Stephanie C. Hill, president of Rotary and Mission Systems at Lockheed Martin, has announced a $25 million investment in Fortem Technologies.
Lockheed Martin’s investment supports the national security industrial base, creates high-skilled jobs, and strengthens its position in the global UAS countermeasure market.
The partnership aims to accelerate the deployment of advanced, affordable counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) capabilities.
Lockheed Martin will integrate Fortem’s AI-driven detection, tracking, and neutralization technology into its Sanctum C-UAS suite, enabling customers to suppress drone swarms before they pose a threat.
Hill emphasized that drone threats are evolving faster than traditional acquisition cycles, with adversaries now able to deploy new capabilities in weeks. Addressing these challenges requires scalable, rapidly evolving solutions, which strategic investments and partnerships can deliver.
The Lockheed Martin-Fortem collaboration demonstrates a commitment to supporting U.S. and allied missions by leveraging the broader defense ecosystem.
According to the Lockheed Martin press release, this investment is the first tranche of Fortem’s Series B fundraising round and will help Fortem scale production and enhance deployment within the Sanctum ecosystem.
The proliferation of small, inexpensive unmanned aerial systems has created significant risks for military, infrastructure, and civilian airspace.
Modern battlefields face increasing threats from hostile drones capable of swarming or delivering precision payloads.
By embedding Fortem’s AI-driven technology, the Sanctum suite provides an immediate response to suppress drone swarms before they become a kinetic risk.
The press release notes that traditional interceptors, such as missiles and directed-energy weapons, are costly per use. Fortem’s software-centric, low-cost sensor platform reduces engagement costs by over 80% while maintaining effectiveness.
The partnership will also accelerate the development of next-generation AI, edge computing, and high-resolution radar.
The funding will allow Fortem to double manufacturing capacity and expand its workforce in Utah. Hill stated that this collaboration will deliver mission capabilities that meet customer demand for scalable, rapidly deployable solutions.
Jon Gruen, CEO of Fortem Technologies, added that the partnership reflects a shared understanding that counter-UAS solutions must be autonomous, integrated, and scalable to address the pace of emerging threats.