Defence & Security Podcast Network

In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, senior journalist Robert Dougherty is joined by L3Harris Technologies vice president for Australia and New Zealand, Alan Clements, to discuss the arrival of the Royal Australian Air Force's new MC-55A Peregrine aircraft.
Clements is a former F/A-18 Classic Hornet instructor and previously served as commanding officer of No. 77 Squadron. He became an air commodore in 2011 and retired from the Royal Australian Air Force as an air vice-marshal in 2020.
He also served as commandant of the Australian Defence Force Academy from 2013 to 2016, then as the Australian defence attaché to the United States from 2017 to 2020 and was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia.
During the podcast, the pair discuss the MC-55A Peregrine and its significance for Australia's intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR) and electronic warfare capabilities, including the following:
The arrival of the first MC-55A Peregrine aircraft in Australia and its role in strengthening the ADF's ISR and electronic warfare capabilities.
How the platform, based on a modified Gulfstream G550 business jet, provides high-altitude, high-speed intelligence collection across the electromagnetic spectrum.
The benefits of adapting commercial aircraft for military ISR missions, including lower operating costs, easier maintenance and greater flexibility.
The role of the MC-55A in enhancing Australia's situational awareness and decision making across the Indo-Pacific region.
Future upgrades, technological challenges and the importance of rapid software and hardware development to keep pace with evolving threats.
The growing importance of the electromagnetic spectrum and artificial intelligence in modern warfare and defence operations.
Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect team

In this episode of the Contested Ground Podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant, Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson, and Steve Kuper discuss the immediate aftermath of the US–Israeli strikes against Iran and the ramifications for Australia.
The trio lays the foundation for a mini-series of focused podcast conversations over the coming weeks to address the impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East on Australia and the Australian public.
These topics will include engaging conversations with a range of experts across the following:
The impact on social cohesion and the rise of foreign interference in Australia's diaspora communities.
Australia's declining industrial sovereignty and the impact of contested, frayed and interrupted supply chains.
The economic impacts of the conflict in the Middle East and Australia's cost-of-living crisis and the fuel security challenges Australia faces.
The impact on Australia's key economic pillars and the connective tissue of logistic supply chains.
Cyber security, disinformation and proxy activity in Australia.
Migration and the challenges facing Australia's diaspora communities.
Questions relating to Australia's geographic isolation and the psychology behind our "Tyranny of Distance" and the impact on Australia's security posture.
Questions relating to what kind of "Middle Power" Australia wants to be.
Enjoy the podcast,
The Contested Ground team

In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, senior journalist Robert Dougherty is joined by UK member of Parliament for Plymouth Moor View, Fred Thomas, who has recently toured Australian defence facilities as part of a UK parliamentary delegation examining submarine infrastructure and AUKUS cooperation.
Thomas has previously served as a Royal Marines Officer across several security environments, including nuclear security, counter-terrorism, arctic warfare and on overseas operations. He remains an active Royal Marines Commando Reservist.
Thomas represents the recognised UK submarine hubs of Barrow and Plymouth, he has established the Defence Technology All Party Parliamentary Group, and has close links to the UK submarine enterprise, including facilities in Barrow-in-Furness and His Majesty's Naval Base Devonport.
During the podcast, the pair discuss development of submarine infrastructure in Australia and historical examples from the UK, including the following:
Australia's efforts to develop infrastructure and a skilled workforce to support nuclear-powered submarines under AUKUS.
Community perceptions of nuclear propulsion and the importance of regulation and training pathways.
News from visits to facilities, including HMAS Stirling and the Australian Marine Complex, and a tour of HMS Anson during its maintenance period in Western Australia.
Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect team

This week on Cyber Uncut, Liam Garman and Daniel Croft unpack the week's cyber and AI news, while David Hollingworth reports from Zero Trust World 2026 in Florida!
Garman and Croft kick off the podcast with news of ChatGPT shedding a raft of users since it announced it would sign up with the Pentagon after rival AI giant Anthropic backed down over fears its AI would be used without adequate guardrails.
The pair then unpack the Commonwealth Bank's self-reported $1 billion fraud case involving illegitimate home loans after two whistleblowers accused a lender and a mortgage broker of forging income statements within the bank's private banking division. The two also cover how a hacktivist group named the "Department of Peace" allegedly breached the DHS Office of Industry Partnerships and released details on ICE and DHS contracts with over 6,000 entities, including Anduril, Microsoft, Oracle, and Palantir.
Finally, we then cut to David Hollingworth on the floor of Zero Trust World 2026, where he caught up with ThreatLocker's CEO, Danny Jenkins, unpacking the cyber security implications of the fighting in Iran, after Garman and Croft outline the threats to the world's financial systems as the conflict continues in the region.
Enjoy,
The Cyber Uncut team

From commercial pilot to maritime leader, Georgia Davey's "roller-coaster" career is a masterclass in adaptability. In this episode, the NORSTA Maritime program manager joins Tash Taylor to discuss her journey from the skies of northern Australia to managing maintenance for naval vessels. Georgia shares the unique challenges of defence construction and maritime logistics, offering a candid look at being the only woman in the room and her commitment to "holding the door open" for the next generation of diverse talent.
The Progress Report. New voices. Real stories. Big shifts.
Enjoy the podcast,
The Progress Report team