Lockheed Martin
Canvas Category OEM : Aerospace
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 114,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.
Assembly Line
Vatn Systems Raises $13 Million Seed Round to Advance Autonomous Underwater Vehicles for US Defense
Vatn Systems, a leading defense technology company building autonomous underwater vehicles for the US military and allies, today announced it has raised an oversubscribed $13 million seed round, bringing total funding to $16.5M. The round was led by DYNE Ventures with participation from Lockheed Martin Ventures, RTX Ventures, In-Q-Tel (IQT), Propeller Ventures, SAIC Ventures, Cubit Capital, Fortitude Ventures and existing investors that include Centre Street Partners, The Veteran Fund, Blue Collective, and Decisive Point.
Vatn Systems’ cost-effective, modular autonomous underwater vehicles enable customers to deploy effects at scale against undersea and surface targets. Bridging the gap between AUVs and torpedoes, Vatn’s flexible design and in-house Inertial Navigation System enable precision delivery of a wide range of effects at ranges of almost 1,000 miles. A core differentiator is the company’s advanced navigation software that is effective in GPS, vision, and communication-compromised environments. Vatn vehicles use applied AI to make decisions in real-time, and the systems also leverage Machine Learning to enhance navigation algorithms.
Lockheed Martin to Acquire Terran Orbital
Lockheed Martin announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire Terran Orbital, a global leader of satellite-based solutions primarily supporting the aerospace and defense industries.
Terran Orbital brings a high throughput, robotic manufacturing capacity and high-performing modular space vehicle designs. Combined with Lockheed Martin’s record of performance and innovation, this transaction will usher in an even broader range of capabilities and value for customers. Lockheed Martin uses Terran Orbital’s satellites for its work, most notably with the Space Development Agency’s Transport and Tracking Layer programs, and in several of its self-funded technology demonstrations.
Inside The Lockheed Martin Plant That’s Spearheading Resurgent F-16 Sales
The plant at Donaldson Airport, Greenville, is now the center of Lockheed Martin’s F-16 production effort. Here, the company is building brand new Block 70/72 variants of the fighter that’s known unofficially as the Viper for new and returning F-16 customers, including Bahrain, Bulgaria, Jordan, Slovakia, and Taiwan.
The first F-16 to enter production at Greenville was a two-seat F-16 Block 70, D-model for Bahrain. It took three and a half years to build from that first hole being drilled to its first flight on January 24, 2023. That manufacturing process has now been whittled down to 11-12 months, according to Hendrick. “We are making modifications to our facilities here and building new infrastructure that will make sure we can ramp up,” Hendrick explains. “We have a new Material Flow Center that’s designed to maximize getting the parts, tools, everything that we need here, faster.”
Manufacturing the new Block 70/72 F-16 still relies heavily on aluminium, with very few composite structures. Greenville has already introduced 15 new production techniques for the F-16, including one that’s taken directly from the F-35 program. A new automatic robot is now used to drill, ream, and countersync some 2,800 holes in the center fuselage to prepare it for application of the outer skin surface. It makes for a process that’s faster, more accurate and cheaper. The program is also now using augmented reality in the process of the installation of wiring harnesses, to help engineers route cabling inside the aircraft’s structure.
X-Bow Raises More Than $70 Million Series B to Accelerate Expansion of Hypersonic and Solid Rocket Motor Technologies
X-Bow Systems Inc. (X-Bow), the nation’s leading non-traditional producer of advanced manufactured solid rocket motors (SRMs) and hypersonics technologies, announced the successful completion of the initial close of its Series B financing, raising over $70 million. This private capital will accelerate the rapid growth of its hypersonic-capable vehicles, strategic and tactical scale solid rocket motor programs, and completion of its Luling, TX gigafactory campus. The company will also be expanding its engineering and R&D facilities across New Mexico. The round was led by National Security technology-focused growth equity firm Razor’s Edge, with additional participation from Lockheed Martin Ventures, Boeing Ventures, Crosslink Capital and Balerion Space Ventures.
With this funding now secured, X-Bow will accelerate its growth trajectory as the nation’s third supplier of Solid Rocket Motors and continue in its quest to rapidly innovate and deliver agile, affordable solutions for SRMs, hypersonics and associated adjacent markets.
Lockheed Martin leads 3 million USD investment round in Q5D to make tooling to automate wiring harness manufacture
Q5D Technology, a company specializing in hardware and software tools for automating wiring harness manufacture, announced today the successful closure of a $3 million investment round, led by Lockheed Martin Ventures, the venture investment arm of Lockheed Martin Corporate, a global aerospace and defense company.
Lockheed Martin’s investment arrives at a pivotal moment for Q5D as it transitions from project-based revenue to machine sales, following the successful launch of its first hardware product last year.
Firestorm Labs announces $12.5M in seed funding led by Lockheed Martin Ventures and other prominent defense VCs
Firestorm Labs, a California-based Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) manufacturer that is leading the charge in expeditionary additive manufacturing has announced $12.5M in seed investment by Lockheed Martin Ventures and prominent defense investors. Lockheed Martin, Decisive Point, Silent Ventures, 645 Ventures, Overmatch VC, BVVC, Marquee Ventures, Cubit Capital, IronGate, Backswing Ventures, The Veteran Fund, Feld Ventures, Beyond Capital, and RedCat are among the notable names who have invested in Firestorm.
Elve Secures $15M in Series A Funding to Increase Manufacturing and Expand Customer Base
Elve Inc., a leader in innovative millimeter wave amplifier technology, is pleased to announce the successful completion of its Series A round of $15M from a selected group of investors, including TomEnterprise Private AB, Green Sands Equity, Yu Galaxy, Cambium Capital, and Lockheed Martin Ventures.
Elve will use this funding to grow its customer base in the space connectivity market and to increase manufacturing capabilities. “Closing this funding round represents another significant milestone in our journey, and it will enable us to continue our mission of expanding access to fiber-like wireless connectivity,” said Dr. Diana Gamzina, CEO at Elve.
Lockheed Martin Ventures Makes Strategic Investment in Meteomatics
Meteomatics, the weather intelligence and technology company that enables the world’s leading companies to accurately forecast the weather’s impact on business, today announced the close of a strategic funding round from Lockheed Martin Ventures, the venture arm of Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE: LMT), a global security and aerospace company.
Meteomatics will use the investment to scale its high-resolution weather and climate technology and expand into new markets and industries, further propelling its mission to revolutionize weather forecasting.
Meteomatics is the only company that runs a weather model with a resolution of 1 km, or down to street level, updating every hour with the latest weather data and observations. Visibility at this level allows the company to identify even the smallest meteorological phenomena such as thunder, hail, wind and other storms. This is in contrast with current government and commercial weather observation technology that run at resolutions of 10-50 km and are updated only 3-4 times a day, lacking the data to effectively detect and forecast weather events in the low-level airspace.
Launchpad.build Secures Strategic Investment From Lockheed Martin Ventures
Launchpad.build, a cutting edge U.S.-based technology company using AI to deliver next-generation capabilities in robotics and automation, has closed a strategic funding round with an investment from Lockheed Martin Ventures, the venture arm of Lockheed Martin.
Launchpad.build is a developer of AI-powered assembly planning software and autonomous assembly systems. Typical assembly methods require a high labor component or expensive, rigid automation infrastructure that requires high-rate, repeatable production to justify financially. Launchpad.build offers a “one-manufacturing-line-for-all” future with low-cost, small-batch systems that are assembled on demand. Agile and adaptive manufacturing processes and equipment that allow for design agility and economic efficiency will be critical for U.S.-based manufacturing to stay competitive in the global market.
Vayu Robotics Emerges from Stealth with $12.7 Million in Seed Funding
Vayu Robotics, an AI company providing high-quality, low-cost robotics solutions, today announced closure of its seed financing round of $12.7 Million led by Khosla Ventures, with participation from Lockheed Martin Ventures, ReMY Investors and others. Vayu is a non-traditional robotics company taking a principles-first approach to solve for cost and ease of deployment through two key technologies: a foundation model for mobility and a disruptive low-cost sensing technology that could replace lidar in many mid-range applications. This round of funding will enable Vayu to scale product development for AI robotics across markets, including last-mile delivery, factory automation and automotive.
South 8 Technologies Secures Strategic Investment from Lockheed Martin Ventures
South 8 Technologies, Inc., the San Diego cleantech company innovating safer and higher performance electrolytes for the next generation of lithium-ion batteries, has closed a strategic investment with Lockheed Martin Ventures, the venture arm of Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT), a global leader in defense and aerospace technology, with participation from current South 8 investors LG Technology Ventures, Foothill Ventures and Anzu Partners.
South 8 is the first company to develop a novel liquefied gas electrolyte technology as a safer, higher performance alternative to standard liquid electrolytes. Known as LiGas®, the liquefied gas electrolyte is simple to incorporate into existing cell production processes, utilizes materials which are all currently manufactured globally at scale and offers simple recyclability at the end of life. LiGas improves safety, increases energy density, achieves all-weather performance, enables fast-charge capability and reduces costs while also being compatible with existing lithium-ion cell production or Gigafactory manufacturing processes and supply chains.
🚀 2023 NASA Tipping Point Selections
NASA has selected 11 U.S. companies to develop technologies that will support long-term exploration on the Moon and in space under its sixth Tipping Point opportunity. The total expected NASA contribution to the partnerships is $150 million. Each company will contribute a minimum percentage, based on company size, of the total project cost. NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) will issue milestone-based funded Space Act Agreements lasting for up to four years.
🖨️🚀 Agile raises $13 million to expand production
Agile Space Industries raised $13 million to expand production and development of propulsion systems. The seed funding round, announced June 23, was led by Caruso Ventures. Participants included Lockheed Martin Ventures, Greater Colorado Venture Fund, CORI Innovation Fund and Greenline Ventures. Durango, Colorado-based Agile has raised more than $18 million to date.
With the latest funding, Agile plans to expand its metal additive manufacturing and chemical propulsion testing infrastructure, Pearson said. “In addition, we will be looking to accelerate some of our product development activities.”
Xaba and Lockheed Martin Collaborate to Test Cognitive Autonomous Robots in Airframe Manufacturing
Xaba, developers of the first AI-driven robotics and CNC machine controller, and Lockheed Martin recently completed a collaboration to evaluate the automation of crucial manufacturing operations using the global aerospace company’s industrial robots integrated with Xaba’s proprietary physics-informed deep artificial neural network model, xCognition.
Xaba and Lockheed Martin identified a use case focused on a typical robotics work cell used in any aerospace factory to test how Xaba’s xCognition “synthetic brain” could empower a commercial robot with greater intelligence and understanding of its body and the task it is about to execute while ensuring required quality and tolerances are achieved.
Lockheed Martin And GlobalFoundries Collaborate To Advance Innovation And Resiliency Of Chips For National Security
Lockheed Martin (NYSE LMT) and GlobalFoundries (Nasdaq GFS) (GF) announced a strategic collaboration to advance U.S. semiconductor manufacturing and innovation and to increase the security, reliability and resiliency of domestic supply chains for national security systems. This collaboration will enable Lockheed Martin to more quickly and affordably produce secure solutions that increase the competitiveness and national security of the United States.
The companies will leverage GF’s differentiated technology and trusted manufacturing practices to increase anti-fragility in microelectronics systems and supply chains. The collaboration will explore critical needs in semiconductor innovation and secure manufacturing across a range of advanced and next-generation chip technologies, including 3D heterogeneous integration for optimized chip packaging that improves performance; silicon photonics for low-power and high-speed data transport; and gallium nitride on silicon to help chips work at higher temperatures. The companies will also work to develop a chiplet ecosystem to produce chips more rapidly and affordably.
The collaboration between Lockheed Martin and GF directly supports the CHIPS and Science Act’s objectives of increasing traceability, provenance, and onshore production of critical semiconductor technologies to strengthen national and economic security and domestic supply chains.
🖨️ Fortify Secures $12.5 Million in Funding From Investors, Including Lockheed Martin Ventures & RTX Ventures, to Accelerate Growth in Advanced Materials & Additive Manufacturing
Fortify, a leading full-stack materials science and additive manufacturing company, announced today that it has raised $12.5 million in a funding round from investors, including Lockheed Martin Ventures and RTX Ventures, the venture capital arms of Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Technologies, respectively. This strategic investment will enable Fortify to expand its capabilities and accelerate the development of its groundbreaking Digital Composite Manufacturing (DCM) platform.
IFS and Lockheed Martin Sign Enhanced Partnership to Keep Aerospace and Defense Assets Mission-Ready
IFS, the global cloud enterprise applications provider, and Lockheed Martin announced a joint partnership to promote products and services to help aerospace and defense organizations maximize the value of their enterprise software investments, modernize their equipment maintenance and support processes, and keep assets mission-ready.
IFS and Lockheed Martin have worked together for a number of years. In 2021, IFS and Lockheed Martin announced that both companies had been selected by the U.S. Navy to deliver an intelligent maintenance solution to power the streamlining of multiple legacy systems into a single, fully digitized and insight driven logistics system. The solution comprises capabilities for planning and executing maintenance, repair and overhaul of more than 3,000 assets, including aircraft, ships and land-based equipment.
This new agreement will build on the success of the two companies. IFS software will be made available in the Lockheed Martin Innovation Demonstration Center located at its Training and Logistics Solutions facility in Orlando, Florida. Additionally, IFS and Lockheed Martin will collaborate on bid processes for customer opportunities, as well as share technology roadmaps to align their technology offerings for aerospace and defense customers.
3D Glass Solutions Closes $30 Million Series C Funding Round
3D Glass Solutions Inc. (3DGS), a leading innovator of glass-based three-dimensional integrated passive solutions for radio frequency (RF), photonic and datacenters today announced the closing of a $30 million Series C financing. The round was led by Walden Catalyst Ventures, with participation from existing investors, including Intel Capital and Lockheed Martin Ventures, as well as new investments from Applied Ventures, LLC, Cambium Capital, and Mesh Cooperative Ventures.
3DGS will use this funding to increase its US based manufacturing capacity for high-volume production of superior performance 3D integrated passives and substrate products. Lip-Bu Tan, chair of Walden International and founding managing partner of Walden Catalyst Ventures, will join 3DGS’ Board of Directors.
Automating Production of the F-35
🖨️✈️ Lockheed Martin 3D Prints F-35 Simulator Cockpits
After years of hard work, the F-35 Training & Logistics team recently celebrated the shipment of the first two 3D printed cockpits, that were delivered to MCAS Cherry Point in 2022. Printing an additive cockpit is an intricate process that is performed at the Orlando, Florida, Rotary and Mission Systems site. The entire process takes about two months, but you can watch the print in less than a minute in the below time-lapse video.
This effort can reduce the total lead time to obtain conventional parts by 75%. It also reduces the total part count of conventional metal parts by 70%. This significantly simplifies the manufacturability of the FMS and allows the team to rapidly increase the speed at which simulators can be delivered to the warfighter.
Lockheed Martin Ventures Invests in On-Demand Manufacturing Pioneer Machina Labs
Machina Labs today announced the completion of an investment by Lockheed Martin Ventures (LMV), the venture arm of Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE: LMT), a global security and aerospace company. Machina Labs combines AI and robotics to rapidly manufacture advanced sheet metal products. This latest funding brings the total raised by Machina Labs to $21.8M. The investment will be used to accelerate company growth to meet customer demand, and to expand R&D into additional processes and metallurgical offerings.
Lockheed Martin, Microsoft announce landmark agreement on classified cloud, advanced technologies for Department of Defense
Lockheed Martin is the first defense industrial base member to use Microsoft’s newest National Industrial Security Program (NISP) framework for air-gapped clouds after a year-long pilot. Work on developing the classified and unclassified cloud environments is already underway, with expectations for the project to be operational in 2023.
Microsoft’s first-of-its-kind technology will allow Lockheed Martin to dynamically scale IT demands under authorized guidance and directly operate mission workloads inside Azure Government Secret, including highly restricted special programs.
Liquid Instruments Raises $28.5 Million to Revolutionize Technology Development with Software-Defined Test Instrumentation
Liquid Instruments, an innovator in precision software-defined instrumentation, announced that it has secured $28.5 million in Series B funding led by Acorn Capital. The round also includes participation from new investors, including Lockheed Martin Ventures and Powerhouse Ventures, in addition to existing investors, Spirit Super/ANU Connect Ventures, MA Growth Ventures, Significant Capital Ventures, and Boman Enterprises. The funding enables Liquid Instruments to accelerate its growth plans, expand its product line and introduce novel services that connect lab measurements directly to the cloud, and brings Liquid Instruments’ total funding to more than $50 million.
CloudNC raises $45m to deliver autonomous manufacturing
CloudNC, the company developing advanced software that enables factories to autonomously manufacture precision parts, today announced it has raised $45 million in a Series B round led by Autodesk, with Lockheed Martin and British Patient Capital participating alongside returning investors Atomico and Episode 1 Ventures. The company will use the additional capital to further develop its SaaS offering and roll out at-scale through integrations with CAD/CAM packages such as Autodesk’s platforms, and to expand its unique full-stack manufacturing capability in Essex, United Kingdom.
CloudNC’s technology already provides a significant degree of autonomy. A user can upload a 3D model of any part and, with one click, the software autonomously determines the tools needed, how they will be used and drafts the code to tell a CNC machine how to make it. This software assistance allows factories to be more efficient while upskilling the workforce, since more junior employees are able to operate the machines.
Aerospace, Defense and Industry 4.0
“Designing for manufacturability, modeling the production environment, and then producing our products with a minimum of duplicated effort—this can give us the breakthroughs in speed and affordability that the A&D environment needs in a time of limited budgets and rapidly changing threats,” explains Daughters. “These technologies are an essential component to our ‘digital thread’ across the product life cycle. They give us the ability to simulate tradeoffs between capability, manufacturability, complexity, materials and cost before transitioning to the physical world.”
“In a nutshell, I4.0 involves leveraging technology to better serve the world,” says Matt Medley, industry director for A&D manufacturing at IFS, a multinational enterprise software company. “More than just collecting and processing mounds of data via sensors and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), I4.0 is turning data into actionable intelligence to not only drive efficiency and grow profits, but to also help companies be good stewards of our natural resources and local communities. Aerospace and defense companies whose enterprise software can keep pace with developments like additive manufacturing, AI, digital twins, and virtual and augmented reality (V/AR) are the ones that will thrive in an increasingly digital 4.0 era.”