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 team led by Queensland firm NIOA has been selected to deliver the first stage of a major weapons upgrade for the ADF under Tranche 1 of project LAND 159 Lethality System. The contract value hasn’t been disclosed. This initial…
Northrop Grumman Australia has teamed with Australian electronics engineering company IntelliDesign to design and manufacture hardware for Secure Communications Solution (SCS) devices. Northrop Grumman Australia’s sovereign SCS-200 capability provides simple, secure network access for deployed teams and individuals, supporting customers…
The Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) has called for submissions on Artificial Intelligence-enabled Autonomous Cyber Operations (ACO), offering the potential for distributed, adaptive defensive measures at machine speed and scale. The cyber domain is a particularly challenging domain for…
Sydney-based SME Cirrus Real Time Processing Systems, Australia’s leading mission training system developer, has delivered the latest variant of the RAN’s Tactical Electronic Warfare (TACEW) system. It has also won two additional RAN contracts, to support and to extend the…
Boeing Australia and ExoAnalytic have teamed to offer the Australian Government a fully operational Space Domain Awareness (SDA) capability under Joint Project 9360 that is ready to deploy immediately, and to be operated by a local Australian team. The ExoAnalytic-Boeing…
Perth-based LatConnect 60 (LC60), an Earth observation and data fusion company, has signed an agreement to work with Gilmour Space Technologies in Queensland to build and launch the first microsatellite in a planned high-resolution hyperspectral imaging constellation. The smart satellites…
Electro Optic Systems Holdings Limited (EOS) will acquire the assets and hire the personnel of KiwiStar Optics (KSO) in a deal with New Zealand Government innovation agency Callaghan Innovation. The value of the acquisition hasn’t been disclosed. KSO produces precision…
Boeing has demonstrated successful integration of its Protected Tactical Enterprise Service (PTES) software elements with an industry partner’s user terminal, proving technical maturity on the U.S. Space Force’s pathfinder program. A contender for Australia’s JP9102 MILSATCOM project, Boeing says its…
The Department of Defence has awarded nine Defence Innovation Hub contracts worth $19 million to develop new technologies that could help protect and sustain Australian Defence Force personnel in the field. Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said, “I am…
Melbourne-based SYPAQ Systems has officially opened its new Defence Autonomy Centre of Excellence (DACE). Announced in June last year, the DACE has been established with direct support from the Victorian Government and aims to make Fisherman’s Bend a hub for…
