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
Gold Coast-based Gilmour Space Technologies has signed a $52 million grant agreement with the Department of Industry Science and Resources (DISR) to advance the development and commercialisation of new space technologies in Australia. The funding will support a $156 million…
The Adelaide-based Defence Innovation Partnership (DIP), in collaboration with Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG), has launched a new $1.6 million Activator Fund. The Activator Fund, which calls for dollar-matched co-contributions from grant winners, will build on South Australia’s R&D strengths…
Adelaide-based Neumann Space, a specialist in-space electric propulsion manufacturer, has signed a contract with Danish micro satellite manufacturer Space Inventor that will enable it to gain greater access to space as part of its program of In-Orbit Demonstration (IOD). As…
Sydney-based Spiral Blue has announced what it says is a major breakthrough in the field of space-based Earth observation (EO). The company has released operational data from successfully running proprietary Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms in space. In April 2023 Spiral…
Hypersonix has taken delivery of a technology demonstrator version of its hydrogen powered SCRAMJET (Supersonic Combustion Ramjet) manufactured in High Temperature Ceramic Matrix Composites (HTCMCs) by a leading European aerospace manufacturer. HTCMCs are capable of resisting repeated cycles of extreme…
Melbourne-based La Trobe University and Sheffield Hallam University in the UK have launched a new joint Global Security and Society Institute to help societies tackle complex global security challenges, such as sophisticated cybercrime and cyberterrorism, the growth of artificial intelligence,…
The Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) has confirmed its successful NAVGATE program, which was trialled successfully in 2022, will become an ongoing Defence civilian recruitment program. Applications for the 2023 NAVIGATE program close on 25 June 2023. NAVIGATE is…
The Australian Army has successfully operated an autonomous truck convoy on a Victorian highway. As part of the Leader-Follower trial, a convoy of four autonomous Army trucks followed a crewed ‘leader’ vehicle on a public road in Victoria. The National…
Integration of the complex combat systems on the Royal Australian Navy’s existing Hobart-class destroyers and planned Hunter-class frigates will be done in Australia, following an agreement between three of the country’s largest defence companies and the Department of Defence. BAE…
California-based Anduril has successfully demonstrated its Lattice for Mission Autonomy Operating System (OS) at the U.S. Army’s EDGE23 exercise, enabling an integrated team of multiple uncrewed aircraft to locate, identify and destroy a surface-to-air missile (SAM) site in support of…
