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
Adelaide-based ASC, together with American submarine manufacturers General Dynamics Electric Boat and HII Newport News Shipbuilding, has announced that Warriewood, NSW-based HIFraser is the first Australian business to qualify for the Virginia-class submarine supply chain through a gateway program enabled…
BlueForge Alliance Australia (BFAA) and Adelaide-based Flinders University have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on maritime research and education programs in support of AUKUS, the trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.…
Electro Optic Systems Holdings Limited (EOS) has announced a new order for its Slinger Counter-Drone Remote Weapon Systems (RWS), amounting to €11.4 million or approximately $20 million, from a Western European NATO country. They are intended to address urgent operational…
The Melbourne-based C2 Robotics Speartooth Large Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (LUUV) will use a Thales Australia Blue Seeker sense and avoid system as part of its navigation suite, according to Thales Australia. The system uses a multi-frequency sensor that can classify…
New Zealand company Syos Aerospace, which has built more than 150 of its SM300 Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) for both the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and undisclosed European customers, demonstrated ultra long-range control of an SM300 during Indo Pacific. The…
Washington DC-based Liquid Robotics displayed its WaveGlider SV3 Block II Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) at Indo Pacific in an attempt to interest the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), but appears to have lost the initiative to Ocius Technologies’ Bluebottle family of…
Adelaide-based Saab Australia and Adelaide University have signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) as the next step in their ongoing relationship to support sovereign defence capability. The new partnership agreement between Saab and the University will focus on future capabilities…
QinetiQ Australia and Forcys Australia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen Australia’s sovereign capability in maritime assurance, ensuring undersea and autonomous systems are safe, reliable, and ready for operation. Under this agreement, QinetiQ and Forcys will work…
Four US and UK Defence prime contractors have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the establishment of an AUKUS Combat Systems Collaborative Team, positioning themselves for a potential role in Australia’s future SSN-AUKUS submarines. British company BAE Systems, US…
Californian company Anduril Industries has unveiled its Omen Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) Group 3 Autonomous Air Vehicle (AAV). This is designed to carry significant Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and strike payloads a tactically relevant distance. The Omen will…
