Brigadier Hamish Ashman is the Director General Space and Cyber Capability Development, responsible for delivering Australia’s space and cyber capabilities. A Signals Officer with extensive experience across tactical communications, electronic warfare, signals intelligence, strategic planning, and cyber operations, and has held a range of leadership roles in the cyber domain since 2016. Promoted to Brigadier in 2025, he assumed command of the Cyber Forces Group after serving as Chief of Staff Cyber Command. He previously led the delivery of advanced cyber capabilities across the ADF and Defence, achieving Initial Operational Capability in 2024 and introducing innovative defensive cyber and training systems developed in partnership with the United States Department of Defense.

A graduate of the Australian Technical Staff Officer’s College and the Australian Command and Staff College, Brigadier Ashman holds degrees in Information Systems, Information Technology, and Defence Capability Planning and Acquisition. His career has included operational deployments to Timor-Leste, Iraq, and Qatar, as well as service as the Australian Army Liaison Officer to the United States Army Combat Capability Development Command.

Air Vice-Marshal (AVM) Dianne Turton joined the Royal Australian Air Force in 1989 and graduated from the Australian Defence Force Academy as a Distinguished Graduate in 1991.

Her appointments in the early years of her career included postings in Intelligence, Operations and Planning roles with maritime, transport and training aircraft at RAAF Bases across Australia at the tactical and Operational Levels. Following this, she was appointed to a number of leadership positions as the Deputy Director International Engagement- Air Force, Executive Officer of the Defence Force School of Intelligence and the Director of Military ISR at Defence Signals Directorate.

In 2015, she posted to Headquarters Joint Operations Command as the Director Effects, Targeting and Network Analysis leading Australia’s Targeting contribution to Operation Inherent Resolve.In 2020, she was promoted to Air Commodore and was appointed the Director General Intelligence Capability Integration leading the ADF’s Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Capability Program.

On promotion to Air Vice-Marshal in December 2023, AVM Turton was appointed the Australian Military Representative to NATO and EU. She was the first female Air Force Intelligence officer to achieve star rank and the first Air Force Intelligence officer to be promoted to Air Vice-Marshal. Returning to Australia in 2026, AVM Turton has been appointed as Head of Intelligence Capability within the Defence Intelligence Group.

Air Vice-Marshal Turton holds a Bachelors Degree in Political Science and a Masters Degree in Asian Studies from the University of New South Wales and is a graduate of the Stanford University AI and Big Data Programs. She is also a graduate of the Australian Federal Police College of Management. She is an Indonesian and Bahasa Malaysia linguist and has deployed to Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan. She was made a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2021 Queens' Birthday Awards for exceptional service to the ADF in the field of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance.

Air Vice-Marshal Turton and her spouse have two adult children and two dogs. When not in uniform, she enjoys spending her time on the family property just outside Canberra, working with her alpacas and sheep.

Brigadier Les Juckel joined the Australian Army in 1998 graduating from the Royal Military College in 1999 into the Royal Australian Corps of Signals. He has served in a variety of Staff, Instructional and Command appointments with most of his Regimental service in Combat Brigades. Notable appointments include being a Staff Officer in Army Headquarters Land Capability Division from 2012 to 2015, Liaison Officer to the US Army based at Aberdeen, Maryland from 2016-2017 and Commanding Officer of the 7th Combat Signal Regiment from 2018 to 2019.

As a Senior Officer, Brigadier Juckel was Director Land C3 Systems Program Office in the Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group from January 2021 to May 2022. He was acting Assistant Secretary of Land C4 Systems Branch in the Capvability Acquisition and Sustainment Group from May 2022 to December 2023. He was Director Land Network Integration Army from December 2023 to December 2024.

Brigadier Juckel has operational experience from four deployments to the Middle East. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from Griffith University, a Master of Arts in Strategy and Policy from the University of New South Wales and a Master of Systems Engineering from the University of New South Wales.

Brigadier Juckel’s Honours and Awards include the Conspicuous Service Cross in the 2017 Australia Day Honours, a Chief of Defence Force Commendation and the United States Meritorious Service Medal.

Brigadier Juckel assumed the appointment of Director General Joint C4 in Joint Capabilities Group in December 2024.

Brigadier Juckel is married to Samantha who is a Captain in the Royal Australian Navy.

Major General Kurt Brown grew up in the country New South Wales town of Dubbo. He attended the Australian Defence Force Academy and Royal Military College before graduating into the Royal Australian Corps of Signals. He is the current Head Land Capability within Army Headquarters.

Major General Brown has had a diverse range of appointments throughout his career ranging from command, staff and joint, to inter-agency roles. Career highlights include command of the 7th Combat Signal Regiment, appointment as the Australian Defence Adviser to Canada and exchange with the United States 11th Signal Brigade. He also served as the Commander of the Cyber Forces Group within Joint Capabilities Group.

Operationally, Major General Brown has served on multiple tours to Afghanistan, Iraq and Timor Leste. He was the Officer Commanding Afghanistan Signal Squadron and the Officer Commanding the Signal Element in Timor Leste. Major General Brown was a lead planner in the Multi-National Corp-Iraq communications plan whilst posted as the Engineering Officer for the United States 11th Signal Brigade.

Academically, Major General Brown is a graduate from the University of New South Wales Master of Electrical Engineering program. He is a graduate of the Defence Strategic Studies Course and Australian Command and Staff College, attaining a Master of Military Studies from the Australian National University. He is also a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Executive Program on Leadership and Innovation. Major General Brown is currently undertaking a doctorate on the convergence of physical and electronic manoeuvre on the battlespace.

Major General Brown has a keen interest in most sports, particularly Australian Rules football and is a passionate St Kilda supporter. He also enjoys outdoor pursuits such as skiing and running. He is married and has two children.

CAPT Harvey-Collings joined the RAN in 2006 and graduated from the Australian Defence Force Academy in 2009. In 2010, she completed the inaugural Navy Intelligence Officer training program and since qualifying has been posted to the Maritime Intelligence Support Centre (now Fleet Intelligence Analysis Centre), Defence Intelligence Organisation, Joint Operations Command, Maritime Operations, Defence Intelligence Group and Navy Intelligence & Information Warfare Branch.

CAPT Harvey-Collings has been fortunate to spend a large portion of her career deployed on, or directly supporting, operations. She deployed as the CTF 150 N23 in support of Op SLIPPER in 2012 and as the N2 in HMAS Newcastle force assigned to Op MANITOU in 2015. From 2019-2020, she served as the N2 in Submarine Operations and was awarded a Conspicuous Service Medal for her achievement in this role in the 2021 Australia Day Honours List.

CAPT Harvey-Collings is a graduate of the Australian Command and Staff Course and holds a Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts (Strategy and Security) and Master of Defence Studies.

CAPT Harvey-Collings assumed the role of Director Navy Intelligence & Information Warfare and Head of Professional Requirements – Intelligence on 15 December 2025.