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
Sydney-based DroneShield has been awarded a $900,000 R&D contract from an undiclosed Five-Eyes Government. The contract is specifically aims to leverage the potential of the DroneSentry-X Mk2 and aims to provide an initial set of software tools to enhance end-user…
The US Navy destroyer USS Preble has successfully completed Flight Test Aegis Weapon System-32 (FTM-32), using the Aegis Baseline 9 Combat System to successfully intercept a Medium Range Ballistic Missile (MRBM) target using SM-6 Dual II Software Upgrade. Supported by…
The Australian Parliament has passed the Defence Trade Controls Amendment Act 2024 (DTC Act) in a bipartisan move that is designed strengthen Australia’s national security and support local industry by unlocking defence trade, innovation and collaboration with Australia’s two AUKUS partners.…
The Australian Army has participated in the US-led Project Convergence, testing and developing networks, robotic and autonomous systems, air defence and strike-related systems at two locations in California. Project Convergence is a campaign of learning through persistent experimentation. It was…
Adelaide-based Space Machines Company has launched Optimus, Australia’s largest-ever private satellite and the company’s first Orbital Servicing Vehicle. Weighing 270kg, it went into orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California during the Transporter-10…
The three AUKUS partners, Australia, the UK and USA, have jointly launched the AUKUS Electronic Warfare Innovation Challenge, the first in a planned series of AUKUS Innovation Challenges. The Australian lead in this Challenge is the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator…
Construction has begun on Boeing’s new production facility in Toowoomba, Queensland, to support the manufacture of Australia’s first military combat aircraft designed and developed in over 50 years – the MQ-28 Ghost Bat. The 9,000m2 facility at the Wellcamp Aerospace…
Melbourne-based AIM Defence has won a $4.9 million contract from the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to build a world-first, deployable Directed Energy (DE) System, Fractal:2, for ongoing counter-drone testing and evaluation. AIM Defence expects Fractl:2 to be in the hands…
The Australian government has announced that Australia’s fleet of SSN‑AUKUS submarines will be built at Osborne, South Australia, by a joint venture between government-owned ASC Pty Limited and BAE Systems Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and UK Defence Secretary…
The Adelaide-based ELO2 Consortium has unveiled its pioneering lunar rover prototype, demonstrating Australia’s potential to support a future NASA Artemis mission to the Moon. The working rover is designed to collect and transport lunar regolith (Moon soil) to a NASA-run…
