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
Melbourne-based Leidos Australia and its Project LAND156 partners have demonstrated a mission-ready counter-drone capability for the ADF, shooting down drones kinetically and non-kinetically and achieving a key milestone in advancing Australia’s ability to counter evolving aerial threats. The EX Southern…
Sydney-based DroneShield has received a contract worth $49.6 million from an undisclosed European reseller who is contractually required to distribute the products to another European military end-customer. The contract is for handheld counter-drone systems, associated accessories, and software updates. A…
Swedish defence manufacturer Saab has worked with Los Angeles-based Divergent Technologies to design and manufacture what Saab describes as the world's first software-defined aircraft fuselage. The 3D-printed Ruby is an Uncrewed Aerial System with a 5-7m wingspan and is powered…
The Australian Department of Defence has awarded Sydney-based CAE Australia a $300 million contract for the Future Air Mission Training System (F-AMTS), under Project AIR5428 Ph.3. The F-AMTS, which is designed to increase Defence’s aircrew training capacity by up to…
The Australian government has approved Republic of Korean company Hanwha’s long-standing application to increase its stake in Western Australian shipbuilder Austal to 19.9%. “Today I have agreed to the clear recommendation from the Foreign Investment Review Board to not object…
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.…
