Hartford Business Journal

HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | APRIL 6, 2026 9 21 DEMING RD, BERLIN, CT 06037 / (860) 610-1093 / OLSENCS.COM • CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT • GENERAL CONTRACTING • DESIGN–BUILD about 7,000 engineers use a tool called Panel to rapidly train machine learning models. "I improve the documentation about these tools, and then I interface with all of our different users," Scanlon said. "It's an interesting combina- tion of teaching and upskilling and technical troubleshooting." She said much of the early hesitation around AI has faded as employees increasingly look for ways to learn and adopt the technology. "There's a desire to move forward as fast as possible," she said. "We're starting to see programs factor in the use of artificial intelligence in acceler- ating their timelines to delivery." For Lockheed Martin, building its own AI infrastructure is also important for compliance with defense contracting requirements. "It's really important for us to own how we build it," Forrest explains. "Because we have to show the customer the lineage of how we built these models from start to finish, especially when we deliver into (Department of Defense) and customer contracts." At the Shelton AI Center, that work includes a range of testing environments, including a hardware- in-the-loop (HIL) farm used to test new hardware, and a cognitive elec- tronic warfare lab where algorithms are evaluated. "We're building electronic warfare and computer vision algorithms, running across data centers in Connecticut and other locations that Lockheed Martin has. And then we are also testing them in that Connecticut facility," Forrest said. Real world impact Forrest said AI is central to the company's "21st Century Security" strategy, which focuses on integrating digital technology into Lockheed Martin's products and strength- ening its systems, including the supply chain. Part of that strategy includes integrating AI into manufacturing. The technology is already used for several processes, including controlling CNC machining, generating written work instructions from 3D digital models and using computer vision tools to detect foreign object debris. While the company declined to comment on how AI is being used in its current production ramp-up amid heightened global tensions, Forrest did describe its role in a recent conflict. During missile attacks in the Red Sea by Houthi rebels a few years ago, Lockheed partnered with the U.S. Navy to develop updates for destroyers tasked with intercepting missiles and drones. Radar operators were being over- whelmed by false alarms. Lockheed engineers used real-time radar data to train machine learning models, which were deployed back to the ship within 24 hours. The system helped filter false alarms, improving accuracy and reducing operator workload. Forrest said development of the AI Factory has also pushed Lockheed to evolve its business model. Last year, the company launched a wholly owned subsidiary, Astris AI, allowing it to more easily sell AI Factory tools to government and commercial clients. 'Comprehensive approach' Defense analyst David Pring-Mill, founder of tech policy and research firm Policy2050, said the latest Middle East conflict is likely to accelerate AI adoption across the defense sector. He said the U.S.-Iran conflict has exposed limits in the U.S. defense manufacturing base, which is designed for steady peacetime production rather than rapid increases in wartime demand. Pring-Mill said Lockheed's coordi- nated approach — developed through its AI Center — has helped give the company an edge over competitors. "That kind of centralized AI infra- structure is what allows a company with over 120,000 employees to apply AI at scale, rather than running disconnected experiments in indi- vidual factories," he told the Hartford Business Journal. Lockheed, Pring-Mill said, is effec- tively pursuing three AI strategies at once. In addition to the AI Center, the company has committed more than $330 million to internal digital factory capabilities — including connected factories, smart tools and augmented reality systems on production floors. It has also partnered with AI-native startups to expand manufacturing capacity and invested venture capital in emerging AI technologies it could acquire later. "Based on what's publicly visible, that's the most comprehensive approach of any defense prime right now," Pring-Mill said. AI systems engineering manager Grace Scanlon (left) and Vice President Greg Forrest walk through Lockheed Martin's AI Center in Shelton, where the company develops and deploys artificial intelligence tools. Contributed Photo

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