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 Limited has received a package of six standalone contracts worth $21.7 million in total from an in-country reseller for delivery to a western military end-user. The company says the contracts are for the supply of dismounted Counter…
Defence is accelerating the development of Counter Uncrewed Aerial System (C-UAS) technology across the innovation, science and technology ecosystem by partnering with DroneShield to share vital research. Under a three-year Bilateral Collaborative Research Agreement (CRA), the Defence Science and Technology…
Sydney based HEO has announced the purchase of the in-orbit Satellogic Inc. NewSat-34™ satellite, establishing a significant new pillar of Australian sovereign space capability. Through the full title acquisition of the satellite, HEO becomes the first Australian entity to own…
Sydney based Quickstep, a wholly owned subsidiary of ASDAM, has completed the 300th ship-set of composite wing flaps for the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules aircraft. Manufactured at Quickstep’s Bankstown Airport facility in Sydney, the 300th ship-set will be delivered…
The USAF has awarded contracts to two companies to develop next-generation jet engines for small Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). It has selected a joint venture by GE Aerospace and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Inc, who will receive a contract…
Defence has announced a $310 million payment for the acquisition of long‑lead items from the United Kingdom for the reactors to be used in the RAN’s first two nuclear‑powered SSN-AUKUS submarines. The submarines themselves will be built at Osborne in…
The defence industry ministers of Australia and the UK, Pat Conroy and Luke Pollard, have agreed that Australia will host British engineers and scientists at Woomera to watch ongoing trials of the MQ-28A Ghost Bat Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) and…
The Royal Navy’s nuclear-powered attack submarine HMS Anson has arrived at HMAS Stirling's Fleet Base West for the first‑ever maintenance activity on a UK nuclear‑powered submarine in Australia. This marks a historic step in Australia’s readiness to operate and maintain conventionally‑armed, nuclear‑powered…
Defence has now placed orders worth some $5 billion for 26 Landing Craft Medium and Heavy for the Australian Army. These contracts, signed with Defence’s strategic Western Australian shipbuilder, Austal Defence Australia, represent a major investment in Australia’s sovereign shipbuilding capability,…
Defence has awarded Austal Defence Shipbuilding Australia Pty Ltd (Austal Defence Australia) a $4 billion contract to build eight Landing Craft Heavy (LCH) under the Strategic Shipbuilding Agreement (SSA) with the Commonwealth of Australia that was signed last year. Construction…
