In this episode of Aviation Xtended, we welcome back Grant McHerron and Steve Visscher from the excellent Plane Crazy Down Under podcast. Grant is also the host for the Australian Defence Magazine podcast.

Royal Australian Air Force aviators prepare a F/A-18F Super Hornet prior to a night flying sortie during Exercise Pitch Black 2026 at RAAF Base Darwin. 

Australia has always mattered in aviation and defence, but over the past couple of years it has become much more visible on the world stage. From AUKUS and submarines to long-range strike, autonomous aircraft, maritime surveillance and the growing importance of the Indo-Pacific region, there is a great deal going on.

Grant and Steve share with us, what this means, how aerospace connects across the Australian defence sector and what role Australia has across the Pacific region.

A Royal Australian Air Force F-35A Lightning II aircraft from No 2 Operational Conversion Unit conducts a flight over the Hawkesbury region, NSW

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• The Clear Signal with Steve Visscher https://www.clearsignal.com.au/podcast 
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