Lockheed Martin, US Navy test AI sonar SensorMAX at RIMPAC 2026

Published Aug 6, 04:20 PM UTC

Lockheed Martin and the US Navy successfully demonstrated a rapidly retrainable AI/ML sonar system, SensorMAX, for antisubmarine warfare during the RIMPAC 2026 exercise. The system processed acoustic data from sonobuoys deployed by MH-60R helicopters, allowing aircrews to monitor up to eight sonobuoys simultaneously. When encountering new acoustic signatures, ground operators could label the data, retrain the AI model, and securely transmit the updated model back to the helicopters via encrypted data link in under five minutes. This closed-loop process aims to enhance situational awareness and threat tracking speed. The platform-agnostic system can operate in airborne, maritime, or land-based settings. Lockheed Martin highlighted the integration of commercial AI technology with defense platforms to accelerate capability delivery.