Copyright defence-blog
X-Bow Systems, a U.S.-based defense technology company specializing in advanced manufactured solid rocket motors, announced an agreement with Astris AI, a Lockheed Martin company, to integrate secure artificial intelligence into its core manufacturing operations. The collaboration makes X-Bow the first defense contractor to adopt the Astris AI Factory platform. The agreement, disclosed by both companies this week, enables X-Bow to apply defense-grade AI capabilities to speed up its production of tactical rocket motors. According to X-Bow, the Astris AI Factory will serve as a secure digital backbone for sensitive operations, ranging from process control to data governance. “This customer agreement dramatically improves our ability to secure the necessary accreditation to scale up manufacturing,” said Jason Hundley, CEO of X-Bow Systems. “This secure, accredited digital backbone is a game-changer for data governance and production integrity, allowing us to focus our engineering resources on delivering rapid, affordable solid rocket motors for our customers.” The AI system is designed to operate in secure, mission-critical environments, allowing for real-time optimization across X-Bow’s facilities. By applying a modular AI framework, the company intends to reduce engineering bottlenecks and increase throughput for both tactical and large-scale rocket motors. The integration also allows X-Bow to maintain full control over proprietary data while meeting government standards for handling classified or sensitive information. The Astris AI Factory, which Lockheed Martin says is already accredited for classified use, enables secure retrieval and analysis of technical data during manufacturing. The focus of the collaboration is on a multi-layered AI stack, combining custom tools with large language models and digital twin technology. The setup is intended to improve both process control and reliability while easing compliance with government accreditation requirements for defense suppliers. “This collaboration marks a defining moment in bringing trusted and reliable AI directly to mission-critical environments,” said James Droskoski, Chief Revenue Officer at Astris AI. “By integrating the Astris AI Factory platform into X-Bow’s advanced manufacturing operations, we’re helping deliver a secure, data-driven foundation that accelerates production, strengthens supply chain resilience, and upholds the highest standards of national security.” X-Bow’s adoption of AI follows growing demand from the Department of War for faster, lower-cost delivery of solid rocket motors to support missile and hypersonics programs. The company says its first AI application will be a secure agent managing data integrity and production traceability within its factory system. Founded in Albuquerque, New Mexico, X-Bow develops a range of energetics, modular solid rocket motors, and launch vehicles. The company has financial backing from investors including Lockheed Martin Ventures, Boeing, Razor’s Edge Ventures, and Crosslink Capital. Lockheed Martin formed Astris AI to deliver modular AI tools that meet security and scalability requirements across the defense sector. The platform has been positioned as a turnkey solution for accelerating modernization and production within high-assurance environments. For U.S. defense planners, the integration of AI into rocket motor manufacturing marks a broader shift toward automation and resilience in the munitions supply chain. With adversaries advancing their own strike capabilities, the Pentagon has prioritized technologies that can reduce production timelines and sustain readiness.
