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
By Jane Rickards The ASPI Strategist web site has published an article by author Jane Rickards that reports Taiwan is paying attention to seabed risks. It’s suffered undersea cable breaks and it has noted deliberate attacks on such communications lines…
Canberra based Electro Optic Systems (EOS) has unveiled the R500, a next-generation Remote Weapon System (RWS) that it says introduces new capabilities in remote lethality, enhancing precision and adaptability in complex combat environments. Launched at the International Defence Exhibition &…
Defence has signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to tap into British expertise and research in artificial intelligence (AI) and data science. The agreement was signed between Defence, the University of South Australia, and the Alan Turing Institute, based…
Sydney-based DroneShield has been registered with both the United States and Australian governments under AUKUS, enabling the export of most military and dual-use goods, technologies, and services to the United States and the United Kingdom without the need for an…
Estonian company Milrem Robotics has launched its 8×8 HAVOC Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) at IDEX 2025 in Abu Dhabi. The company says the new RCV is set to revolutionize modern combat operations and that it represents the pinnacle of next-generation…
Melbourne, Florida-based L3Harris Technologies has introduced AMORPHOUS, a software product that features a single user interface to operate thousands of autonomous assets simultaneously. Designed with an open architecture, this software enables US and allied militaries to control a mix of…
Canberra-based defence technology company Kord Group has won an $11 million Indefinite Delivery / Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract from Booz Allen Hamilton to provide an advanced version of its core Rifle Input Control technology to the US Army. The company’s…
Seattle-based Microsoft Corp. and Costa Mesa-based Anduril Industries have expanded their existing partnership to drive the next phase of the US Army’s Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) program. Pending US Department of Defense approval, Anduril will assume oversight of production,…
Defence will spend $272 million to acquire up to 14 Multi-Mission Phased Array Radars (MMPARs) for the Australian Army. Canberra-based CEA Technologies will produce the radars under Project LAND8113 Ph.2. They will be used to support Army’s long-range fires capability…
The Australian Army’s Brigadier Hugh Meggitt will be the next head of the ADF’s Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA), replacing Professor Emily Hilder who has run ASCA since its inception. ASCA was established to accelerate delivery of capabilities to the ADF…
