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 published an unclassified version of its heavily suppressed Review of the Defence Innovation System, also known widely as the Peever Review. However, the version released last week was so heavily redacted that it makes the Australian government a…
Queensland-based Hypersonix Launch Systems has been selected to provide hypersonic vehicles to the United States’ Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) for testing under the Hypersonic and High-Cadence Airborne Testing Capabilities (HyCAT1) program. The DIU has selected Hypersonix’s DART AE (Additive Engineering)…
Artist’s impression of the AROSE consortium lunar rover Image: AROSE The Department of Industry Science and Resources has announced Stage 1 grants for two successful Australian consortia to develop lunar rovers under the Australian Space Agency’s Moon to Mars Trailblazer…
The State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Australia of 220 Tomahawk Block V and Block IV All Up Rounds (AUR) and related equipment for a total estimated cost of US$895 million ($1.3 billion). The Defense Security…
Australia will acquire at least three and possibly five US Virginia-class submarines, starting in the early 2030s – pending US Congressional approval; and it will build in Adelaide eight SSN-AUKUS conventionally-armed nuclear-powered submarines, based on a UK design, incorporating cutting…
The Royal Australian Navy has officially taken delivery of the first two of five Ocius BlueBottle Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USV) ordered by the ADF, despite the fact the USV has been in service with the ADF for several months. The…
With the Australian government’s response to the Defence Strategic Review and several AUKUS-related announcements due over the next few weeks, the Australian Government has called for public feedback on proposed fundamental reforms to Defence legislation. Submissions close on 21 April,…
The first AUSMIN/AUKMIN-style meeting of Australian and Indian Foreign and Defence Ministers will be held later this year, it has been announced by the two countries’ Prime Ministers. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made a three-day State Visit to India…
The Sydney-based Defence Innovation Network is inviting the Australian research community to participate in the DIN Sandpit Workshop. This online event will be held on 30 March. The event will feature several problem pitches delivered by Defence and industry aligned with…
The Australian Army is seeking proposals that will demonstrate solutions in three themes Disruption of quantum computers Quantum networking for enhanced sensing and imaging Systems monitoring using quantum sensors Selected teams will be invited to pitch their solutions at the Quantum…
