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 US Department of State has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to the Government of Kuwait for purchase of Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems Platforms and related equipment worth an estimated $1.98 billion. The Government of Kuwait has requested counter-Unmanned…
Boeing has validated the stealth of its MQ-28A Ghost Bat in a series of Radar Cross Section (RCS) tests at an undisclosed measurement facility in the USA. This milestone further demonstrates the platform’s maturity, survivability, and ability to deliver cost-effective…
The US Navy has selected HII Mission Technologies’ ROMULUS Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) to advance to the at-sea testing phase of its Medium USV (MUSV) program. The ROMULUS family of USVs is designed to deliver high-endurance, sustained open-ocean autonomy with…
Defence will get three second-hand Virginia-class Block IV submarines from the US Navy in about 2032, 2035 and 2038. And the RAN, US Navy and RN have signed an AUKUS Pillar II Signature Project agreement delivering common Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle…
The MQ-28A Ghost Bat has completed three operational flight tests on the Point Mugu Sea Range at US Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu, California, to validate autonomous operations and demonstrate rapid deployment and sustained operations from an allied location.…
Defence has appointed engineering consulting firm AECOM Australia to undertake site characterisation studies of the site, waters and surrounding environment at the defence precinct at Henderson, Western Australia. AECOM will carry out environmental and ground studies across Western Australia’s Cockburn…
Swedish company Saab and California-based General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) have successfully completed the first flight of the world’s first uncrewed Airborne Early Warning (AEW) aircraft. Saab’s LoyalEye radar sensor was integrated with GA-ASI’s unmanned MQ-9B aircraft. The partnership…
Defence has appointed Air Vice-Marshal Glen Braz as the new Chief of Joint Capabilities, replacing the incoming Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Susan Coyle. Air Vice-Marshal Braz will be promoted to Air Marshal and start in his new role in July…
Defence has awarded three Australian companies awarded contracts to develop new undersea navigation technology and strengthened the nation’s ability to operate Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs). As part of Defence’s Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA) Undersea Navigation Challenge, contracts worth $7.2…
Following a successful first flight in April, the US’s Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao has announced that the MQ-25A Stingray autonomous air refueller has received Milestone C approval to move into Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP). The milestone marks…
