| Gaining the trust of Western governments – particularly Australia – is now the chief priority for winning defence deals, securing foreign investment approval and locking in reliable supply chains, says the chief executive of US satellite company Viasat, Rick Baldridge.
Viasat president and CEO Rick Baldridge. “I think we have a very, very good relationship in Australia.”, is the No.1 provider to the US Department of Defence for top-secret level and above encryption devices, which is understood to include communications security for the president’s aircraft, Air Force One.The Australian Financial Review“We have to continue to build trust. I’ve been there, I’ve met with the ADF. I’ve met with the other agencies in Canberra.
“We have now moved most of our supply chain, either into the US or in more friendly environments than China and Russia,” Mr Baldridge said. Mr Baldridge said a cyber event that occurred during the Russian invasion of Ukraine also “affected part of our network”.