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
To ensure US energy dominance, the US Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), with the Department of the Army and the Department of the Air Force, has named eight companies as eligible to demonstrate the ability to deliver compliant, safe, secure and…
Canadian company Kraken Robotics Inc. has received new orders totaling C$11 million ($12.6 million) for SeaPower™ pressure tolerant batteries for Uncrewed Underwater Vehicles (UUVs). This brings year-to-date new battery orders to $45 million ($51.5 million), driven predominantly by UUVs for…
The Adelaide-based Defence Trailblazer has invested some $135 million in 35 industry led projects as of the end of the first quarter of 2025, with another 19 projects in the pipeline. These projects, the Trailblazer says, will fast-track the translation…
Defence’s Science and Technology Group (DSTG) is leading sovereign quantum research to enhance secure timing technologies and provide unique operational advantage to the ADF. This ground-breaking project will enhance the ADF ability to operate in contested environments when Global Positioning…
The Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) has announced that four US companies have been awarded contracts for Artemis, a project to operationally evaluate long range, one way platforms (and not to be confused with the NASA project of the same…
Defence has declared fully operational its state-of-the-art high performance supercomputer capability at the Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) facility at Edinburgh, near Adelaide. After intensive research and project development by Defence Science and Technology Group, the supercomputer is now…
The 2025 Avalon Airshow was the perfect stage for Honeywell to showcase its aerospace capabilities. The widely diversified company builds everything from mission-critical manned spaceship components to electric timers for central heating systems and announced in February of this year…
Adelaide-based BAE Systems Australia has entered into a 10-year Head Agreement with Boeing Defence Australia in Brisbane to deliver its sovereign Vehicle Management System (VMS) into the MQ-28 Ghost Bat. The MQ-28 Ghost Bat is the first Australian combat aircraft…
Boeing Australia and the Royal Australian Air Force have achieved a major milestone in the MQ-28 Ghost Bat flight test program, completing the 100th flight. Boeing Defense, Space & Security interim President and CEO Steve Parker made the announcement at the…
The first AH-64E Apache attack reconnaissance helicopter for the Australian Army has entered final assembly on the Boeing production line in Mesa, Arizona, and the first four are scheduled to be delivered by the end of 2025. Designated AT001, the…
