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
The Australian Army’s Quantum Next Generation (QNG) Radar Challenge is open for entries. Army is challenging Australian industry and academia to identify the most disruptive applications of quantum technology. Team Nominations opened on 5 October and close on 2 November…
Elbit Systems of Australia (ELSA) is reorganising to better position the company to meet the challenges and opportunities of future programs within the Australian defence industry sector. The company’s CEO, MAJGEN (ret’d) Paul McLachlan, said that after more than a…
The Australian Defence Force’s Defence High Frequency Communication System (DHFCS), a key pillar of Australia’s strategic military communications network, is set for a major capability upgrade by Babcock Australasia under Joint Project 9101. The new contract will see Babcock lead…
Canberra-based Lockheed Martin Australia has submitted its own bid for the ADF’s Project AIR6500, Joint Air Battle Management System (JABMDS). And in parallel, the company has announced it will invest AUD$74 million to establish a National Integrated Air and Missile…
Following the acquisition of iXblue by Group Gorgé, ECA Group and iXblue have announced a new joint brand: Exail. And the new company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Australian SME Mission Systems Pty Ltd that’s focussed in…
Northrop Grumman Australia has submitted its response to the AIR6500 Phase 1 Joint Air Battle Management System (JABMS), Competitive Evaluation Process Stage 2 (CEP2). The company’s solution is designed to connect disparate Defence systems and platforms across all domains into…
US company SpaceLink, which provides secure data relay from any orbit at any time, has announced it was awarded a contract by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) to study how commercial optical ground terminals will integrate into NASA’s Near…
Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, CSIRO, is helping to tackle the growing threat of cyberattacks by providing free R&D support to businesses working in the cyber security sector. SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED ENTERPRISES (SMES) WORKING ON NEW CYBER…
Researcher-led startup Kite Magnetics has announced a $1.85 million seed round led by Investible Climate Tech fund to develop a new generation of smaller, lighter and more efficient electric motors. The Melbourne company is developing high-performance electric motors and inverters…
Naval forces from the United States and United Kingdom have conducted a bilateral exercise in the Arabian Gulf featuring the use of unmanned systems and artificial intelligence to enhance maritime monitoring by crewed ships and operators ashore. The one-day exercise,…
