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
US company BMNT Inc has launched the AUKUS Defence Investor Network (DIN) dedicated to accelerating the growth of new capabilities and building new industries. The AUKUS DIN, a collaboration with the Defense Innovation Units in the US and UK, is…
Lockheed Martin has delivered the first Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM) Increment 1 to the US Army, providing long-range precision fires capability and achieving a major modernization milestone. Initial deliveries followed a successful production qualification test at White Sands Missile Range,…
An Australian start-up company is poised to revolutionise the minerals exploration industry with a small device for precisely measuring gravity that is so sensitive it can detect even small ore bodies at greater depths than any other instruments in use. The…
Sydney-based Advanced Navigation has been awarded a $306,000 Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority grant by the Australian Department of Defence to advance the nation’s domestic manufacturing capability for photonic chips. Currently, Australia does not have commercial manufacturing capability for photonic chips.…
The UK has signed an international Treaty with Japan and Italy for a future combat air programme that aims to develop an innovative stealth fighter with supersonic capability and equipped with cutting-edge technology. The treaty marks a key stage of…
The US Congress is expected to approve as early as this week this week the transfer of at least two US Navy Virginia-class submarines to the Royal Australian Navy under Pillar 1 of the tripartite AUKUS agreement. Approval of the…
Australia’s Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy, will travel to the USA this week for industry and government-to-government talks on defence industry expansion and also on deeper cooperation on international development and the Pacific. Conroy is also Australia’s Minister for…
Australian-made steel will be used in the construction of Australia’s conventionally-armed nuclear-powered submarines built at Osborne Naval Shipyard, South Australia, subject to a comprehensive qualification process. The Australian Submarine Agency has signed a $15 million contract with Australian steel manufacturer,…
QuantX Labs has secured $750,000 funding for an innovative research project aimed at revolutionizing a secured Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) capability for defence applications. The project, titled “Quantum-Secured Time Transfer for Resilient PNT,” will receive support from Department of…
For the first time, Australian Army training now includes counter-drone tactics and engagement. A drone target shoot was included on Exercise Iron Warrior, the culminating live-fire exercise on the Army’s mechanised regimental officers’ course. The serial was added in response…
