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2020 was a big year for the nation, with Defence and defence industry playing an important role in the nation’s post-COVID recovery. In this top five, we will cover the most popular Strike and Air Combat domain stories of the year.
In this podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant and Steve Kuper discuss the massive year that was for the Royal Australian Air Force, which has seen major progress across the acquisition cycle, including on some of Australia’s largest Defence projects, with the growing fleet of fifth-generation F-35 Joint Strike Fighters and announcements around Australia’s acquisition of an armed remotely piloted aerial system.
2020 has also seen major progress and advancements across the Air Force’s fleet of E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning command and control aircraft, KC-30A Multi-role Tanker Transport and airlift aircraft fleet.
However, 2020 was a year dominated by a focus on air combat and strike capabilities, with public conversation focusing on the F-35 and America’s decision to cancel the F-22 Raptor in the mid-2010s, as well as concerns about Australia’s long-range strike capability gap becoming increasingly topical talking points.
Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect team
Listen to previous episodes of the Defence Connect podcast:
Episode 526: PODCAST: Getting our naval force structure right, with Jennifer Parker
Episode 525: CONTESTED GROUND: The expanding world of state-sponsored cyber warfare
Episode 524: SPOTLIGHT: Training – key to the National Defence Strategy, with CAE’s James Digges
Episode 523: PODCAST: Unpacking the impacts of a disruptive new US Defense secretary
Episode 522: PODCAST: Threats, theatre and tariffs in Trump’s world, with the Defence Connect team
Episode 521: CONTESTED GROUND: Regaining the qualitative advantage
Episode 520: CONTESTED GROUND: What’s in store for 2025? Part 2
Episode 519: PODCAST: Boosting women’s involvement in defence industry, with Rachel Falzon, Women in Defence Association
Episode 518: SPOTLIGHT: Delivering a sovereign small arms and load carriage capability, with Aquaterro’s Graeme Bulte
Episode 517: PODCAST: Royal Australian Navy minehunters’ new purpose after service, with Frank van der Linde
