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 Adelaide-based SmartSat CRC has announced a suite of new R&D projects and university appointments in support of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Space Update 2023, bringing its joint investment in the ACT to over $7 million. With the launch…
The Australian Department of Defence has awarded L3Harris Technologies a $328 million contract to deliver new Maritime Underwater Tracking Ranges (MUTR) for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) under Project SEA1350 Ph.3. The MUTR program will provide undersea warfare support including…
The Australian Army has issued a next generation technology challenge related to Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in the mine detection/mine clearance role. The Quantum Next Generation (QNG) is a series of technology challenges that the Army has created to help…
The Rhode Island-based Undersea Technology Innovation Center (UTIC) has issued a challenge to strengthen the training environment for undersea warfare specialists with a specific focus on AUKUS. Submissions are due between October and December 2023, with judging taking place from…
Port Melbourne-based Sentient Vision Systems has successfully completed live demonstrations of its AI-enabled ViDAR (Visual Detection and Ranging) payload deployed on California-based Edge Autonomy’s VXE30 Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS). The VXE30 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) solution is the latest…
The US Defense Department has announced the award of nearly US$240 million ($374 million) to eight regional iinnovation hubs’ around the United States under the CHIPS and Science Act. These will be a part of the Microelectronics Commons and will…
UK firms BAE Systems and QinetiQ have signed a framework agreement which will see both parties collaborate on the development of autonomous Uncrewed Air Systems (UAS) and mission management systems. The framework agreement will explore the potential to collaborate and…
Brisbane-based Hypersonix Launch Systems has launched an advocacy campaign to reshape the global regulatory environment which hobbles the introduction of hypersonic technology. Hypersonic drones, poised to revolutionize aerospace, space, and defence, have the potential to redefine industries such as cargo…
The Australian government has approved the acquisition of a fourth MQ-4C Triton Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS), and upgrades to the RAAF’s fleet of 14 P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA). The estimated combined value of these decisions is over…
MBDA has received additional funding from the UK Ministry of Defence to accelerate the development of the SPEAR-EW stand-in jammer. SPEAR-EW, which is derived from the company’s air-launched strike weapon, is a novel Electronic Warfare (EW) effector designed to confuse…
