Speakers

Plenary Speakers

• 

  Air Marshal Leon Phillips, OAM

  Chief of Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Group

  As an engineer and program manager, Air Marshal Phillips has over 38 years of extensive experience across Defence, with a proven reputation for establishing highly effective teams to deliver complex aerospace projects and manage their in-service support. In May 2023, on promotion to Air Marshal, he was appointed the inaugural Chief to head the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Group.

  His early appointments spanned a range of materiel support, engineering and staff roles supporting the F-111, Classic F/A-18 Hornet and Headquarters Northern Command. He was the Engineering Manager for Australia's developmental E-7 Wedgetail project based in Seattle USA which culminated in him accepting the first two aircraft. Promoted to Group Captain in 2012, he was appointed as the Project Director for the portfolio of Maritime Surveillance projects, where he guided the Air Force's P-8A acquisition through Government approval. Air Marshal Phillips was then appointed as Officer Commanding, Surveillance and Control Systems Program Office, responsible for the acquisition and sustainment of assigned airspace surveillance, control, and communications systems for the Australian Defence Force.

  In 2017 he was promoted to Air Commodore and led the acquisition and sustainment of Air Force's maritime patrol, airborne surveillance and aircrew training capabilities. He was subsequently posted to the Chief Information Officer Group and was responsible for connecting Defence Groups and Services with ICT solutions and integrating major weapon systems into the strategic ICT network. In 2022, he was promoted to Air Vice-Marshal and appointed as the Head of Aerospace Systems Division, responsible for the materiel acquisition and sustainment for all of Air Force's airborne air combat, surveillance and air mobility capabilities.

  Air Marshal Phillips has a degree in Electronic Engineering, Masters in Project Management and an Executive Masters in Business. He is also a Master Project Director with the Australian Institute of Project Management and a Fellow of Engineers Australia. He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2018 for his work in complex acquisition projects and for mentoring staff.

  Air Marshal Phillips is married to his best friend and mentor Air Commodore (retired) Angie Castner, and has four adult children. His interests include a lifelong obsession with field hockey, having played in Australia's National Hockey League and competing for Australia at the Masters level and he is the Patron of Defence Hockey. In his spare time he also enjoys cycling and cooking.
• 

  AIRCDRE Adam Spinks

  Director General Explosive Ordnance
  Joint Logistics Command
  Joint Capabilities Group

  Air Commodore Spinks joined the Air Force in 1997 as part of the Undergraduate Scheme, while studying at Queensland University of Technology to complete a Bachelor of Engineering (Aerospace Avionics).

  Throughout the early period of his career, Air Commodore Spinks had a number of technical postings with Air Combat Group, Aircraft Stores Integration and in the USA. He also deployed to the Middle East in support of Operation FALCONER.

  On completion of Australian Command and Staff Course in 2010, Air Commodore Spinks returned to RAAF Edinburgh on promotion to Wing Commander as Commanding Officer Aircraft Stores Compatibility Engineering Squadron where he established an international agreement to support USAF and RAAF collaborative F 35A Joint Strike Fighter aircraft stores compatibility activities.

  From 2014 through to the end of 2021, Air Commodore Spinks held a variety of positions in support of the F/A-18F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler capabilities. This included headquarters staff positions at number 82 Wing Headquarters, as the F/A-18 Senior Technical Liaison Officer to the US Navy Air Systems Command in the USA and commanding the Air Combat and Electronic Attack Systems Program Office. There, in partnership with Defence Industry he was responsible for the sustainment, upgrade and acquisition of the F/A-18F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler capabilities, strengthening the Air Combat capability through collaboration and cooperation.

  From December 2021 to December 2024, Air Commodore Spinks was Australia's Defence Adviser to Singapore where he worked with the other Government agencies at the Australian High Commission to further Australia's strategic Defence relationship with Singapore. Upon return from Singapore in January 2025, Air Commodore Spinks was posted as the Chief of Staff for Headquarters Joint Capabilities Group, before assuming the role of Director General Explosive Ordnance.
• 

  CAPT Paul Yow, RAN

  Director, Ordnance Safety
  Explosive Ordnance Branch
  Joint Capabilities Group

  CAPT Yow joined the RAN in 1997 as Weapons Electrical Engineering Officer.
  He trained in the FFG HMAS Melbourne, and DDG HMAS Hobart, before becoming a submariner. On completion of training on HMAS Collins, he served as Weapons Electrical Engineering Officer (WEEO) in Submarines HMAS Farncomb (2000-2001), and HMAS Waller (2002-2003), before being selected to study for a Masters of Explosive Ordnance Engineering at Canfield University in Shrivenham, UK. On completion of studies, he returned to Australia and performed Explosive Ordnance roles for four years before returning to sea as WEEO in the Warship HMAS Darwin (2008-10). He has held a range of positions within Navy Engineering, Career Management, the RIZZO Reform Program, Joint System, and the Destroyer Group. In 2020, he was promoted to CAPT and took on the duties of Director of the Land Explosive Ordnance System Program Office (LEOSPO), and was responsible for the acquisition and sustainment of all guided weapons and explosive ordnance for the Australian Army. In January 2023, he posted to the role of Director Professional Engineering and Governance within the Navy Engineering Branch before taking up his current posting as Director Ordnance Safety (DOS) in Jul 2024.

  He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Microelectronic Engineering (1996), and Masters Degrees in Explosive Ordnance Engineering (2004) and Military Studies (2012). He is a graduate of the Australian Command and Staff College (2012) and a member of the Institute of Explosive Engineers - UK, the Australian Safety Critical Systems Association, and Chartered, Engineering Executive and Fellow status within the Institute of Engineers Australia.

  CAPT Yow is married to Jackie and has one son, Max. In his spare time, CAPT Yow enjoys running, cycling (road, mountain and gravel), making apple cider, and fixing/tinkering with old cars, watches and bicycles.
• 

  Mr Stephen Gillström McLean

  Team Leader, Defence Ordnance, Munitions and Explosives Safety Regulator
  UK Ministry of Defence

  Steve leads the UK Defence Ordnance, Munitions and Explosives Safety Regulator (DOSR), within the Defence Safety Authority, with DOSR's area of responsibility covering: Acquisition of OME, Explosives Safety, Range Safety and Major Accident Control.

  His career started at the Royal Navy Armament Depot (RNAD), in Plymouth in 1984, undertaking many explosives activities on a wide range of conventional munitions, Steve has remained in explosives safety for his entire career.

  Steve has also held positions responsible for producing Technical Processing documents and the MOD's Explosives Regulations (JSP 482). He has also led the Explosives Storage and Transport Committee (ESTC) who were the UK Competent Authority for the classification of 'Military Explosives'; this was a role that followed him to DOSR, where he has been since its establishment. Before his promotion Steve was responsible for providing Assurance through the undertaking of inspections and audits and restoring compliance through the application of appropriate enforcement action. Steve has been the UK Representative at a number of NATO Ammunition Safety Committees and is currently the UK rep to NATO CASG AC326 Main Group.

  Steve is married with 3 children. He loves sport, particularly playing golf, and avidly follows Plymouth Argyle FC.
• 

  Mr Gilles Belley

  Director, Ammunition and Explosives Regulation
  Department of National Defence / Government of Canada

  Mr. Gilles Belley is a 1992 graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada, where he earned a bachelor's degree in computer science. During his military career, he served as an Aerospace Engineering Officer in a variety of technical and leadership roles within the Royal Canadian Air Force. After completing the Ammunition Technical Officer course in the United Kingdom in 1999, he became one of the Canadian Armed Forces' recognized specialists in ammunition and explosives management. His military appointments included Ammunition Technical Services Officer supporting Air Force and Navy munitions, Armament Officer at 3 Wing Bagotville, Deputy Commanding Officer of a second line operational fighter squadron, and Weapon System Manager and Senior Technical Engineering Officer for the CF-188 Hornet fleet. These assignments provided him with extensive experience in weapons engineering, airworthiness, operational support, munitions safety, and the lifecycle management of complex defence capabilities.

  Following more than 21 years of service in the Royal Canadian Air Force, Mr. Belley transferred to the federal public service in 2008. He subsequently managed the Department of National Defence's Unexploded Explosive Ordnance and Legacy Sites Program, overseeing initiatives related to the identification, assessment, and remediation of historical explosives hazards across Canada. In 2015, Mr. Belley was appointed Director, Ammunition and Explosives Regulation. In this capacity, he serves as the Department of National Defence's functional authority for ammunition and explosives regulation and safety, responsible for establishing regulatory policy, oversight, and compliance programs that govern the safe management of ammunition and explosives across the Defence Team. Through this role, he provides strategic leadership on national and international ammunition and explosives safety matters and represents Canada in various NATO and allied forums dedicated to advancing munitions safety, interoperability, and standardization.