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 Department of Industry Science and Resources has allocated $4.6 million in grants to fund up to 20 PhDs in quantum technology. The Australian Quantum Graduates Program will award $3.6 million to CSIRO to fund the candidates. A further $1…
The US Air Force Research Laboratory’s AFWERX has awarded Los Angeles-based Exosonic, Inc a US$1.25 million Small Business Innovation Research Phase 2 contract to develop a digital design and trade study for a fifth-generation supersonic target. This contract was awarded…
Saber Astronautics has won a US Department of Defense contract to build a pipeline distributing commercial space applications to US Space Force (USSF) Guardians. The US$1.25 million Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Direct to Phase II contract will be Space…
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles and the Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy MP with Chief Defence Scientist Professor Tanya Monro announcing the establishment of the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator. Image: Defence Defence will invest $3.4 billion…
Leidos Mayhem hypersonic missile. Image: Leidos Defence will invest $3.4 billion over the next decade to establish the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA). The new Accelerator will replace the Defence Innovation Hub and Next Generation Technologies Fund (NGTF), which the…
The Australian Government will acquire a major share in Australian defence radar systems manufacturer, Canberra-based CEA Technologies Pty Limited, in July this year in a deal reported to be worth nearly $500 million. The deal to secure the leading-edge capability…
Defence will spend $4.1 billion to acquire more long-range strike systems as well as manufacturing longer-range munitions in Australia, delivering on the priorities of the Defence Strategic Review (DSR). A key recommendation of the DSR is the need to accelerate and expand the…
ESA's OPS-SAT nanosatellite. Image: Thales In an ethical hacking exercise in Europe, four Thales cybersecurity researchers managed to introduce malicious code into a European Space Agency (ESA) demonstrator satellite. The team was taking part in the third CYSAT, a European…
Joby Aviation will deliver its first two of nine electrically powered aircraft to the US Air Force at Edwards Air Force Base by early 2024. The news follows four USAF test pilots’ flights in a Joby aircraft, becoming the first…
Sydney-based Quickstep Holdings Ltd has signed a $2.34 million follow-on contract with fellow Sydney company Carbonix for the production and supply of 40 composite airframe shipsets for their latest long-range Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS). This will allow Carbonix to fulfil…
