X-Bow Systems Inc (X-Bow), the leading non-traditional producer of advanced manufactured solid rocket motors (SRMs) and defense technologies, announced today an agreement that establishes the company as the first customer to adopt defense-grade artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities within the Astris AI Factory, a secure, end-to-end AI platform from Astris AI, a Lockheed Martin company.
This move is designed to accelerate X-Bow’s ability to meet urgent national security production demands by establishing a trusted digital backbone for its factory operations.
Why It Matters: Faster, Affordable Rockets
This is about applying defense-grade AI to X-Bow’s most sensitive, mission-critical functions—from secure data governance to factory control. This shift directly enables affordable and faster delivery of tactical rocket motors to the warfighter.
- Defense Focus: X-Bow is establishing an accredited digital environment with its first application being a secure AI agent. This initial governance step is critical to rapidly scaling affordable production for U.S. missile and hypersonics programs by proving the platform’s security for all proprietary Advanced Manufactured Solid Propellant (AMSP) processes.
- Security & IP: Using the Astris AI Factory, which is proven in classified environments, allows X-Bow to handle its core manufacturing IP with defense-grade security, ensuring data integrity from design to deployment.
- Manufacturing Control: The platform’s strategic operational focus is on advanced manufacturing control, leveraging Astris AI Factory’s generative AI and MLOps framework to free up engineering time and improve process control, enabling rapid, reliable iterations essential for defense production.
- Scale & Affordability: The agreement paves the way for X-Bow to rapidly extend this accredited platform across its manufacturing enterprise, enabling real-time production execution and higher throughput for tactical and large-scale rocket motors.
The Tech Stack
The platform integrates the latest AI enterprise software to operationalize sophisticated models.
- This framework allows X-Bow’s custom AI tools to securely retrieve and analyze proprietary technical data in real-time while drawing on multiple large language models for process optimization and digital twin fidelity.
- This architecture is designed to simplify and accelerate the accreditation process, a huge factor for defense suppliers operating on government programs.
The Takeaway
“This customer agreement dramatically improves our ability to secure the necessary accreditation to scale up manufacturing,” said Jason Hundley, Founder and 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.”
“This collaboration marks a defining moment in bringing trusted and reliable AI directly to mission-critical environments,” said James Droskoski, CRO, 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. Together, we’re proving that AI can transform both speed and affordability for critical systems that protect our nation.”
About X-Bow Systems
X-Bow Systems is disrupting the aerospace industry with innovative and cost-effective advanced manufactured energetics for the solid rocket motor and launch vehicle market. X-Bow is also designing and building a suite of modular solid rocket motors and small launch vehicles for both orbital and suborbital launch services. X-Bow is led by CEO Jason Hundley, Chairman Mark Kaufman, CTO Max Vozoff, CRO Maureen Gannon, General Counsel John Leary, COO Mike Bender and a growing team of seasoned industry veterans and new space entrepreneurs. X-Bow is a dual-use technology company with investment from: Crosslink Capital, Razor’s Edge Ventures, Balerion Space Ventures, Boeing, Arkenstone Capital, The Capital Factory, Upsher Management Company, Event Horizon Capital, and Lockheed Martin Ventures. Headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, X-Bow has additional presence in California, Alabama, Colorado, Texas, Utah, Maryland and Washington, DC. For more information visit XBowSystems.com.
About Astris AI
Astris AI, a Lockheed Martin company, delivers secure and scalable AI solutions across the defense industrial base and high-assurance commercial industries. Built for mission-critical environments, the Astris AI Factory enables organizations to develop, deploy, and govern generative AI and machine learning systems with full data control, modular open-source flexibility, and defense-grade security. With deep roots in innovation, Astris AI is accelerating digital modernization across aerospace, manufacturing, energy, and national security missions. Visit AstrisAI.com to learn more.
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