Five Eyes Connectivity

Australia and New Zealand face many of the same defence technology challenges and opportunities as the other Five Eyes nations.
However, they must operate on more limited budgets, while grappling with a rapidly changing Asia-Pacific region.
The two countries are working to adapt to this shifting strategic picture, refocusing their acquisition priorities and preparing for a world of multi-domain operations, in which the nature of warfare itself is changing.
This is Shephard Studio’s podcast series on Five Eyes Connectivity, sponsored by our partner Viasat.

In this second series, we are exploring the military connectivity issues facing the Five Eyes nations and looking at the work underway to ensure communication networks can withstand the expected threats of tomorrow.

Last time we looked at the UK, and heard how a rapidly-shifting threat environment is driving a transformation of British military capabilities.

In today’s episode, we look at two of the smaller partners in the Five Eyes alliance – Australia and New Zealand – and hear how their militaries are responding to a rapidly changing world.

The UK and its allies are operating in a rapidly changing world.
While a focus on counter-insurgency operations may have dominated the early years of the century, attention has now shifted to the threat posed by China and Russia.
This is Shephard Studio’s podcast series on Five Eyes Connectivity, sponsored by our partner Viasat.
In this second series, we are exploring the military connectivity issues facing the Five Eyes nations and looking at the work underway to ensure communication networks can withstand the expected threats of tomorrow.

Last time we discovered how a new focus on Joint All Domain Operations is dominating future thinking on warfare for the US military and its allies.

In this episode, we focus on the UK, and hear how a rapidly shifting threat environment is driving a transformation of British military capabilities.
This evolving threat presents new challenges for the UK. Pervasive information and new technologies have enabled new tools and techniques that undermine cohesion while remaining below traditional detection and response thresholds.

In response, more of the same will not be enough.

In the chaos of combat, warfighters need fast, secure communications and instant access to information.

However, the digital information age we know today has changed the nature of warfare across all domains.

Military commanders are acutely aware that new networks, systems and technologies are needed to ensure timely and effective communications.

This is Shephard Studio’s podcast series on Five Eyes Connectivity, sponsored by our partner Viasat.

In Series One, we looked at connectivity issues facing the Five Eyes grouping of countries - Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the US - through the prism of three key technology areas.

For this second series, we are diving further into these issues, speaking to senior military leaders about the work underway to ensure military communication networks can withstand the expected threats of tomorrow.

In this opening episode, we dive into the connectivity issues facing the US military and its further development of the Multi-Domain Operations concept (also now known as Joint All Domain Operations and Joint All-Domain Command and Control).

This episode was produced by Tony Skinner with research support by Jack Austin, scriptwriting by Gerrard Cowan, and audio editing and mastering by Kevin Stokes.

A big thanks to everyone who gave their time to support the project.

This episode was based on open-source information and all participants were expressing their own opinions, not necessarily those of the organisations they represent.

In the Five Eyes Connectivity podcast special, we look at the changing face of modern warfare across the land, sea and air domains through the prism of three key technology areas: Satellite communications, line of sight data links and cybersecurity.
This episode, we turn our attention to the cyber world, and consider the paradigm that as militaries become ever more connected, the threat of cyber-attacks from adversaries becomes a serious reality.

We hear from two major military services, the US Navy and Canadian Army, and learn how they're shaping their organisations to better deal with the new cybersecurity challenges.

And we speak to our sponsor, ViaSat, on how the private sector is stepping in to assist militaries further develop these technology areas.
Find Part 1 in our series here
And Part 2 here
The Five Eyes Connectivity podcast was created by Shephard Studio in partnership with Viasat. A big thanks to everyone who gave their time to support the project.
The podcast series features music and effects by: Bobby Cole; Neil Cross; Romolo Komars Diprisco; Jason Donnelly; Michael Genato and Mark Merlino; Ceiri Torjussen

In the Five Eyes Connectivity podcast special, we look at the changing face of modern warfare across the land, sea and air domains through the prism of three key technology areas: Satellite communications, line of sight data links and cybersecurity.
In this episode, we turn to military tactical data links and look at how military planners are working to create a fully networked force where each platform sensor and operator are tied together on that highly resilient line of sight network.

We look at upgrades to the ubiquitous Link 16 network and hear how the US Air Force plans to take the data link into low Earth orbit for even greater reach.
And we will hear from our sponsor Viasat on how the private sector is stepping in to assist militaries develop these technology areas further.
Find Part 1 in our series here
And Part 3 here
The Five Eyes Connectivity podcast was created by Shephard Studio in partnership with Viasat. A big thanks to everyone who gave their time to support the project.
The podcast series features music and effects by: Bobby Cole; Neil Cross; Romolo Komars Diprisco; Jason Donnelly; Michael Genato and Mark Merlino; Ceiri Torjussen