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
UK-based electrification specialist Equipmake has been selected by Australian space company Gilmour Space Technologies to support its commercial space rocket programme with the supply of advanced electric motors and inverters. Led by former F1 engineer Ian Foley, Equipmake has developed advanced…
Lockheed Martin Australia has joined forces with Melbourne-based secure communications systems expert C4i, as part of a proposal to deliver advanced secure communication capabilities to support the RAAF’s Project AIR6500 Phase 1 (AIR6500-1), Joint Air Battle Management System. The contract…
Sydney based drone manufacturer and solutions provider Carbonix is partnering with Quickstep Holdings, Australia’s largest independent manufacturer of aerospace composites to manufacture aerostructures for its Volanti drones. Volanti is Carbonix’s smallest all-electric fixed-wing VTOL UAV (Vertical take-off and landing Un-crewed…
The Australian Army is thinking about fielding a new coastal defence battery under Project LAND 4100 Ph.2. The new battery would form part of Army’s new Fires Brigade which includes a Land Based Maritime Strike capability. Army is reported to…
Brisbane-based ARM Hub is seeking $12 million to establish a pilot Defence Technology Accelerator Program, in collaboration with its university and investment partners. This program would address key gaps in Australia’s defence manufacturing ecosystem, says ARM Hub CEO Dr Cori…
Two Australian innovators have been named winners of the Land Forces 2022 Innovation Awards. Their success was announced on Tuesday 4 October at the Land Forces 2022 International Land Defence Exposition in Brisbane by LTGEN (retired) Ken Gillespie, AO, AC, DSC,…
Three Australian companies have won prizes in the Land Forces 2022 Innovation Pitchfest. The even provides a platform for innovators to present new products and research projects to an international audience of potential customers, partners and investors. In 2022, the Innovation…
Hanwha Defense Australia and Hanwha Systems have signed an MoU with Australian AI company 4Zero to work on improving low-Earth orbit satellite communications. The agreement follows an already existing Memorandum of Agreement (MoU) between Hanwha Defense Australia (HDA) and Deakin…
Two Queensland companies, space and defence rocket manufacturer Black Sky Aerospace (BSA) and digital security provider de.iterate have partnered to ensure the digital security of BSA’s guided weapons development program. BSA and de.iterate will combine AS9100D (Quality Management Systems -…
Perth-based Austal Australia has taken possession of a de-commissioned Armidale-class Patrol Boat (ACPB), the former HMAS Maitland, and renamed her Sentinel. The company will modify the patrol boat with autonomous and remotely piloted capability under the RAN’s Patrol Boat Autonomy Trial (PBAT).…
