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 Australian Government has announced more than $243 million in support for four projects in Australia’s critical minerals sector. The grants, under the Collaboration Stream of DISER’s $1.3 billion Modern Manufacturing Initiative, will cement Australia’s place in the rapidly growing…
Sydney company Saber Astronautics has received a United States Air Force (USAF) Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract bringing its automated space domain awareness tool, Sentinel, into live operation. Sentinel will be a key tool managing space traffic…
Defence will invest up to $4.3 billion to deliver Western Australia’s first large-vessel dry berth, creating a world-class precinct at the Henderson shipyard near Fremantle. The Henderson dry-dock will enable the construction and sustainment of large naval vessels in Australia…
Boeing Defence Australia has signed Memoranda of Agreement (MoAs) with seven Australian companies as part of its bid for Joint Project 9102, Defence’s sovereign Military Satellite Communications (MILSATCOM) program. Quickstep Holdings, Crystalaid, Ferra, Nupress, Cablex, Lovitt, and Levett will…
Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace has signed a $67 million contract with Hanwha Defense Australia to provide the CORTEX Integrated Combat Solution (ICS) and Odin Fire Control System for the Australian Army’s AS9 Huntsman self-propelled howitzers. The Australian Army is procuring…
Defence has launched a major media campaign highlighting a generation of new jobs in Australia’s defence industries. The “In our own backyard” campaign, which begins in mid-March, highlights the fact that the skills Australians have displayed for generations building “stuff”…
Insitu Pacific Pty Ltd has been named preferred supplier by the Australian Government to provide the new Tactical Uncrewed Aerial System (TUAS) to the Australian Army under Project LAND129 Phase 3. The company will manufacture twenty-four new ‘Integrator’ uncrewed aerial surveillance…
Defence is investing over $22 million under the Collaboration Stream of the $1.3 billion Modern Manufacturing Initiative to help build Saab’s Sovereign Combat System Collaboration Centre. The investment will help establish South Australia as home of the country’s sovereign combat…
Lockheed Martin Australia (LMA) is approaching the end of a long path leading, it hopes, to prime contractorship on Defence's Project AIR6500 Phase 1. Gregor Ferguson, EX2 This project is the ADF’s Joint Air Battle Management System (JABMS), valued at…
Australia will build a new submarine base on the east coast to support the nation’s new nuclear-powered submarines, providing deployment opportunities in both the Indian and Pacific oceans. The Department of Defence has reviewed 19 potential sites and selected three…
