In this episode, Grant McHerron talks with Dino Mavrookas, the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Saronic Technologies about its approach to autonomous surface vessels.

We begin our discussion by getting into Dino’s background as a former US Navy SEAL, evaluating the rapid growth in shipbuilding in China, and how Saronic Technologies is using a vertically integrated approach in their design and manufacturing. We review its flagship vessel models, the rapid uptake of contracts since the company was launched in 2022, and its ability to upscale across multiple services.

We wrap up by looking at Saronic’s goal to grow its Australian presence, the role autonomous vessels will play in deterrence, and the significant growth that is anticipated for the technology.

Links:

Saronic Technologies:

https://www.saronic.com/

This episode has been sponsored by Saronic Technologies.

------------------

The ADM Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of Australian Defence Magazine, a Yaffa Media title (www.australiandefence.com.au).

The views of the people appearing on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of Australian Defence Magazine, the Department of Defence or the guests' employer.

If you wish to use any of this podcast's audio, please contact Australian Defence Magazine via their website www.australiandefence.com.au or email them via defmag@yaffa.com.au to get involved.

ADM Podcasts are a blend of public interest journalism and sponsored content with a focus on the Defence community. Conversations with leaders and thinkers from a range of backgrounds including academia, Defence, industry, and associations. ADM Podcasts aims to educate, explain and explore some of the bigger issues around Defence.

For sponsored content opportunities, please contact ADM Associate Publisher Kylie Leonard and/or National Sales Manager Michael Flanagan.

Hosted by Grant McHerron

Producer: Steve Visscher

Australian Defence Magazine - © 2026

In this News Review episode, Grant McHerron, Ewen Levick and Kirra Davey review and discuss some of the news of interest that's occurred recently in the world of Defence.

We start by welcoming back Ewen and noting that in the eight weeks or so that he's been away the Strait of Hormuz remains closed with the US Navy unable to re-open it. We look at what this means for military engagements going forward, and the issues associated with keeping the very important sea lanes open in the straits to our North. The Middle East situation and the recent Venezuelan raid demonstrate that the US military is tactically incredible and practically unbeatable, but it doesn't seem to have the political force required to win the war overall. We finish the Hormuz review by observing that many apabilities that were previously being demonstrated and tested are now combat proven.

Next up, Kirra attended the recent Axon Tech Summit in Sydney which focused on the use of rones and counter-UAS systems for public safety, while Grant attended the opening of Corvus Technology Solutions' new factory in Melbourne, catching up with Minister Collin Brooks who has now taken on the role of Victoria's first Defence Industry Minister. So far it seems that WA, SA & VIC are the states with ministerial portfolios for Defence.

Sentinel Boats have sold their 830R-SPOL to the ADF's Special Operations Forces, which is great to see them achieve a military sale in Australia in addition to their contact with the NZDF. Kirra recounts her experience with the 830R during a demo on Sydney Harbour prior to IndoPac 2026.

We wrap the episode by looking at the Collins Class submarine Life Of Type Extension program's scope changing yet again, with $11 billion allocated towards keeping the boats operational into the 2040s. Given they were delivered in the 90s and due to be retired in the 20s, this begs the question of whether they can be kept operational and effective for another 20 years. This highlights the lack of "Plan B" for AUKUS and perhaps it's time for some political leadership to demand a bridging capability, much as occurred when the Super Hornets were ordered to bridge the gap to the RAAF's F-35s arriving and becoming operational.

Links:

Sentinel Boats wins Special Operations RHIB contract

https://www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/sentinel-boats-wins-special-operations-rhib-contract

Collins receives life of type extension

https://www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/collins-receives-life-of-type-extension

------------------

The ADM Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of Australian Defence Magazine, a Yaffa Media title (www.australiandefence.com.au).

The views of the people appearing on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of Australian Defence Magazine, the Department of Defence or the guests' employer.

If you wish to use any of this podcast's audio, please contact Australian Defence Magazine via their website www.australiandefence.com.au or email them via defmag@yaffa.com.au to get involved.

ADM Podcasts are a blend of public interest journalism and sponsored content with a focus on the Defence community. Conversations with leaders and thinkers from a range of backgrounds including academia, Defence, industry, and associations. ADM Podcasts aims to educate, explain and explore some of the bigger issues around Defence.

For sponsored content opportunities, please contact ADM Associate Publisher Kylie Leonard and/or National Sales Manager Michael Flanagan.

Hosted by Grant McHerron

Producer: Steve Visscher

Australian Defence Magazine - © 2026

In this episode, Grant McHerron talks with Dean Rosenfield, CEO of Nova Systems, about the company’s provision of sovereign services in support of the National Defence Strategy (NDS).

Our discussion gives us an insight into Dean’s experience holding the role of CEO for the last two years, how Nova in collaboration with SMEs across all domains is growing into a sovereign prime, and how this ensures Defence can manage risk effectively throughout design to sustainment. We explore Nova's significant contributions to Australia's self-reliance, its ability to deliver interoperability during crises, and enhance communication between agencies.

We wrap up by reviewing how building sovereign operational readiness strengthens Australia's position against emerging threats like supply chain disruption or geopolitical instability.

Links:

Nova Systems

www.novasystems.com/au

This episode has been sponsored by Nova Systems.

------------------

The ADM Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of Australian Defence Magazine, a Yaffa Media title (www.australiandefence.com.au).

The views of the people appearing on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of Australian Defence Magazine, the Department of Defence or the guests' employer.

If you wish to use any of this podcast's audio, please contact Australian Defence Magazine via their website www.australiandefence.com.au or email them via defmag@yaffa.com.au to get involved.

ADM Podcasts are a blend of public interest journalism and sponsored content with a focus on the Defence community. Conversations with leaders and thinkers from a range of backgrounds including academia, Defence, industry, and associations. ADM Podcasts aims to educate, explain and explore some of the bigger issues around Defence.

For sponsored content opportunities, please contact ADM Associate Publisher Kylie Leonard and/or National Sales Manager Michael Flanagan.

Hosted by Grant McHerron

Producer: Steve Visscher

Australian Defence Magazine - © 2026

For this episode, Grant McHerron went to Arkeus' office in Melbourne to meet with Simon Owen, the company's co-founder and CEO. Their discussion covers Arkeus, their technology, their contracts here and abroad, and their latest news regarding funding and expansion.

We start with a discussion of the inspiration behind Arkeus and the company's history to date, which then leads into a description of their "Hyperspectral optical radar systems," their method of operation, their size, weight and power, and the drones the systems are currently operating with. We also learn how much of these systems is being produced in Australia versus sourced from overseas and the level of attention Arkeus has given to component sourcing and tracing.

The conversation then moves on to Arkeus' engagement with the Australian Army, their contracts with the United States Department of War, and their other clients and markets. Simon gives us an overview of the efforts taken to break into the US market, which then leads to how the company has been funded to date.

We wrap with the news of Arkeus' latest funding round and the company's plans for expansion in Australia and the USA, including the announcement today of a new advanced manufacturing capability in Queensland.

Links:

Arkeus: https://arkeus.com

The image used for this episode's artwork was supplied by Insitu Pacific (https://insitupacific.com.au/)

------------------

The ADM Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of Australian Defence Magazine, a Yaffa Media title (www.australiandefence.com.au).

The views of the people appearing on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of Australian Defence Magazine, the Department of Defence or the guests' employer.

If you wish to use any of this podcast's audio, please contact Australian Defence Magazine via their website www.australiandefence.com.au or email them via defmag@yaffa.com.au to get involved.

ADM Podcasts are a blend of public interest journalism and sponsored content with a focus on the Defence community. Conversations with leaders and thinkers from a range of backgrounds including academia, Defence, industry, and associations. ADM Podcasts aims to educate, explain and explore some of the bigger issues around Defence.

For sponsored content opportunities, please contact ADM Associate Publisher Kylie Leonard and/or National Sales Manager Michael Flanagan.

Hosted by Grant McHerron

Producer: Steve Visscher

Australian Defence Magazine - © 2026

In this episode, Grant McHerron talks with Matt Kirk, the Director of Trusted Workforce at Worksec, and we’ll be discussing the importance of a trusted workforce.

We begin our discussion by exploring the current workforce issue in defence and government sectors, focusing on the bottleneck caused by trust concerns rather than technological limitations. We examine how projects can be delayed due to personnel clearance issues, with companies often finding themselves unable to proceed because they lack cleared staff at critical stages like tendering. The conversation delves into why this issue hasn't been fixed yet, highlighting factors such as supply chain competition and sovereignty concerns. There's a significant backlog of clearances needed for defense projects globally. We also assess the threats posed by an unvetted workforce, particularly insider risk when working with sensitive information or classified positions. The ability to vet humans remains one of the biggest challenges in security clearance processes.

We wrap up by discussing how WorkSec helps resolve these workforce trust issues through their 'Security Officer as a Service' offering, allowing companies to outsource governance and compliance tasks entirely while still meeting mandatory requirements like DISP membership criteria.

Links:

WorkSec: https://worksec.au/

This episode has been sponsored by WorkSec.

------------------

The ADM Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of Australian Defence Magazine, a Yaffa Media title (www.australiandefence.com.au).

The views of the people appearing on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of Australian Defence Magazine, the Department of Defence or the guests' employer.

If you wish to use any of this podcast's audio, please contact Australian Defence Magazine via their website www.australiandefence.com.au or email them via defmag@yaffa.com.au to get involved.

ADM Podcasts are a blend of public interest journalism and sponsored content with a focus on the Defence community. Conversations with leaders and thinkers from a range of backgrounds including academia, Defence, industry, and associations. ADM Podcasts aims to educate, explain and explore some of the bigger issues around Defence.

For sponsored content opportunities, please contact ADM Associate Publisher Kylie Leonard and/or National Sales Manager Michael Flanagan.

Hosted by Grant McHerron

Producer: Steve Visscher

Australian Defence Magazine - © 2026

In this News Review episode, Grant McHerron and Kirra Davey review and discuss some of the news of interest that's occurred recently in the world of Defence.

We start with traffic still not clearing the Hormuz Strait and the implications it has for farmers, fuel reserves and Defence capability. Fortunately the NDS & IIP are calling out improvements to our on-shore fuel storage.

Next up we congratulate SYPAQ Sustems' Corvo X small UAS entering into service, including on-going innovation and updates being included in the sustainment agreement. From there we look at the Land 8113 Phase 2 announcement for land based maritime strike going to Lockheed Martin with HiMARS and PrSM Increment 2, despite that missile not being in production as yet. We note that we already have HiMARS with GMLRS and have an agreement with the USA to assist with PrSM development and local production. That said, the question must be asked about why Kongsberg's StrikeMaster wasn't selected given Bushmasters are already produced in Australia and the NSM will be in production here from early 2027.

We wrap by looking at the recent announcement of the government signing an agreement with Northrup Grumman towards establishing a sovereign Solid Rocket Motor production facility in Australia. It's targeting the early 2030s for production but is starting with exploration, discussions and clarification of potential requirements and processes. The announcement noted this would build on DSTG's Australian designed and built DRACO SRM which was static fired at Woomera in Feb, bringing NG's 70+ years of SRM experience while also including collaboration with Australian companies DefendTex, Black Sky Industries and Anduril Australia to “explore their novel manufacturing methods.”

Links:

SYPAQ Systems Corvo X enters into service

https://www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/sypaq-systems-corvo-x-enters-into-service

Land 8113 Phase 2 goes to Lockheed Martin and PrSM

https://www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/lockheed-martin-welcomes-land-8113

https://www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/lockheed-martin-wins-land-8113

Government signs agreement with Northrop Grumman towards establishing sovereign Solid Rocket Motor production

https://www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/northrop-grumman-to-help-srm-manufacturing

https://www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/australia-to-establish-solid-rocket-motor-production

------------------

The ADM Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of Australian Defence Magazine, a Yaffa Media title (www.australiandefence.com.au).

The views of the people appearing on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of Australian Defence Magazine, the Department of Defence or the guests' employer.

If you wish to use any of this podcast's audio, please contact Australian Defence Magazine via their website www.australiandefence.com.au or email them via defmag@yaffa.com.au to get involved.

ADM Podcasts are a blend of public interest journalism and sponsored content with a focus on the Defence community. Conversations with leaders and thinkers from a range of backgrounds including academia, Defence, industry, and associations. ADM Podcasts aims to educate, explain and explore some of the bigger issues around Defence.

For sponsored content opportunities, please contact ADM Associate Publisher Kylie Leonard and/or National Sales Manager Michael Flanagan.

Hosted by Grant McHerron

Producer: Steve Visscher

Australian Defence Magazine - © 2026

This episode presents a set of interviews with representatives from three organisations that provide assistance to Australian Defence Force veterans and their families. All three rely heavily on donations and volunteers to ensure those in need are supported. We hope this episode will help increase awareness of their efforts and perhaps inspire people and companies to contribute to a worthy cause.

We open the episode with Graham Boyd from Legacy, next is Martin Shaw from Wounded Heroes, then we close with Paul Singer from Soldier On.

Links:

Legacy

https://www.legacy.com.au/

Wounded Heroes Australia

https://www.woundedheroes.org.au/

Soldier On

https://soldieron.org.au/

------------------

The ADM Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of Australian Defence Magazine, a Yaffa Media title (www.australiandefence.com.au).

The views of the people appearing on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of Australian Defence Magazine, the Department of Defence or the guests' employer.

If you wish to use any of this podcast's audio, please contact Australian Defence Magazine via their website www.australiandefence.com.au or email them via defmag@yaffa.com.au to get involved.

ADM Podcasts are a blend of public interest journalism and sponsored content with a focus on the Defence community. Conversations with leaders and thinkers from a range of backgrounds including academia, Defence, industry, and associations. ADM Podcasts aims to educate, explain and explore some of the bigger issues around Defence.

For sponsored content opportunities, please contact ADM Associate Publisher Kylie Leonard and/or National Sales Manager Michael Flanagan.

Hosted by Grant McHerron

Producer: Steve Visscher

Australian Defence Magazine - © 2026

This episode collects a number of interviews recorded at the Singapore Airshow 2026 during February. The episode starts with Bob Gibbs, Vice President of Global Sales and Strategy at Textron Aviation, who discusses their multi-mission aircraft lineup, how they support military clients with upgrades, sensor integration and mission-specific modifications, and also an update on the SkyCourier.

=—-=

Next up is Terry van Haren from DroneShield who shares his background as a retired Air Commodore with extensive experience in counter-drone technology development. We discuss how DroneShield is expanding rapidly into the Asia-Pacific market, including Singapore and Southeast Asia. Terry notes that their focus is on protecting critical infrastructure from drone threats.

=—-=

Moving to eVTOL aircraft, Jason O'Neill and Phil Kelly give us an insight into Horizon Aircraft’s innovative hybrid eVTOL aircraft design and a look at the military applications of their system, including commando insertions and logistics support. They also discuss its hybrid power systems, certification process, and noise reduction compared to helicopters.

=—-=

Next up is Eric Brock, the founder, CEO and Chairman of Ondas Inc, who talks to us about their counter-drone technology and system-of-systems approach for defense and security. We discuss how Ondas integrates aerial drones, ground vehicles and counter-drone systems into a unified architecture to protect military installations and respond to drone threats.

=—-=

We wrap up the episode with Mike Hanlin, ShieldAI's Senior Director of International Strategy. He discusses the company's advancements in military autonomy technology, their recent partnerships with GE for F110 engines, integration of micro missiles onto their VBAT (Vertical Takeoff and Landing) UAS, and their expansion into Asia-Pacific markets like Singapore. He notes that the company emphasizes accelerating development due to battlefield needs observed in Ukraine.

Links:

Textron Aviation's special mission aircraft

https://specialmissions.txtav.com/en/multi-mission

DroneShield

https://www.droneshield.com/

Horizon Aircraft

https://www.horizonaircraft.com/

Ondas

https://www.ondas.com/?lang=en

Shield AI

https://shield.ai/

------------------

The ADM Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of Australian Defence Magazine, a Yaffa Media title (www.australiandefence.com.au).

The views of the people appearing on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of Australian Defence Magazine, the Department of Defence or the guests' employer.

If you wish to use any of this podcast's audio, please contact Australian Defence Magazine via their website www.australiandefence.com.au or email them via defmag@yaffa.com.au to get involved.

ADM Podcasts are a blend of public interest journalism and sponsored content with a focus on the Defence community. Conversations with leaders and thinkers from a range of backgrounds including academia, Defence, industry, and associations. ADM Podcasts aims to educate, explain and explore some of the bigger issues around Defence.

For sponsored content opportunities, please contact ADM Associate Publisher Kylie Leonard and/or National Sales Manager Michael Flanagan.

Hosted by Grant McHerron

Producer: Steve Visscher

Australian Defence Magazine - © 2026