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
Sydney-based SiNAB showcased its Phoenix Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) pod at AVALON 2023. The Phoenix Pod is a self-contained ISR asset that incorporates a high resolution EO/IR sensor, laser pointer and designator and multiple air to ground communication systems…
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and Leidos have agreed to continue the successful business relationship established originally in 2006 between GA-ASI and Cobham Australia. With Leidos’ acquisition of the Cobham Special Mission business in October 2022, Leidos has now…
Melbourne-based ARKEUS used AVALON 2023 to launch its Hyperspectral Optical Radar (HSOR), a sovereign, Australian-made, maritime Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) sensor system developed for the RAN. The HSOR is a real time autonomous wide-area hyperspectral sensor that the company…
Australian firm Quasar Satellite Technologies Pty Limited has been awarded a $5.3M Defence Innovation Hub contract to develop a multibeam phased array space communications ground station as well as enhanced space domain awareness. The company has also been shortlisted for the Avalon…
Advanced Composite Structures Australia (ACS Australia) recently celebrated its 30th. birthday. The company is delivering unique, high-value composite materials engineering and manufacturing solutions for clients based around the world. It has also been developing a body of expertise and a…
German sensor company HENSOLDT will work with the Fraunhofer Institute to turn the GESTRA German Experimental Space Surveillance and Tracking Radar) technology demonstrator into a production ready, operationally deployable system called Custodian. To this end, HENSOLDT has acquired the necessary…
The UK Ministry of Defence has selected Australian company Schiebel and Franco-British contractor Thales to deliver the Peregrine Uncrewed Air System (UAS) contract for the Royal Navy under a contract reported to be worth around $25 million. This will see…
UK company Babcock has been awarded a six-year, £400 million ($720 million) contract to manage and operate Skynet 6, the UK MOD’s Military Satellite Communications (MILSATCOM) system. The contract is expected to support 400 jobs. The contract forms part of…
The Royal Navy’s unique trials ship XV (eXperimental Vessel) Patrick Blackett has begun sea acceptance trials. Operated by the Royal Navy’s Autonomy and Lethality Accelerator, NavyX, she will be used to test and trial novel technologies aimed at getting new…
A specialist ship acquired to support Royal Navy mine-hunting operations by launching drones to find and destroy undersea threats has arrived in Plymouth for conversion. When deployed, the vessel will help keep UK waters safe from the threat of mines…
