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 Ocius has signed a contract of undisclosed value with the RAN to supply five Bluebottle Uncrewed Surface vessels (USV) this financial year. The announcement was made by RADM Pete Quinn Head of Navy Capability following the company’s Annual General…
Electro Optic Systems Pty Limited’s US subsidiary, EOS Defense Systems USA, Inc. has been awarded two contracts by the US government’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Space Commerce. The first will provide commercial satellite laser ranging (SLR)…
Brisbane company EPE has successfully demonstrated a stand-off chemical and explosive detection capability developed under two successive Defence Innovation Hub (DIH) contracts. With Defence focused on human-machine teaming to remove soldiers and operators from immediate threats, EPE was awarded a…
Hanwha Aerospace has successfully demonstrated the capabilities of its multi-purpose Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV), called Arion-SMET, at a U.S. Army Garrison in South Korea, proving the vehicle’s mature robotic and unmanned technologies. The demonstration of the 2-ton UGV took place…
Lloyd’s Register, a leading marine classification society, has awarded its first certification for an Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) to the DriX maritime drone. Developed by Exail, a global high-tech company and pioneer in the field of maritime autonomy, the DriX…
Australia’s first female astronaut will be University of New South Wales alumna Dr Meganne Christian who has been selected as part of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) 2022 astronaut class. Dr Christian is one of 11 reservist astronauts, alongside five…
The US Navy has announced Initial Operational Capability (IoC) for Boeing’s High Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapon Capability (HAAWC). The all-weather HAAWC enables the Boeing P-8A Poseidon to deploy MK 54 torpedoes from near or below its cruising altitude. The P-8A…
The Adelaide-based Defence Innovation Partnership (DIP has awarded $600,000-worth of R&D grants to four programs under its Collaborative Research Fund (CRF). Among them is a dual-use technology research project that will utilise satellite technology to aid in disaster response. It…
Brisbane start-up company Valiant Space, which has been supported by the Queensland Government’s Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Hub, is sending locally-made components into orbit, onboard SpaceX, from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral. Valiant Space co-founder and CEO…
Macquarie University’s Australian Astronomical Optics (AAO) has signed an agreement with pioneering manufacturer Gilmour Space Technologies to produce a new sovereign space technology, set to launch in 2023. Under this new partnership technical specialists from AAO Macquarie will construct and…
