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
Canberra-based Lockheed Martin Australia’s Global Supply Chain (GSC) Program has surpassed $225 million in export contracts awarded to Australian industry partners. This milestone strengthens Australia’s sovereign defence capabilities and increases the resilience of its global supply chains, the company said…
Perth-based Greenroom Robotics and EGS Survey have signed a Fleet Wide Partnership Agreement to equip all future Fremantle-class Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USVs) with Greenroom's GAMA maritime autonomy system, accelerating the shift toward cleaner, lower impact hydrographic survey operations. Under the…
Newport News, Virginia-based HII and UK-based Babcock International Group have signed a contract of undisclosed value to build complex submarine assemblies at Babcock’s Rosyth facility in Scotland for Virginia-class Block VI fast-attack submarines. This agreement will expand their existing strategic partnership…
The US Navy has awarded Hudson, New Hampshire-based BAE Systems a new five-year, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract for APKWS laser-guidance kits to equip US armed forces with tens of thousands of additional low-cost precision munitions. The kits will go on…
Anduril UK has announced an exclusive teaming agreement with UK firm GKN Aerospace in Cowes, Isle of Wight, to collaborate on the British Army’s £100 million ($200 million) Project NYX and the Ministry of Defence’s Land Autonomous Collaborative Platform program.…
Boeing Defence Australia’s (BDA) autonomous MQ-28A Ghost Bat will be transitioned into a warfighting system for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) under a $1.4 billion program, including a $754 million contract to BDA. Designed and built in Australia under the…
US defence prime contractor Northrop Grumman has unveiled Project Talon, a Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) designed to fly autonomously alongside crewed fighters. It advances collaboration between crewed and uncrewed aircraft, acting as a force multiplier to enhance lethality, adaptability and…
US Defence giant Northrop Grumman has successfully tested the first of two new Solid Rocket Motors (SRM) — SMASH!22 and BAMM!29 2.0 — which were designed and manufactured in 2025 under the company’s SMART Demo program. This milestone marks a key achievement in the project’s…
Australia will start manufacturing Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) All Up Rounds and Launch Pod Containers this month after the opening of a new factory near Defence’s Proof and Experimental Establishment at Port Wakefield, South Australia. Lockheed Martin Australia…
US defence prime contractor Lockheed Martin has opened a 17,000ft2 (1,600m2) Hypersonics System Integration Lab (SIL) at its Huntsville campus. Construction has taken just over one year and the US$17.1 million ($26 million) capital investment underscores Lockheed Martin’s commitment to maintaining US strategic…
