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
Medicine Hat, Alberta-based Landing Zones Canada has completed the development and flight test campaign for its latest innovation, the Eagle Advanced Payload Delivery System (APDS). The Eagle is the world’s first high-altitude balloon-launched APDS, combining high performance, low observability and…
The Brisbane-based Queensland Defence Science Alliance (QDSA) has awarded five 2024 QDSA Collaborative Research Grants (CRG) to teams from Queensland and the Northern Territory. The NT’s Charles Darwin University joined QDSA in July 2024. The five winning projects, between QDSA…
San Diego-based Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. and Israeli firm RAFAEL Advanced Defense Systems Ltd have announced the establishment of a US-based merchant supplier of Solid Rocket Motors (SRMs) and other energetics. The new joint venture, named Prometheus Energetics,…
Perth-based Blacktree Technology Pty Limited has teamed with European company Airbus Defence & Space and US firms ViaSat Inc and SMARTSAT to deliver UHF SATCOM (satellite communications) services to international customers. The teaming relationship was unveiled at the GOVSATCOM 2025 conference…
US defence prime contractor Lockheed Martin has demonstrated a scaleable, layered defence system designed to detect, track and defeat Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (SUAS). The company-funded exercise successfully demonstrated networked detection, tracking and mitigation of Small UASs, says Lockheed Martin.…
The Adelaide and Canberra-based Defence Trailblazer has launched a research project with CAE Australia and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) to develop a training methodology for Artificial Intelligence (AI) enabled systems. CAE Australia and UNSW will develop a training methodology for…
A Defence Trailblazer collaborative project led by industry partner Space Machines Company aims to develop space-borne perception and intelligence technology for Space Domain Awareness (SDA), supported by funding from the Adelaide and Canberra-based Defence Trailblazer’s Accelerating Sovereign Industrial Capabilities (ASIC)…
Gold Coast-based Gilmour Space Technologies has announced a launch window starting 'no earlier than' March 15 for the maiden flight of its Eris launch vehicle, the first Australian-designed and built rocket aiming for orbit. Eris will go into orbit from the company’s…
Canberra-based Lockheed Martin Australia has been awarded a contract extension until the end of 2025 to continue sustaining the Aegis Combat System in the Royal Australian Navy’s Hobart-class guided missile destroyers. Although Defence and the company haven’t disclosed a figure,…
The Australian Army controversially cut short the careers of its MRH90 helicopters and is replacing them with 40 UH-60M Black Hawks. The Royal Australian Navy already has 23 MH-60R Seahawk helicopters, with another 13 coming. Significantly, both aircraft are pretty…
