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