Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) are transforming how humans and machines work together.

Lockheed Martin is a leading developer of AI/ML solutions for our customers and nation.

AI/ML is Mission Essential Technology

The complexity of the battlespace is ever-evolving. AI provides us with the ability to shift roles between nodes in-mission, dynamically adjusting to the ever-changing battlespace, even shifting software-defined capabilities. Between cross-domain synchronization (land, air, space, sea, cyber), network-of-networks communication, and regular software/model updates, AI is necessary to keep pace.

AI/ML is transforming our customer’s mission and our own business. Our customers have a need for AI-driven tools that increase decision speed & improve decision quality.

AI isn’t magic. It doesn’t solve all our problems, and we have plenty of challenges ahead of us in transitioning AI capabilities to our end-users. But, when problems are beyond human scale to comprehend based on volume of data, complexity, or urgency, AI can help illuminate solution opportunities.

Leading Provider of AI/ML Capabilities

Across Lockheed Martin, AI/ML is incorporated into hundreds of projects and programs for our customers, as well as integrated in internal initiatives to increase our own business operations efficiency.

Within the Corporation, the Lockheed Martin AI Center (LAIC) drives application of AI by lowering the barrier-to-entry through leading edge foundations & training, innovative research & prototype, and product-line integration.

Part of the LAIC’s innovation is through The AI Factory. The AI Factory allows Lockheed Martin engineers to jump start machine learning development by centralizing foundational tools and support. It streamlines access to compute, data, software, and security by abstracting away the infrastructure and AI operations complexities that are challenging to manage. Integrated model & data governance ensure compliance with ethical guidelines, industry best practices, and data privacy standards.

Lockheed Martin is making significant investments in these technologies and are building relationships with innovative companies like RedHat, NVIDIA, and Microsoft.

Supporting Our Customers

Lockheed Martin designs AI/ML capabilities to help our customers complete their missions with greater speed, accuracy, and safety. By processing, fusing, and analyzing tremendous volumes of data, we aim to give our customers a strategic advantage through actionable intelligence.

Technologies Enabled by Advances in AI

Lockheed Martin is at the forefront of fusing AI/ML-enabled platforms to accelerate operational speed, maximize agility, and cut sustainment costs:

Situational Understanding

Automatically and accurately detect, identify, track and geolocate objects of interest by rapidly fusing data from multiple sensors (RF, IR, EO) to convert massive amounts of information into a clear situational picture, to identify anomalies and changes, and offer actionable intelligence.

Platform Operations

Enable platform operations like aircraft refueling, operational planning, managing supply chains and equipment maintenance and resiliency.

Advanced Decision Making

In Joint All-Domain Operations, better manage the complexity of information for our customers’ advanced decision making, providing them with a strategic advantage over their adversaries.

Ensuring Ethics in AI

Lockheed Martin has a long-standing commitment to the ethical use of technology, and is a proactive leader in the ethical development and use of AI/ML. The corporation founded its Artificial Intelligence Ethics Advisory Committee to ensure the development of explainable, robust, trustworthy AI models. Lockheed Martin infuses AI into our business and product lines by lowering the barrier-to-entry for AI adoption.

The LAIC facilitates AI adoption by providing access to robust enterprise tooling, numerous training programs, and a vibrant community of practice. These foundational elements promote AI development best practices and ensure AI developers across the enterprise align on robust processes that our customers can trust. The Lockheed Martin AI Factory also provides a repeatable process that enables traceability, reliability, and explainability to the AI development and deployment process, and enables model monitoring – ensuring models remain relevant and encourage continued trust with customers/end-users.

Our commitment to developing ethical and trusted AI through measured, repeatable, and transparent processes is guided by Department of Defense’s AI Ethics Principles.

Space, Air, Land, and Sea Systems

Our portfolio of sophisticated AI-enabled uncrewed systems is being used for a variety of military and commercial applications. Click below to learn more:

AI-Driven Global Weather Digital Twin

Lockheed Martin Space is collaborating with NVIDIA to develop a prototype AI-driven digital twin of current weather conditions for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA). NOAA receives a tremendous amount of data from space and Earth-based sensors. This two-year contract will demonstrate how AI can provide a more timely, efficient, and centralized approach to utilizing all the data at their disposal.

News Release

AI-Flown Tactical Aircraft

The VISTA X-62A, developed by Lockheed Martin Skunk Works® and Calspan Corporation for the USAF Test Pilot School at Edwards AFB in California, is a one-of-a-kind training aircraft. In December 2022 VISTA was flown entirely by an AI agent for more than 17 hours over a series of test flights, representing the first time AI engaged on a tactical aircraft.

News Release

Advanced Rapid Integration Simulation Environment (ARISE)

ARISE is a family of integrated toolkits used to build a system-level weapon simulation – or digital twin – tool. As the mission simulation standard for programs at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control (MFC), ARISE is used by MFC to reduce product development time, decrease cost, maximize anomaly detection prior to live flight tests, and further integrate model-based engineering into our processes.

Learn More

Machine Learning to Help with Decision Making

Deep Reinforcement Air Combat Learning – Assessment (DRACOLA) uses two Machine Learning techniques to understand a commander’s objectives and create a prioritized list with recommendation. That information is fed into Targeting Resource Allocation and Comparison in Execution Role (TRACER) to generate all of the different ways to handle the mission, producing different options. It maximizes human planning expertise, while minimizing operator burden.

Learn More

Firefighting Intelligence

Wildfires are growing in size, intensity, and frequency across the globe. These conditions can overwhelm existing response capabilities and pose a significant threat to our lives, property, environment, and security.

Lockheed Martin is using AI/ML to rapidly analyze data from space, air, and ground sensors, as well as connect dispersed teams through 5G communications, to provide near real time, actionable intelligence services that can assist first responders in making faster, more informed decisions.

Learn More

We're engineering a better tomorrow.

We see Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning as a game changer for developing new technology and capabilities. Our teams are made up of diverse employees from a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds, working together to tackle complex challenges and push the boundaries of innovation.

We invite you to grow your AI/ML career at Lockheed Martin and explore our opportunity below.

View all openings in AI/ML