global demand, supply chain constraints and the need to strengthen domestic defence industrial capability.

Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty at Land Forces 2026, NIOA Group CEO Robert Nioa discusses the company's growing role as a prime contractor, its partnerships with the Australian government and international industry, and efforts to expand domestic production of artillery ammunition, explosives and other munitions.

The conversation also explores global ammunition shortages, the strategic and economic benefits of sovereign manufacturing, proximity-fused warheads for counter-drone systems, and the challenges of establishing a sustainable Australian munitions industrial base.

Nioa also shares his views on future small arms requirements for the Australian Defence Force and the potential timeline for replacing the F88 Austeyr service rifle.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect team

Electro Optic Systems is showcasing a range of counter-uncrewed aerial systems technology and a new EOS Interceptor at Land Forces 2026 in Perth.

Speaking with Defence Connect, EOS executive vice president Lee Kormany discusses several of the company's latest announcements, counter-drone treads internationally, domestic manufacturing and the increasing global shortages in proximity fuse ammunition used against drones.

The conversation also explores EOS' focus on remote weapon systems and how the company continues to expand its presence across Australia and international markets.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect team

Information has always shaped power and influence – but in the age of artificial intelligence, the speed, scale and sophistication with which narratives can be created and deployed has changed dramatically.

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson explore how the tradecraft of information warfare is increasingly intersecting with the commercial world, and why influence, narrative and information advantages are becoming critical strategic capabilities for modern businesses.

They unpack the parallels – and important differences – between military information operations and commercial competition, from shaping perceptions and gaining decision superiority to defending against misinformation and responding to crises at speed.

With AI now enabling highly targeted content to be created in hours rather than weeks, Tarrant and Thompson examine what this means for business leaders, why communications can no longer be left solely to marketing teams, and why organisations need the people, systems and strategy to compete in an information environment moving faster than ever before.

SIG Sauer's newly unveiled P385 pistol makes its international debut at Land Forces 2026 in Perth, with Australian defence company Aquaterro showcasing the new weapon alongside the M8 carbine.

Speaking with Defence Connect, Aquaterro founder and managing director Graeme Bulte discusses the P385's capabilities, its compatibility with the existing P320 magazine and what the new pistol could mean for Australian defence and law enforcement users.

The conversation also explores Australia's growing SIG Sauer ecosystem, including the Australian Defence Force's F9 P320 sidearm and Aquaterro's recently signed Defence contract covering the supply, support and sustainment of SIG technologies.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect Team

How are global electronics shortages, AI-driven demand and counterfeit components reshaping Australia's defence supply chain

Speaking with Defence Connect Spotlight news editor Robert Dougherty, Astute Group marketing director Mark Shanley, IntelliDesign head of business development Frank Harrington and Moog Australia director of industry development Neil Fitzpatrick discuss the challenges facing defence manufacturers as component shortages, price volatility and extended lead times continue to disrupt critical programs.

The panel examines how AI-fuelled demand for high-bandwidth memory and other semiconductor components is placing unprecedented pressure on global supply chains, driving higher prices and longer procurement timelines.

The conversation explores the growing threat of counterfeit electronic components entering defence supply chains, highlighting the importance of rigorous testing, traceability, quality assurance and international standards to protect mission-critical systems.

The guests also discuss how collaboration between primes, SMEs and trusted distribution partners can reduce supply chain risk while maintaining capability.

Looking ahead, Shanley, Harrington and Fitzpatrick discuss strengthening Australia's sovereign defence industry through greater supply chain resilience, improved counterfeit awareness, export readiness and closer alignment with international defence procurement standards to support AUKUS and future global defence opportunities.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect Spotlight team

Cyber Uncut returns with an AI hacking incident at Medicare, ransomware drama, banking breaches, and the surprisingly serious security lessons from getting AI "drunk".

Would you let an AI agent apply for a loan on your behalf? 

New research suggests 59 per cent of Australians would – but Cyber Daily's David Hollingworth and Banking Daily's Daniel Croft aren't convinced. The pair break down the growing willingness to hand AI sensitive financial data and decision-making authority, and why giving an agent autonomy creates a very different risk profile from simply asking ChatGPT to find you the best deal. 

The conversation then turns to the OpenAI agent that accessed the Australian government's Medicare statistics service, the fallout from the incident, and what happens when AI systems pursue goals with loose guardrails. From ShinyHunters' extraordinary clash with the FBI to Revolut's accidental disclosure of customer data, Hollingworth and Croft examine how AI-enabled threats and old-fashioned social engineering are converging – while ransomware groups continue to target organisations holding highly sensitive data.  

And then things get weird. Researchers at UNSW have demonstrated how prompting or fine-tuning AI to behave as though it were intoxicated can weaken its safeguards and make it more willing to overshare. Beneath the laughs is a serious warning: protections that work under normal conditions may not hold when an AI is pursuing a goal, adapting its behaviour, or encountering obstacles. Tune in for the latest Cyber Uncut conversation between David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft. 

Enjoy,
The Cyber Uncut team

Australia's strategic environment is changing rapidly, but defence procurement and industry must move faster to keep pace.

Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty, former Australian prime minister Scott Morrison discusses the five-year evolution of AUKUS, Australia's defence industrial base, China's economic and strategic influence, critical minerals and the need to accelerate defence procurement.

Morrison argues that AUKUS is already delivering tangible benefits, with US submarines operating from Australia and investment progressing at Henderson to support US, UK and Australian submarine operations.

The pair also discuss US submarine production constraints and Australia's plans to develop a tier-one domestic defence prime.

Morrison highlights that Australia should maintain trade with China where appropriate while strengthening economic and strategic resilience through closer cooperation with aligned countries.

The conversation turns to critical minerals, with Morrison arguing China's use of supply-chain leverage is accelerating investment in alternative sources. Australia, he says, has an important role as an extractor, while processing capabilities can be distributed across allied countries, including the US, Japan and South Korea.

Looking towards the next decade, Morrison calls for faster defence decision making and procurement because systems designed for the post-Cold War environment are no longer suited to today's strategic conditions.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect team

Artificial intelligence promises to transform productivity, business and government – but what happens when the technology starts making decisions its human operators never intended?

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Phil Tarrant is joined by Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson to examine the rapidly emerging security risks surrounding AI, from autonomous agents exploiting vulnerabilities to the growing challenge of keeping increasingly powerful systems inside appropriate guardrails.

With businesses racing to deploy AI and governments grappling with how – or whether – to regulate it, Tarrant and Thompson explore whether Australia is moving fast enough to understand the threat, protect critical systems and ensure the technology designed to make us more productive doesn't become a new contested ground itself.

HPE's Matt Hanmer says organisations must break down the traditional divide between network and security teams as AI accelerates attacks and infrastructure becomes increasingly distributed.

Organisations need to bring network and security operations together to keep pace with increasingly distributed infrastructure and faster-moving cyber threats, according to HPE APJ regional director Matt Hanmer.

Speaking on the Cyber Uncut podcast, Hanmer said the traditional separation between teams is becoming unworkable as organisations connect more people, locations and applications while facing pressure to do more with less. Treating the network as a security sensor can help organisations detect threats while reducing duplicated tools, costs and operational complexity.

AI is adding urgency to the shift, with attackers increasingly automating activity that once took months and compressing parts of the attack lifecycle into hours or minutes, Hanmer said. Defenders need to automate repetitive security operations while keeping humans responsible for oversight and intervention. Rather than keeping people "in the loop" for every decision, Hanmer advocates putting humans "on the loop" – setting rules and parameters for automated systems while ensuring security teams can intervene when necessary.

Hanmer will discuss HPE's approach further at HPE Networking Day in Sydney on 7 October, where attendees can see its networking roadmap, demonstrations, and meet its global leadership team.

Enjoy,
The Cyber Uncut team

How is AI reshaping the cyber threat landscape, and how can the defence industry respond to new threats giving attackers unprecedented speed and scale?

Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty, Palo Alto Networks chief security intelligence officer Wendi Whitmore and industry principal Tom Scully discuss the rise of frontier AI and its implications for military networks, critical infrastructure, and Australia's defence supply chain.

The trio examine how AI is accelerating cyber attacks, allowing adversaries to identify previously obscure vulnerabilities and target smaller organisations across defence supply chains. They also discuss lessons from contemporary conflicts, where cyber operations are increasingly integrated with conventional military activity.

The conversation explores the growing importance of AI-enabled cyber defence, zero trust architectures, and treating military networks as weapon systems rather than traditional IT infrastructure.

Looking ahead, Whitmore and Scully discuss securing autonomous AI agents, protecting AUKUS information sharing and preparing Defence and industry for increasingly AI-enabled cyber warfare.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect team

Defence Connect co-hosts Phil Tarrant and news editor Robert Dougherty discuss the latest developments shaping Australia's defence industry and national security environment.

The pair examine Australia's recently released 2026 Intergenerational Report, defence workforce requirements, and preparations for Land Forces 2026.

The podcast conversation includes the following topics:

• The long-term implications of demographic, economic, and geopolitical change for defence.
• The extension of the ADF Reserve liability period and the importance of retaining experienced military personnel.
• Land Forces 2026 and new security arrangements surrounding the major defence industry exhibition.
• The establishment of the Cyber Reserve and new pathways for attracting specialist technology talent into Defence.
• Security vulnerabilities surrounding Australian defence bases, including drone incursions and physical access to military facilities.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect team

Australia and the United Kingdom share one of the world's deepest strategic relationships – but in an increasingly contested geopolitical environment, that partnership is taking on new significance.

In this episode of Contested Ground, Phillip Tarrant and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson are joined by acting British high commissioner to Australia Dr Brian Jones to unpack the future of AUKUS, the UK's growing Indo-Pacific focus, and the security challenges binding the two nations more closely together.

They also explore the enormous industrial opportunity behind AUKUS, the role Australian businesses and technology can play in UK and allied defence supply chains, and why economic, technological, and national security cooperation is becoming increasingly inseparable.

It's a wide-ranging discussion on deterrence, defence industry, sovereign capability, and the enduring trust underpinning the Australia–UK relationship.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Contested Ground team

Australia's plan to divest 68 surplus Defence sites presents an opportunity to reduce estate costs while creating new housing, industrial, community, and environmental outcomes, according to Stantec Australia's Tony Rogers, Leigh McDonald, and Nick Glasson.

The Defence estate spans around 3.5 million hectares, with the government identifying sites that are underutilised or surplus to future Defence requirements.

The divestment program is not simply about raising money through land sales. Instead, it is intended to reduce the cost of maintaining an ageing and increasingly complex estate, while consolidating Defence functions into more suitable and modern facilities.

However, each site presents different challenges, including contamination, PFAS, unexploded ordnance, heritage protections, environmental constraints, infrastructure requirements, and planning considerations.

The future use of each site will therefore need to reflect its local context. Potential outcomes could include housing, commercial, and industrial development, community infrastructure, environmental restoration, or continued use for the defence industry.

Early engagement between Defence, government, industry, developers, and local communities will be critical to identifying viable outcomes and ensuring remediation and infrastructure requirements align with the eventual use of each site.

Ultimately, a successful transition will not simply be measured by the highest sale price, but by whether former Defence land can deliver sustainable long-term value while protecting Defence capability, managing environmental and heritage risks, and contributing to surrounding communities.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect Spotlight team

Phil Tarrant is joined by Space Industry Association of Australia CEO Dan Lloyd and chairman Darin Lovett to examine Australia's growing dependence on space and the strategic implications of an increasingly contested space domain.

They unpack the critical role space plays across Australia's economy and national security, from positioning, navigation and timing, and communications to defence, transport, energy, agriculture, and emergency services.

Does Australia have the strategy, investment, and risk appetite needed to turn its space ambitions into a practical national capability?

Genetec's Lee Shelford says AI and cloud are giving security teams faster investigations while turning physical security systems into tools for broader business operations.

Organisations should stop treating AI as a box-ticking exercise and focus on where it can deliver measurable operational gains, according to Genetec's Lee Shelford.

Speaking on the Cyber Uncut podcast with David Hollingworth, Shelford says AI-powered video analytics can cut investigations from hours to minutes, allowing operators to find people, vehicles, objects, and behaviours using natural-language searches and respond while incidents are still unfolding.

Shelford urges organisations to look beyond traditional surveillance, with Genetec combining video, access control, vehicle recognition, communications, and IoT data through a single interface. The technology can also support use cases beyond security, including bushfire detection, remote monitoring, car park management, and improving the movement of people and vehicles through airports and shopping centres.

According to Shelford, remote management can eliminate the need for onsite upgrades and configuration, while AI can reduce the manual tuning previously required as conditions change. But cyber security must remain central, with Genetec having pursued Australian requirements, including IRAP assessment and Essential Eight alignment.

Enjoy,
The Cyber Uncut team

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

RMIT University aerospace engineering and logistics supply chain student Viviene Beins shares her experience competing in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Design/Build/Fly competition in the US, where she helped lead the composite manufacturing of an aircraft and has now taken on a co-lead role for the next 2026–27 team.

In this episode of The Progress Report, news editor Robert Dougherty sits down with Beins to discuss her journey into aerospace engineering, the challenges women face in entering traditionally male-dominated fields, and the importance of mentorship, perseverance, and strong female leadership.

The pair also explore the subtle barriers women can face in university and engineering environments, factors often overlooked that can discourage women from pursuing careers in STEM.

Beyond gender diversity, Beines reflects on what the Australian aerospace and defence industry can do to attract and retain the next generation of engineers, including providing opportunities for career mobility, skills development, and exposure to cutting-edge programs such as the Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat uncrewed aircraft program.

The Progress Report. New voices. Real stories. Big shifts.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Progress Report team

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 industry.

The pair discuss defence spending, AUKUS, sovereign capability, emerging technologies, and the growing strategic importance of Western Australia.

The podcast conversation includes the following topics:

• Australia's defence spending trajectory and the importance of export opportunities.
• AUKUS and opportunities for Australian companies across the trilateral supply chain.
• The strategic significance of Western Australia and its growing defence infrastructure.
• The People's Republic of China, Taiwan, and the evolving regional security environment.
• Austal and the importance of maintaining sovereign shipbuilding capability.
• New missile and air-defence capabilities, including JASSM-ER, LRASM, and NASAMS.
• The rise of drones, autonomy and new approaches to defence innovation.
• Project AIR 6500 and the development of a more integrated battlefield network.
• The potential role of deployable microreactors for military and space applications.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect team

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 The Australian on the "Argentinisation" of Australia.

They unpack the risks posed by weak productivity, rising regulation, higher costs, and falling investment – and ask what sustained economic underperformance could mean for housing, business confidence, and the nation's broader strategic strength.

Because if Australia enters an increasingly contested world from a position of economic weakness, its ability to fund defence, build sovereign capability, and protect its national interests becomes a much bigger question.

Australia's emerging defence technology priorities will only deliver their full potential if they are integrated into a broader operational framework connecting platforms, people, data and decision making, according to Microsoft global defence and intelligence solutions manager Jonathon Beesley and Atturra defence lead Richard Campbell, chief executive officer of SME Gateway.

The 2026 Defence Innovation, Science and Technology Strategy identifies long-range fires and hypersonics, high-energy lasers, autonomous systems, quantum, artificial intelligence and undersea warfare as key priorities.

But translating these capabilities into an integrated force will require Defence to look beyond individual platforms and focus on the architecture connecting sensors, command nodes, decision makers and shooters.

Cloud technology can provide the backbone for this integration, enabling Defence to process the growing volume, variety and velocity of data reaching commanders and personnel at the tactical edge.

AI and autonomous systems can then help fuse that information and provide decision advantage, but humans must remain responsible for critical decisions. Building trust in these systems will be essential, particularly as Defence operates increasingly complex joint and coalition missions.

Australia also cannot be self-reliant in every capability. Instead, it must identify where sovereign control is essential while maintaining secure interoperability with trusted allies.

The experience of Ukraine has demonstrated the value of rapidly adopting and adapting technology, highlighting the importance of a defence culture capable of learning at pace.

For Australia, the next advantage may therefore be a learning advantage; ensuring Defence and industry can understand, adopt and adapt emerging technologies quickly enough to meet the strategic challenges ahead.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect Spotlight team

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

Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty, 127 East Advisory director Colin Storey, a former head of growth at Raytheon and Royal Australian Navy patrol boat navigator, discusses his analysis of major defence contracts awarded over the past decade and what the data reveals about Australia's defence industrial base.

Storey's analysis of 373 contracts found more than 27 per cent went directly through foreign military sales, while more than half of the remaining contracts went to foreign-owned companies operating in Australia.

Of the Australian-owned businesses receiving major contracts, much of the spending was concentrated in areas such as infrastructure, facilities and fuel, with Austal emerging as the only Australian-owned defence specialist among the top 20 recipients.

The pair also discuss the gradual offshore consolidation of Australia's defence industry, with major international primes acquiring at least 16 Australian companies over the past four decades.

Combined with the growing cost of major programs and the funding demands of AUKUS, Storey warns this approach could place further pressure on established defence companies, with some potentially reconsidering their long-term presence in Australia.

The pair examine how countries including Sweden, Norway, Finland and Israel have developed successful defence companies by aligning procurement with national priorities, supporting specialised sovereign capabilities and helping domestic firms access export markets.

Looking towards the next decade, Storey expects further consolidation across the Australian defence industry, alongside increased mergers and acquisitions as companies compete for a smaller number of major programs. Australia risks developing a narrower and less resilient defence industrial base unless procurement, sovereign capability and export policy are more closely aligned with the nation's long-term defence strategy, he warns.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect team

Australia's push to develop autonomous ground systems has delivered promising prototypes and live-fire demonstrations, but land-based autonomy remains outside the Australian Defence Force's current priorities.

Speaking with news editor Robert Dougherty, Sightline Intelligence managing director Stephen Bornstein discusses the challenges facing Australia's emerging uncrewed ground vehicles sector and the growing importance of low-cost autonomous systems.

Cyborg Dynamics Engineering's Warfighter UGV progressed from a Queensland-developed platform into a military system, including live-fire Javelin and minigun trials in 2023. However, Bornstein says industry was already aware that land autonomy was being deprioritised ahead of the Defence Strategic Review.

By late 2023, Cyborg had pivoted towards firefighting and research applications, using those markets to continue developing the underlying technology.

Bornstein argues that while UGVs continue to appear at exercises and innovation programs, current funding remains largely experimental rather than sufficient to deliver a major land capability.

The pair also discuss Athena AI's integration into Sightline Intelligence and its subsequent acquisition by Acron Technologies; the company gained access to US opportunities that would have been difficult for an Australian-only business to pursue.

Looking towards Land Forces, Bornstein expects continued growth in lower-cost, disposable and attritable UGVs, alongside AI-enabled systems incorporating computer vision, terminal guidance and aided target recognition.

For Australia's defence industry, the challenge remains turning promising autonomous technologies from experimental projects into scalable, operational capabilities.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect team

AI is pushing financial institutions to modernise, but the answer is not to replace everything. Banks should focus on the technology, data, and processes that directly support business outcomes.

AI is putting modernisation back on the executive agenda as legacy systems increasingly limit banks' ability to adopt AI, access data in real time, and respond to regulatory and resilience demands. Atos executives Dee Lawler and Matthew Hughes argue modernisation is now a business issue, not simply a technology refresh.

"The objective to modernise isn't to modernise the technology or the most technology," Hughes says. "It's to modernise the technology that matters most."

But banks should resist the temptation to make AI the answer to everything. Leaders should first identify the business outcome they want, then determine what is holding them back – whether that is technology, data, processes, skills, or risk. Incremental modernisation can reduce operational risk while allowing organisations to measure returns, with resilience and business continuity built into the design.

The takeaway for financial services leaders is simple: modernise where technology is constraining growth, efficiency, customer experience, or resilience – not simply because AI has created a sense of urgency.

Enjoy,
The Cyber Uncut team

Cyber threats are becoming increasingly sophisticated, AI enabled and difficult to attribute, creating growing risks for Australia's defence networks, critical infrastructure and broader economy, according to Glenn Maiden, chief security officer and director of threat intelligence for Australia and New Zealand at Fortinet.

The cyber threat landscape is increasingly blurring the lines between state-sponsored actors, cyber criminals and issue-motivated groups.

For Defence, cyber operations offer adversaries the ability to create significant effects without the geographical constraints, cost or attribution challenges associated with conventional weapons.

The challenge for Defence and industry is therefore not simply preventing compromise but building systems that can withstand it.

The message for Defence and industry is clear: cyber resilience must become an architectural priority rather than a reactive response. Strong security controls, multifactor authentication, password management, robust back-ups and resilient infrastructure can significantly reduce the impact of an inevitable attack.

The next challenge will be understanding the dependencies that connect Australia's economy, critical infrastructure and defence supply chains. Even a small business supplying a seemingly insignificant component could ultimately be critical to a major power plant or defence platform.

The cyber threat is real, but it is not insurmountable. With the right people, processes, technology and resilient architecture, Australia can mitigate the risks and ensure that a successful cyber intrusion does not automatically translate into a national crisis.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect Spotlight team

AI is pushing financial institutions to modernise, but the answer is not to replace everything. Banks should focus on the technology, data, and processes that directly support business outcomes.

AI is putting modernisation back on the executive agenda as legacy systems increasingly limit banks' ability to adopt AI, access data in real time, and respond to regulatory and resilience demands. Atos executives Dee Lawler and Matthew Hughes argue modernisation is now a business issue, not simply a technology refresh.

"The objective to modernise isn't to modernise the technology or the most technology," Hughes says. "It's to modernise the technology that matters most."

But banks should resist the temptation to make AI the answer to everything. Leaders should first identify the business outcome they want, then determine what is holding them back – whether that is technology, data, processes, skills, or risk. Incremental modernisation can reduce operational risk while allowing organisations to measure returns, with resilience and business continuity built into the design.

The takeaway for financial services leaders is simple: modernise where technology is constraining growth, efficiency, customer experience, or resilience – not simply because AI has created a sense of urgency.

Enjoy,
The Cyber Uncut team

Daniel Croft and David Hollingworth break down the essential AI and security news of the week, from sovereign capability to cyber crime, and fighting property scams.

Hollingworth and Croft open the podcast with a breakdown of why Australian banks are standing up a new partnership program to promote the growth and adoption of local AI innovators – and explain why it's an important step in Australia's AI journey.

At the same time, NSW has said it is taking steps to combat the rise of AI in classrooms by tackling the technology and its impact on the HSC. It's a good move.

It's sadly been another bad week for Australian data finding its way onto the dark web via ransomware actors, with patient data once again compromised. But despite the hackers' claims that they hit NSW Health, the department has denied any such intrusion; the threat actor is definitely boasting, but the data is nonetheless real – Cyber Daily just doesn't know where it came from.

And, finally, we sit down with PEXA's chief information security officer, Graham Fairley, to talk property scams: how they work, what a recent survey reveals, and how property buyers can protect themselves.

Enjoy,
The Cyber Uncut team

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 Mahesh Krishnan, chief technology officer for Australia and New Zealand at Fujitsu Australia.

Quantum technology spans three key areas: quantum sensing, quantum communications, and quantum computing, each at different stages of maturity and offering distinct opportunities for Defence.

For Defence, the opportunity extends beyond quantum computing itself. Quantum-inspired technologies are already available and can help solve complex optimisation problems, while future quantum systems could work alongside high-performance computing and artificial intelligence.

The combination could fundamentally accelerate military decision making by rapidly analysing multiple possible outcomes and identifying optimal solutions across sensing, targeting, and command.

Australia's key challenge is treating quantum as an emerging defence capability rather than simply a research program. The nation has a strong research base and growing industrial partnerships, but the window to translate that advantage into sovereign capability is narrowing.

The message for Defence and industry is clear: Australia cannot afford to wait for fault-tolerant quantum computing before acting. Quantum sensing, communications and quantum-inspired technologies provide opportunities to begin building capability now.

History does not record which side had the better research program. It records which side recognised the disruptive moment and moved faster.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect Spotlight team

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

In this special episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, news editor Robert Dougherty is joined by Dan Christie, chief technology officer and CEO of Australian Missile Corporation (AMC), and Pierre Marchadier, vice president of value engagement industry consultant at Dassault Systèmes.

The pair discuss AMC's new partnership with Dassault Systèmes and how model-based systems engineering (MBSE) is transforming mission engineering, systems design, and guided weapons development under the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) enterprise.

The podcast conversation includes the following topics:

• AMC's new digital engineering partnership with Dassault Systèmes and its role in Australia's sovereign GWEO capability.
• How MBSE connects mission requirements, system design, and manufacturing through a single digital model.
• Replacing document-based procurement with live digital models that improve collaboration between Defence and industry.
• Using simulation and AI to accelerate design decisions, reduce risk, and shorten development timelines.
• Lessons from Ukraine and the need for rapid capability iteration in modern conflict.
• The importance of sovereign industrial capability across the entire guided weapons life cycle, from design through to manufacture and sustainment.

Finally, the discussion explores how digital engineering can help Defence make better capability, cost, and procurement decisions while strengthening Australia's sovereign defence industry.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect team

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 voters stop trusting the institutions that govern them?

Hosts Phillip Tarrant and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson examine the rise of populism in Australia and why growing political polarisation, cost-of-living pressures and economic frustration should be viewed through a national security lens.

They unpack the erosion of trust in government and institutions, the weakening of Australia's traditional political centre and the risk that social division creates opportunities for foreign interference, information warfare and malign influence.

Finally, the pair look north to the Pacific Islands Forum, currently underway, and Australia's increasingly contested strategic environment. With China seeking greater influence across the region, Taiwan remaining a flashpoint and several Pacific leaders absent from the forum, they discuss why Australia can no longer take its relationships in the Pacific for granted.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Contested Ground team

Australia's commercial logistics network could become one of its greatest defence advantages, according to Steve Roughsedge, senior vice-president of Theatre Supply Chain within the government and defence division of Toll Group.

The shift from peacetime efficiency to resilience is already reshaping how the Australian Defence Force thinks about logistics. Australia's vast distances, limited transport corridors and vulnerability to weather disruption create challenges that cannot be solved simply by adding more military infrastructure.

The opportunity lies in infrastructure that already exists. Toll operates extensive transport, warehousing and distribution networks supporting Australia's resources sector, much of it across the same northern geography where Defence is strengthening its posture – from Darwin and Tindal to Curtin and Learmonth.

Roughsedge describes these capabilities as "capability bricks" that can be brought together around an operational requirement. Rather than Defence recreating every logistics function itself, commercial infrastructure could be integrated into a broader theatre supply chain, providing greater flexibility, resilience and capacity.

That requires a fundamental shift in the Defence–industry relationship. Traditional task-based contracting needs to evolve towards partnerships focused on delivering an operational effect, whether that means moving guided weapons, sustaining forward forces, operating warehouses or supporting naval and allied activity across the Indo-Pacific.

The vulnerability of just-in-time supply chains adds urgency. Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East have demonstrated how quickly fuel, weapons, drones, medical supplies and spare parts can be consumed during sustained conflict. Australia's ability to maintain the fight will depend not only on what it can manufacture, but on whether it can keep those capabilities supplied, repaired and operational.

For Roughsedge, the missing piece is a comprehensive understanding of Australia's commercial logistics infrastructure and establishing access to it before a crisis occurs.

The challenge is no longer simply building military capability. It is ensuring the infrastructure behind that capability remains resilient when supply chains are contested.

Now is the time to build those relationships, not when the roads are cut, the fuel is running short and the ADF is already in the fight.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect Spotlight team

Join David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft for this week's round-up of cyber security and artificial intelligence news!

The pair kick things off with the startling revelation that young Australians are turning to AI for their financial advice, as cost-of-living pressures bite. Can AI help get your finances in line? The jury is very definitely out.

Then it's on to the impact of cyber crime on Australian businesses, with a relative newcomer ransomware groups targeting Aussie car and automotive dealers. Is it happenstance, or have the hackers found a vulnerable third party, in common with all the victims, to exploit?

Finally, Hollingworth and Croft take a look at massive changes coming to Facebook and Instagram as Meta settles a US court case alleging the company's actions to create addictive content to capture the teen market. A definite good thing, but Meta wants the industry to go further.

Enjoy,
The Cyber Uncut team

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 as an "imperial" province or valued partner and the future of Pine Gap and other US bases in the country.

The 300-person gathering at Pine Gap in Alice Springs signals a periodic spike rather than a structural acceleration of Australia's anti-bases movement, according to Dr Nicole Townsend, war studies lecturer and director of UNSW Canberra's Second World War Research Group, Asia-Pacific. Yet the movement's durability warrants close attention from defence industry and policymakers alike.

Speaking with news editor Robert Dougherty, UNSW Canberra historian Dr Nicole Townsend argues that recent protests reflect a cyclical resurgence driven by geopolitical instability, not fundamental shift in public opposition to US military cooperation.

Pine Gap dominates anti-bases consciousness not because it is Australia's only joint facility – several operate under Australia–US agreements, maintaining the fiction that no foreign bases exist on Australian soil – but because of what isn't publicly known. Townsend emphasises that protesters' core complaint isn't demand for disclosure; it's the philosophical tension: if you cannot tell us what happens here, should it be here? That secrecy, necessary for intelligence operations, defines the facility's place in public imagination.

What distinguishes the movement is its deliberately assembled coalition. Townsend's David Scott Mitchell Fellowship research into the Australian Anti-Bases Campaign Coalition reveals extraordinary heterogeneity: unions, teachers associations, Indigenous groups, pro-Palestine activists and Greens politicians coexist under an umbrella targeting US basing. Yet this breadth obscures fragmentation. A recent national survey of 1,500 Australians found roughly one-third neutral on bases – neither supportive nor opposed – complicating assumptions about movement momentum. Lowy polling suggests 50–55 per cent support US basing, 43 per cent opposed.

Historically, these movements spike during geopolitical anxiety – Cold War nuclear fears, Iraq War opposition in 2003 – then subside. Current resurgence reflects Middle Eastern instability and Indo-Pacific uncertainty rather than new anti-American sentiment.

Townsend cautions against predicting trajectory. Media framing shapes which groups appear prominent; political contexts shift suddenly. Precedent exists for direct action targeting defence expos in the 1990s. But whether current momentum continues upward, stabilises or declines depends on variables historians cannot forecast.

The movement remains a barometer of Australian strategic anxiety, not a settled political force.

Enjoy the podcast, 
The Defence Connect team

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 Australia, has spent 18 months driving that message home to critics who dismiss the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System operation as mere assembly.

The risk reduction activity that concluded with successful live-fire testing earlier this year was never about final-form production. It was methodical de-risking: importing weapons kits from Arkansas, standing up Australian manufacturing processes, qualifying teams in explosive handling and weapons assembly, and crucially extracting the tacit knowledge embedded in American production – then questioning why certain processes exist at all.

That interrogation has yielded reciprocal innovation. Australian engineers have challenged inherited US procedures, clarifying ambiguous processes, suggesting alternatives that improve manufacturing robustness and reduce waste. Heading describes a two-way street where US counterparts now learn from Australian precision-engineering heritage inherited from automotive manufacturing.

The real strategic architecture emerges with the weapons manufacturing complex now in detailed design. Port Wakefield was the proof of concept. The next facility will embed flexibility: modular layout, scalable production capacity targeting 4,000 GMLRS annually (versus 14,000 in Camden), and future-proofing for Prism precision-strike missiles and emerging hypersonic systems. Crucially, it positions Australia as a force multiplier in global supply chains, where specialised components – canards, control actuation systems, castings and optics – matter as much as final assembly.

The bottleneck remains an unspoken demand signal. Heading emphasises that industry cannot scale investment without clarity on procurement numbers. How many GMLRS does Defence need? What about air defence effectors for LAND 6504? Lessons from Europe and Middle Eastern conflicts inform strategy but don't dictate it.

Without articulated demand, Australia risks capability infrastructure without corresponding production velocity.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect Spotlight team

Microsoft 365 is the backbone of many Australian businesses – but are organisations doing enough to secure the platform itself? Tune in to David Hollingworth and CoreView's vice president of APAC sales, Andrew McAllister, as they tackle the risks and what businesses can do to build genuine resilience.

Microsoft 365 may be ubiquitous, but that doesn't mean it is secure by default. Hollingworth and McAllister explore the often-overlooked risks lurking in tenant configurations, administrative privileges and guest accounts, and explain why organisations need to take greater responsibility for how their Microsoft environments are configured and governed.

The conversation also examines how attackers are exploiting compromised admin accounts to manipulate settings, bypass security controls, and gain deeper access to sensitive data. McAllister explains why the traditional Microsoft 365 admin model can create an unnecessarily large blast radius, and how organisations can apply least privilege, role-based access and tighter identity controls to reduce their exposure.

Finally, Hollingworth and McAllister examine what a mature Microsoft 365 resilience strategy should look like – from establishing a secure configuration baseline and detecting configuration drift to automated remediation and recovering the tenant itself after a serious compromise.

Listen to the full episode to find out why backing up your data isn't enough – and what organisations need to do to protect the "glass" holding it.

Enjoy,
The Cyber Uncut team

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

In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, Stephen Kuper and Robert Dougherty unpack a series of developments across Australia's defence and national security landscape, including drone incursions over RAAF Base Williamtown, the expansion of Australia's first-person view drone capabilities, major defence industry partnerships and emerging opportunities for Australian technology exports.

Discussion includes the recent swarm of unidentified drones observed over RAAF Base Williamtown and Newcastle Airport, with the team examining the implications for the protection of Australia's air bases and high-value military assets.

The team also explores the Australian Army's growing focus on FPV drones and cooperation with New Zealand, including the development of short-range drone specialist capabilities and the role of Australian instructors in supporting New Zealand's capability development.

Attention then turns to Rolls-Royce's expanded Australian defence operations, including its new Canberra headquarters and partnership with Melbourne-based Marand Precision Engineering to supply specialised anti-submarine warfare propulsion systems for the UK's Type 26 frigate program.

The panel also examines the significant agreement between the Australian and UK governments covering CEA Technologies' radar technology, with discussion focusing on the potential scale of the export opportunity and what the partnership could mean for Australia's sovereign defence technology industry.

The episode then looks at the Global Combat Air Programme and ongoing speculation about whether Australia could eventually join the sixth-generation combat aircraft initiative.

Rounding out the episode, the pair discuss Australia's growing defence engagement with the Pacific Islands, including the Pukpuk Treaty and cooperation with Papua New Guinea, the opening of Australian-supported border outposts in Solomon Islands, and the potential for deeper regional defence cooperation.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect team

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 true asymmetric capabilities.

The cyber battlespace has undergone a step change with the arrival of frontier AI models. What took penetration testers two years to accomplish, Tom Scully from Palo Alto Networks completed in three weeks when paired with Claude's Mythos model. That compression has collapsing vulnerability windows and forces a fundamental rethink of how Defence operates its security operations centres.

The asymmetry cuts both ways. Attackers now possess tools that dramatically compress exploitation timelines. But for the first time in cyber space, defenders can achieve parity through agentic AI – autonomous agents embedded in security operations that multiply human operator capacity by orders of magnitude.

Palo Alto's own security operations centre covers 23,000 users across eight data centres and 85,000 customers with just 15 people across two global locations operating 24/7/365. That scale is impossible without AI and machine learning disciplined into an integrated platform. Now, agentic AI adds the next layer: individual security operators deploying multiple AI agents to handle discrete tasks – network analysis, endpoint evaluation, reverse engineering – each agent maintaining human oversight yet operating with delegated authority.

The critical challenge is governance. Only 6 per cent of organisations possess AI governance frameworks. Scully emphasises that the framing is not about free will; it resembles a military command structure. Commanders delegate authority, set rules of engagement, define reporting protocols and remain accountable for outcomes. AI agents operate identically – given clear direction, guardrails and escalation paths.

Australia must urgently establish governance standards aligned to ISO 42001 or NIST frameworks, then enforce those standards through security tooling. Without that foundation, organisations will struggle to defend against attackers armed with frontier AI.

The decisive question is not whether to deploy agentic AI, but whether Defence can implement it faster than adversaries exploit the window before our cyber defences mature.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect Spotlight team

Australia's 2026 Defence Industry Development Strategy (DIDS) signals a significant shift in how Defence acquires capability, moving beyond traditional procurement models towards earlier collaboration with industry and a greater focus on innovation, software and continuous capability development.

The 2026 Defence Industry Development Strategy marks a doctrinal shift in how Australia approaches defence acquisition: rather than locking capability requirements and then inviting industry to bid, Defence should explore available technologies with industry partners before committing resources – fundamentally rewriting the commercial relationship between procurer and supplier.

Rebecca Humble, CEO of Aurizn, a private equity-backed Australian defence technology firm, discusses what the strategy means for Australian defence companies and why building sovereign capability requires more than policy intent alone. She explores the need for deeper engagement between Defence and industry, the role of private capital in helping Australian businesses scale, and the importance of developing a stronger ecosystem of mid-sized defence companies capable of translating innovation into enduring capability.

The conversation also examines how software, AI and digital experimentation are changing traditional acquisition approaches, why commercial incentives must support SME growth, and what Australia can learn from international models while developing an approach tailored to its own strategic and industrial environment.

Without effective implementation, the ambitions of DIDS risk remaining aspirational. But if Defence, industry and investors can work together to create stronger pathways from innovation to capability, Australia has an opportunity to build a more resilient and sustainable sovereign defence industrial base.

Critically, Humble notes Australia lacks the social licence for defence investment that the United States enjoys and has been hesitant to embrace private equity as a force multiplier for SME growth – precisely the funding model driving emerging companies towards scale.

Without deliberate policy enactment and commercial accountability, the DIDS risks remaining aspirational rather than transformative.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect Spotlight team

Malicious browser extensions, AI-powered phishing, and the evolution of Australia's Essential Eight are all putting renewed focus on proactive cyber defence. Hear ThreatLocker's lead cyber security engineer, Kieran Human, explain why organisations need to get the basics right before attackers get the chance to exploit them.

Malicious browser extensions are giving attackers another route into corporate environments, with phishing campaigns tricking users into installing tools capable of running arbitrary code. Cyber Daily's David Hollingworth and Human break down how the so-called Edgecution attack method works, how initial access brokers fit into the ransomware ecosystem, and why even highly technical employees can fall for increasingly convincing social engineering.

The conversation then turns to what defenders can actually do about it. Human argues that security teams need to move beyond relying solely on detection and response, with application allow-listing and other proactive controls providing a critical layer of protection when users inevitably make mistakes.

Finally, Hollingworth and Human examine the future of Australia's Essential Eight, including the move towards the new Essentials framework and potential guidance for enterprise, cloud, and AI environments.

Enjoy,
The Cyber Uncut team

Someone has to take the plunge and shoulder the burden.

A pioneer forging the path for the future generations of women in the Australian Defence Force, no matter the consequences.

Royal Australian Navy Captain (Ret'd) Mona Shindy shares her unique journey serving in the Royal Australian Navy as a warship weapons engineer, becoming one of the first three women to serve on an Australian warship, being selected as the first female captain to wear a hijab and, finally, leaving a legacy as the inaugural and only chief of navy strategic advisor on Islamic cultural affairs.

In this episode of The Progress Report, senior journalist Robert Dougherty sits down with Captain Shindy to discuss her extraordinary career spanning more than 25 years in the Royal Australian Navy, her trauma and triumphs navigating the treacherous waters of gender bias, cultural expectations and resistance to change.

The pair also look ahead to the future, how Defence has improved and how it can better understand and support personnel from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds.

Beyond her own career, Shindy reflects on leadership, the nature of negative military culture, her memoir, Shattering identity bias, and a newly launched Mona Shindy Foundation designed to provide mentoring, networks and support to people who may not otherwise have access to them.

The Progress Report. New voices. Real stories. Big shifts.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Progress Report team

How can the UK and Australia deepen defence industry cooperation while balancing high-end capabilities with Ukrainian-style affordable mass?

In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, senior journalist Robert Dougherty is joined by UK Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard during his current visit to Australia.

Minister Pollard is undertaking a broader tour of the country's defence industry and headlining the Australian British Chamber of Commerce's Defence Industry Lunch in Perth on 17 August.

The podcast conversation includes the following topics:

• The UK's approach to the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), Canada's new observer status and the potential for further international partners to join the program.
• The UK's focus on building defence capabilities with allies through shared workshares, technology and industrial cooperation.
• Defence technology co-development with Ukraine, including two-way intellectual property sharing and the scaling of Ukrainian and British capabilities.
• The role of innovation and rapidly changing electronic warfare requirements in shaping how Western militaries support Ukraine.
• The UK's approach to a "high-low-mid mix" of defence advanced platforms, mid-range systems and affordable mass.
• Opportunities for Australian defence companies to enter the UK market, including the potential integration of CEA Technologies' active electronically scanned array radar into UK capabilities.

Finally, the discussion wraps up by examining how closer UK–Australia defence industry partnerships can strengthen sovereign capability while creating skilled jobs, apprenticeships and long-term employment opportunities in both countries.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect team