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
US President Joe Biden has told Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese that he (Biden) plans to ask the US Congress to add Australia as a “domestic source” within the meaning of Title III of the US Defense Production Act. Doing…
Four private astronauts are in orbit following the successful launch of Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2), the second all-private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Axiom Space astronauts lifted off in a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Sunday, May…
To develop a human landing system for the agency’s Artemis V mission to the Moon, NASA has selected Washington State-based Blue Origin. Through the Artemis Program NASA will explore more of the Moon than ever before and prepare for future astronaut…
Defence has opened a new Centre for Advance Defence Research and Enterprise – OCE (CADRE-OCE) at the University of Melbourne. It is dedicated to solving Operating in Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Environments (OCE) problems and will receive $4.25 million…
The US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has conducted a demonstration of its high-power microwave counter-drone weapon, the Tactical High-power Operational Responder, or THOR, as it engaged a swarm of multiple targets at the Chestnut Test Site, Kirtland Air Force…
The US Department of the Air Force has released a classified solicitation to industry for an Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) contract for the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) platform with the intention of awarding a contract in 2024. "The…
South Australian companies AICRAFT and HEX20 have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop a new constellation of smart satellites. The partnership will explore the design, deployment and operation of nanosatellites and payloads in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), utilising AICRAFT’s…
Australian firm Southern Launch has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UK-based Space Forge to explore satellite return possibilities at Koonibba Test Range on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula. Space Forge is developing a world-first service for the launch and…
Electro Optic Systems (EOS) has launched its Australian-made counter-drone capability, named the “Slinger”. The Slinger, which incorporates lessons learned in theatres such as Ukraine, is designed to destroy targets with a single shot. It incorporates a radar, a 30mm Bushmaster…
Queensland-based nanomaterials company White Graphene Limited, part of PPK Group, has secured $100,000 and a partnership with Boeing to develop boron nitride nanomaterial applications in the space and aerospace industries after winning the company’s highly-competitive Sustainability in Space Pitch Competition.…
