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
French autonomy and navigation company Exail has secured a new contract with an undisclosed US-based global defence player. The agreement involves the delivery of 100 Phins Compact Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) to equip Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs). Offering highly precise…
Gold Coast-based Gilmour Space Technologies has completed the maiden test launch, TestFlight 1, of Australia's first locally designed and built orbital rocket. Although this first flight lasted only 14 seconds the company has described it as a major milestone toward…
The US Department of Defense, with help from industry, will ramp up production and fielding of drones, or Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UASs), to maintain battlefield superiority. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at the announcement, at which some 18 US-made…
US prime contractor Northrop Grumman Corporation has named the first six strategic partners who will use its Beacon testbed ecosystem to rapidly test and deliver new autonomous solutions at scale. The initial partners are Applied Intuition, Autonodyne, Merlin, Red 6, Shield…
Sydney-based DroneShield, a global leader in counter-uncrewed systems (CUxS) technology, will participate in Project FlyTrap, a multinational defence initiative led by the US Army V Corps in Europe. This exercise, running from June to August 2025 in Germany and Poland,…
Brisbane-based Mirragin Consulting has launched its Mirragin Australian Drone Ecosystem (MADE) portal to connect Australian businesses, industry, and government with trusted drone and autonomous system providers. MADE is building a connected, national drone (or Uncrewed Aerial System - UAS) and…
UK firm MGI Engineering has unveiled its SkyShark loitering munition, a next-generation military Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) platform designed to transform battlefield operations with speed and precision, the company says. The jet-powered version of the SkyShark will be powered by a…
Australia and the United Kingdom have signed the bilateral Nuclear-Powered Submarine Partnership and Collaboration Treaty (the Geelong Treaty) at the UK-Australia Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Geelong, Victoria. The Geelong Treaty is a commitment for the next 50 years of UK-Australian bilateral…
In their 67-clause AUKMIN (Australian-UK Ministerial Consultations) Communique Australia and the UK have agreed closer Defence and Strategic cooperation. The talks, between the Australian and UK Ministers for Defence and Foreign Affairs, were held in Sydney on 25 July. All…
Defence has awarded 40 grants worth more than $17.3 million to Australian companies to deliver priority defence capabilities, support local manufacturing and strengthen Australia’s sovereign defence industry. Awarded under the $170 million Defence Industry Development Grants program, these grants will…
