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 Trilateral Defense Ministerial Meeting between the defence ministers of Australia, the United States and Japan during last week’s Shangri-La Dialogue trailed a future trilateral Research Development Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) agreement between the three partners “at the earliest opportunity”.…
It didn't happen and wasn't even simulated, says the USAF. An ADF drone is shown above. Image: Defence Multiple news outlets ran with the story that an AI-controlled USAF drone attacked its own operator during a mission simulation where the…
The University of Rhode Island has formalized a research and education partnership with Adselaide-based Flinders University that will bolster Australia’s efforts to produce the skilled workforce it needs to deliver on the AUKUS security pact. This includes building Australia’s undersea…
The Australian Government has updated the List of Critical Technologies that will help secure Australia’s future. This updated list complements the Government’s first National Quantum Strategy which was also released in May. The updated list focuses on key enabling technology…
The US Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) and US DoD Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD R&E) are seeking bilateral US-Australia proposals for fundamental research in directed energy, particularly in relation to the advancement…
The Canberra-based Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) has calculated that Defence spending will actually fall slightly up to 2025-26, despite the urgency expressed in last month’s Defence Strategic Review. However, spending on defence innovation will rise slightly within this constrained…
The first AUKUS Pillar 2 Artificial Intelligence (AI) and autonomy trial was held in the UK in April, with the aim of rapidly driving these technologies into responsible military use. The Australian Army, DSTG and two Australian suppliers, Boeing Defence…
The Australian Government will establish an External Advisory Panel to oversee the implementation of the Defence Strategic Review (DSR) recommendations. Former Secretary of the Department of Defence, Mr Dennis Richardson AC, former Secretary of the Department of Finance, Ms Rosemary…
The US Department of Defense has announced the second set of projects to receive funding via the pilot program to Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies (APFIT). The purpose of the APFIT pilot program is to expeditiously transition…
Anduril has launched an extension of its AI-powered Lattice OS which is designed to enable a single operator to manage multiple autonomous systems. And despite the new system, Lattice for Mission Autonomy, only making its public debut at a defence…
