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
Canberra-based Leidos Australia has won a contract of undisclosed value to provide Lockheed Martin Australia with software development, cyber security and verification and validation services for the ADF’s next generation Joint Air Battle Management System (JABMS) under Project AIR6500. Under…
The Australian Government is acquiring quantum optical atomic clocks from Adelaide-based QuantX Labs to deliver position navigation and timing (PNT) capabilities to the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Two contracts, worth $2.7 million in total, will enable AUKUS partners to develop…
Melbourne-based Hanwha Defence Australia and Australian SME AMSL Aero have signed an agreement to establish a strategic partnership to develop and sustain a mutually beneficial Australian Industry Capability (AIC) program for AMSL Aero aircraft. AMSL Aero develops and manufactures zero…
Melbourne-based Hanwha Defence Australia (HDA) has chosen Safran Electronics and Defense Australasia in Sydney to supply the PASEO Joint Fires advanced day and night panoramic sight for integration on the HDA Redback Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) under Project LAND 400…
US company Anduril has unveiled a new family of air-breathing, software-defined expendable Autonomous Air Vehicles (AAVs) optimised for affordable, hyper-scale production. The Barracuda family of AAVs, which were launched globally to coincide with the Land Forces 2024 Expo in Melbourne,…
Adelaide-based BAE Systems Australia has been awarded a $270 million contract to significantly increase the production of critical components and assemblies for the Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM) Block 2. The ESSM Block 2 is a medium-range, surface-to-air missile developed to…
Perth-based Innovaero will accelerate development of Australia's first sovereign precision loitering munition capability following a new agreement with the Commonwealth of Australia. The aeronautical engineering company will move into a third phase in the development of the OWL B precision…
Canberra-based Lockheed Martin Australia and Sydney based Thales Australia have signed a Teaming Agreement to explore opportunities to advance the development and production of Solid Rocket Motors (SRM) for the Australian market. The purpose of the agreement is to collaborate,…
US high-technology company Anduril displayed its Roadrunner autonomous air vehicle for the first time in Australia at Land Forces 2024. The company says Roadrunner is a radically new, recoverable, cost-effective kinetic interceptor for ground-based air defence. The modular twin-jet powered autonomous…
Adelaide-based BAE Systems Australia has unveiled an armed Uncrewed Ground Vehicle (UGV) that the company says gives military commanders an added tactical option while keeping soldiers out of harm’s way. The Autonomous Tactical Light Armour System (ATLAS) Collaborative Combat Variant…
