Lockheed Martin has partnered with Red Hat to expedite the deployment capabilities of swarm autonomy technologies, focusing on the swift delivery of software updates that can improve the intelligence of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) during tactical operations.
This collaboration with Red Hat enables the company to integrate advanced functionalities that are essential for national defence, says Lockheed Martin.
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The synergy between the two companies will facilitate the creation of autonomous swarms that can identify and adapt to new threats instantaneously.
Lockheed Martin’s approach incorporates an open architecture, which allows integration from a diverse range of suppliers including commercial, defence, and non-traditional sources, ensuring that the system remains at the forefront of technology by incorporating innovative solutions as they become available.
This strategy results in a defence system that is both powerful and capable of adapting to new challenges as they arise.
The initiative leverages Red Hat Device Edge’s containerisation features and its lightweight modular framework in conjunction with Lockheed Martin’s expertise in autonomous swarm operations. This is applied to Skunk Works’s Indago 4 UAS—a tactical quadcopter known for its comprehensive reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities.
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By GlobalDataLockheed explains that the integration of AI and machine learning into this platform empowers users to deploy more intelligent swarms. These enhanced swarms can execute multi-step tasks and adjusting to mission changes in complex operational environments.
The implementation of this technology enables UAS swarms to cover greater distances at increased speeds, thereby reinforcing deterrence measures and ensuring that military personnel are equipped with superior capabilities.
Lockheed Martin programme manager Katie Gilmore said: “This work helps enable uncrewed aerial vehicles to receive updated software modules on-the-fly, transforming the way we manage and update edge devices like UAVs. This kind of technology is critical for missions of the future, giving drone swarms far greater capabilities to protect people and infrastructure real-time.”
In December 2024, Lockheed Martin announced the establishment of Astris AI, a new venture dedicated to promoting the adoption of AI within both the US defence sector and commercial markets that require high levels of assurance.
