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
A planned launch from Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex in South Australia has been postponed after severe weather caused an electrical fault to the ATSpace Kestrel 1 launch vehicle. Severe thunderstorms, high winds and heavy rain struck the Whalers Way…
Two machine learning experts employed by Adelaide-based Inovor Technologies, Kenny See and Toby Lightheart have won the European Space Agency (ESA) ops-sat machine learning competition, the company has announced. This challenge saw Team Inovor competing from July to October, coming…
Swinburne University’s Melbourne-based Aerostructures Innovation Research Hub (AIR Hub) will develop and trial Australia’s first hydrogen-propelled drone, thanks to a $1.3 million grant from the Australian Government’s Emerging Aviation Technology Partnerships program. The Hydrogen to the Skies (H22S) project will…
Additive manufacturing technology business SPEE3D announced conducted a successful hot fire test of its prototype rocket engine at a test site in Darwin in September. The company’s SPACE3D project focuses on using cold spray Additive Manufacturing (AM) and Advanced Manufacturing…
SPONSORED CONTENT: Lawforce Alpha - a new specialist service for Defence industry Australia relies more than ever on the products and services of Defence industry to achieve its sovereign capability goals. The Defence industry business environment is unique. Legal advice for…
Queensland rocket company Black Sky Aerospace (BSA) has successfully fired nine guided weapons from its Southern Queensland launch site, including a barrage of four units from its first-of -type launch POD system. Utilising its own Australian-made solid rocket propellant, BSA…
The Aerostructures Innovation and Research Hub, or AIR Hub, hosted by Swinburne University has set itself the task of addressing some significant technical challenges while positioning Australia’s research and industry sectors to tackle the century’s major emerging opportunities. Among these…
Australian rocket engineers at Gold Coast-based Gilmour Space Technologies have successfully completed the final qualification test of its main Sirius hybrid rocket engine, paving the way for the country's first orbital launch attempt of an Australian-made rocket next year. The…
Perth-based aerospace engineering company Innovaero is developing a sovereign loitering munition for the Australian Army under a contract of undisclosed value. The munition is designed to have a range of 200km and a choice of payloads. Importantly, the munition remains…
The Australian Government is providing $35 million for the new Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space (P4S), led by the University of Adelaide. Additional funding and in-kind support from 38 partner organisations, including four other…
