From AUKUS to AI, next month’s Hunter Defence Conference will confront the changing nature of warfare.
More than 220 senior leaders from defence, government, industry and research are expected to descend upon Rydges Resort Hunter Valley on 20 and 21 August to explore how the nation can maintain a decisive capability edge amid rising global instability, rapid technological change and increasingly unconventional threats, from cyberattacks and grey-zone operations to high-scale, low-cost unmanned assaults.
“This is not a conversation about future threats, they are already here,” Hunter Defence Taskforce chair Tim Owen AM JP (AIRCDRE ret’d) said.
“From cyber to space, autonomous systems to long-range strike, we are entering a new defence paradigm, one that demands immediate and coordinated action across defence, industry and government.
“So, this nationally-significant event will examine how Australia can maintain a decisive capability edge through sovereign innovation, bold regional action and urgent collaboration.”
With the Hunter home to RAAF Base Williamtown’s F-35A Lightning II fighters, Kongsberg Defence Australia’s missile manufacturing facility and Lockheed Martin’s AIR6500-1 program, the region is fast becoming a cornerstone of Australia’s national defence posture.
“The Hunter is no longer just a contributor, it is a strategic enabler,” Mr Owen said.
“What we’re seeing here is the realisation of a coordinated, long-term effort to secure sovereign defence outcomes, accelerate innovation and build a defence-ready workforce.”
The conference will investigate how Australia is responding to global conflict trends through deeper security partnerships, particularly with the United States under AUKUS, and how these relationships are reshaping trade, policy and defence capability.
The implications for SMEs, from supply chain integration to workforce readiness, will be a central focus, too.
“Australia’s defence future depends on our ability to integrate emerging technologies with sovereign capability, while building a workforce ready to meet the demands of a rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape,” Mr Owen said.
Hunter Defence Conference program highlights
- Aus/US defence perspectives, challenges and opportunities with Joel Fitzgibbon in conversation with former Australian Prime Minister and current US Ambassador Kevin Rudd AC
- Modern warfare technology trends including artificial intelligence, autonomous systems and dual-use technology
- The implications of AUKUS on capability, policy and workforce
- Prime/SME collaboration across sovereign supply chains
- Regional defence infrastructure and innovation precincts
- The future talent pipeline and workforce transformation
- Scalability and cost-efficiency in defending Australia’s vast coastline and critical infrastructure
- War fighting insights and discussion with Mick Ryan (MGEN Retired)
- Strategic presentation with Michael Shoebridge and Marcus Hellier from Strategic Analysis Australia
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