In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson are joined by special guest Dr Ross Babbage, chief executive officer of Strategic Forum and Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments in Washington DC.

Together, the trio dive into Australia's rapidly shifting strategic landscape, the pressures shaping the US–Australia relationship, and the risks emerging across the Indo-Pacific as 2026 approaches.

The team also tackles the return of a Trump administration in the US government amid rising uncertainty surrounding the People's Republic of China's internal trajectory.

A central theme of the discussion is Australia's struggle to prioritise national security in line with allied expectations.

The conversation then shifts to the composition of Australia's political leadership and its effect on national preparedness.

Finally, the podcast ends with a discussion on military deterrence and insight into needed improvements in national resilience, industrial mobilisation and defence capability in Australia.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Contested Ground team

In this episode of the Defence Connect Spotlight podcast, host Steve Kuper speaks with former US naval attaché to Australia and Leidos Australia international science and technology director Kevin Quarderer and leading naval strategist Dr Jennifer Parker, an expert associate at the National Security College - The Australian National University.

The trio, appearing from the Indo Pacific International Maritime Exposition 2025 in Sydney, discuss a range of factors shaping Australia's accelerating maritime focus and the operational realities of the AUKUS trilateral agreement.

Both guests note the sharper strategic tone of this year's event, reflecting Canberra's growing recognition that national security will be shaped at sea.

They also discuss advanced training pipelines, force protection, maintenance capacity and the reopening of key ports to support US, UK and Australian submarine operations.

Logistics emerges as the decisive factor in maritime readiness, with both guests warning that the depth of Australia's replenishment fleet and supplies could constrain maritime operations, particularly as missile consumption rates continue to rise globally.

Autonomy remains a major theme, with Quarderer and Parker highlighting its potential to extend reach, enhance survivability and complement crewed platforms.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, David Hollingworth and Bethany Alvaro talk about the week's cyber security and AI news!

Hollingworth and Alvaro get things started by unpacking the Australian government's National AI Plan. Is it actually good governance, or more of a vibe ripe to be abused by the AI giants?

The pair then talk about the eSafety Commissioner's warning that smart car systems are being taken advantage of by domestic abusers, and concern over the impact of the looming social media ban might have on queer youth, before looking at a pair of interesting cyber security incidents from the past week.

But we end on some good news. Hollingworth and Alvaro share some reactions to the National AI Plan, before talking about a new UK initiative to stand up an e-sports event to promote and sharpen vital cyber security skills.

Enjoy,
The Cyber Uncut team