Innovation and R&D have always been the essential foundations of a strong, sustainable defence industry. Australia’s 2016 Defence White Paper, Defence Industry Policy Statement (DIPS) and Defence Integrated Investment Program (DIIP) acknowledge the importance of successful Defence R&D and innovation to the nation’s defence industry and thus to Australian defence policy. The 2020 Defence Force Structure Plan reinforced these foundations.
EX2 was set up by Dr Gregor Ferguson, a defence industry and innovation analyst and consultant, to make a useful contribution in Australia’s new and welcoming defence business environment.
EX2 helps innovators in Defence, the research sector and industry, and especially SMEs, by providing news and insight about innovation in Defence and adjacent sectors such as space, aerospace and resources.
Gregor Ferguson writes, teaches, advises and runs a national program designed to encourage and reward innovators in the defence, aerospace and maritime domains in both industry and the research and academic communities.
View his bio here (PDF opens in new window).
Dr Gregor Ferguson, Ph.D, BA (Hons), MRAeS
Defence has selected Northrop Grumman Australia as its preferred industry partner and will invest an initial $126.9 million to establish Solid Rocket Motor (SRM) production in Australia. Solid rocket motors provide the propulsion required for most guided weapons, and are…
Ms Meghan Quinn will become the next Secretary of the Department of Defence in succession to Mr Greg Moriarty who has been posted to Washinton DC as Australian Ambassador. Currently Secretary of the Department of Industry, Science and Resources, Ms Quinn brings…
Defence will spend $2.3 billion over the coming decade establishing a second long-range fires regiment and equipping it with the Lockheed Martin Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) and more M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HiMARS) launch vehicles. This is understood…
US prime contractor Boeing and the US Navy have successfully completed the first test flight of an operational MQ-25A Stingray™ autonomous aerial refueller. The milestone brings the Stingray closer to aircraft carrier operations and marks the beginning of a new…
The US Marine Corps has awarded a US$15.5 million ($22 million) contract to Lockheed Martin Sikorsky for the Medium Aerial Resupply Vehicle – Expeditionary Logistics (MARV-EL) Increment 2 program. Lockheed Martin Sikorsky will provide the Robinson R66 TURBINETRUCK, an autonomous…
Defence will invest $750 million to acquire 268 new generation Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles - Medium (PMV-M) for the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Thales Australia will build the Bushmasters at its Bendigo facility, continuing more than 20 years of production of…
The US Air Force and Space Force have initiated a major procurement effort to develop and field Space-Based Airborne Moving Target Indication (SB-AMTI) radar systems, says USSC in a media release. EX2 understands that USSF has opted for a multi-vendor…
Defence says it will more than double investment in C-UAS capabilities for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) with up to $7 billion now allocated under the Integrated Investment Program (IIP) over the next decade. As part of the major boost…
Defence has signed contracts with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) for Australia’s first three Japanese general purpose Mogami-class frigates. The ships will be of the upgraded Mogami class design, with the first scheduled to be delivered to the Royal Australian Navy…
The Australian Government has released the 2026 National Defence Strategy (NDS) and Integrated Investment Program (IIP). Together, these documents set out the Government’s plan to respond to what it says is Australia’s worsening strategic circumstances. It has allocated $425 billion over the…
