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 Minister for Defence Industry and for Science and Technology, Melissa Price MP, announced at the 13thAustralian Space Forum on 3 March that the Australian government has awarded a $20 million Modern Manufacturing Initiative (MMI) Collaboration Stream grant to Adelaide-based…
Adelaide-based companies Cobham Special Mission and Acacia Systems have teamed to modify the former’s fleet of Dash-8 surveillance aircraft. Aircraft integration work commenced last month at Cobham’s aircraft maintenance hub in Adelaide. The project will see defence software and systems…
Eight leading Australian companies have formed the Australian Defence Industry Space Capability Alliance (ADISCA) to boost the country's defence industry space capability. The group includes Gilmour Space Technologies, Nova Systems, Southern Launch, DEWC Systems, Inovor Technologies, Neumann Space, REDARC Defence Systems and…
SYPAQ Systems has submitted its CorvoX Unmanned Aerial System (system as a sovereign Australian solution for Land 129 Phase 4B, which will deliver a man-portable small UAS for Army. CorvoX will provide Army commanders with the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance…
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has awarded US engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney a contract for a ground test demonstration program for a novel architecture using a rotating engine detonation concept to be jointly executed by Pratt &…
Airbus and Europe’s Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation (OCCAR) have signed the Eurodrone global contract, initially for 20 Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS) and 5 years of initial in-service support, though EX2 understands the final requirement is for 60 RPASs.…
The Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO), IDF and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems have completed successful live-fire tests at sea of the ‘C-Dome’ system – an advanced naval configuration of the Iron Dome defense system. The ‘C-Dome’ was operated for the…
The Australian government has announced a further $65 millions-worth of investment in Australian space technology, including a mission to put an Australian astronaut into space. It will co-invest more than $32 million in the development of up to three new…
Adelaide-based Fleet Space Technologies has established its first international HQ in Houston, Texas. This is the first phase of the company’s global expansion plan and follows its highly successful Series B funding round in November 2021 which raised US$26.4million. This…
Hanwha Defense Australia will establish a 32,000m2 Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence at Geelong’s Avalon Airport. The new CoE is estimated to create a minimum of 300 jobs over the life of the $1 billion project, generating ongoing support opportunities…
