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
The Australian Departments of Education and Industry Science and Resources have awarded $650 millions-worth of R&D grants to 25 Australian agencies under the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS). Grants include $23m to the Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF) to…
Boeing and Brisbane-based Ferra Engineering have agreed to continue production of Joint Direct Attack Munition Extended Range (JDAM ER) wing kits. The agreement also includes the intent to explore applications for Powered JDAM — a long-range, low-cost and mass-producible JDAM derivative…
Port Melbourne-based Sentient Vision Systems has signed a Long Term Agreement (LTA) to supply its ViDAR AI-enabled imagery analysis system to San Diego-based Unmanned Air System manufacturer Shield AI. The ViDAR (standing for Visual Detection and Ranging) system provides real-time…
The US Navy’s Unmanned Surface Vessel Division One (USVDIV-1) unmanned surface vessels (USVs) Ranger, Mariner, Seahawk and Sea Hunter have arrived in Sydney for a scheduled port visit ahead of their participation in bilateral exercises with the Royal Australian Navy…
Austal-built USS Savannah (LCS 28) has conducted a live-fire demonstration in the Eastern Pacific Ocean using a containerised launching system that fired an SM-6 missile from the ship at a designated target. It’s not clear whether this was an air…
US venture capital investor DYNE Maritime has launched a US$100 million ($157 million) fund to invest in maritime technologies related to the tripartite AUKUS agreement, reports the Australian Financial Review. The fund will focus on investments in dual-use technologies –…
To tackle the growing issue of space debris, EOS Space Systems, a proven leader in delivering optical surveillance capabilities for space situational awareness and satellite safety of flight, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with EX-Fusion, a Japanese start-up…
South Australia will become a hub for an in-space manufacturing industry after California-based Varda Space Industries and Southern Launch announced a partnership to conduct re-entry operations at the Koonibba Test Range. The first such mission is scheduled for mid-2024. Varda…
Lockheed Martin Australia has completed a Field Capability Demonstration (FCD) of its ‘Agile Shield’ battle management system at the Puckapunyal Military Area in Victoria. ‘Agile Shield’ was developed by Lockheed Martin Australia’s Science, Technology, Engineering, Leadership and Research Laboratory (STELaRLab) in a Next…
The Australian Department of Defence and Mitsubishi Electric Australia (MEA) have signed an agreement to develop and transition a cutting-edge laser capability for the Australian Defence Force to enhance surveillance and survivability of defence platforms. The new capability, being developed…
