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
Australia’s Defence Space Command moved from the Royal Australian Air Force to the Joint Capabilities Group (JCG) on 1 July as part of the Australian Government’s response to the Defence Strategic Review (DSR). Additionally, No. 1 Space Surveillance Unit (1SSU)…
Sydney-based DroneShield Ltd has been awarded a follow-on 2-year R&D contract worth $9.9 million by a Five Eyes Department of Defence (DoD). The award follows DroneShield materially completing the $3.8 million contract announced 4 June 2021 with the same DoD. The company has not named the customer. “Follow-on contracts are…
As it promised, the Australian Department of Defence on 1 July launched the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA) to drive Defence innovation and the Australian Submarine Agency (ASA) which will be responsible and accountable for the management and oversight of…
BAE Systems Inc in the USA has successfully tested Manned- UnManned Teaming (MUM-T) on the Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) C4UAS as a technology demonstration using IAI/ELTA Systems Ltd’s Rex MK II Unmanned Infantry Combat Support System. The teaming technology enhances…
Construction of the first new Southern Positioning Augmentation Network (SouthPAN) satellite dish has begun at Lockheed Martin’s Telemetry Tracking and Command Station in Uralla, New South Wales. SouthPAN improves positioning accuracy to as little as 10 centimetres which will help…
The Australian government has cancelled the $1.4 billion National Space Mission for Earth Observation (NSMEO) which was announced by the former Minister for Science and Technology in March 2022. The cancellation has been blamed on the need to achieve budget…
The federal Department of Industry Science and Resources is seeking comment from industry on its new $392 million Industry Growth Program (IGP). The closing date for comments and consultation is 30 July. The IGP, which replaces the Department’s previous Entrepreneur’s…
The Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR) has awarded 10 Australian space projects grant funding worth nearly $40 million in total. The funding falls under the Demonstrator Program of the Australian Space Agency’s Moon to Mars initiative and will…
Western Australia will host a key US and Australian exercise that will develop how the ADF employs land-based precision long-range rocket artillery and maritime strike missiles. Commencing in late July, Exercise HIGHBALL will be a combined initiative of Australia’s Headquarters…
Elbit Systems of America has been awarded a prime contract by the US Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (NIWC Pacific) to develop and demonstrate an autonomous maritime target tracking capability as part of the US Navy’s Information Warfare Research Project…
