Jerry Petersen 
- Lockheed conducted a demo during which the Sanctum C-UAS enabled the shoot-down of a test drone using a Joint-Air-to-Ground Missile
- The Sanctum C-UAS, missile and launcher were integrated within 45 days
- Lockheed CEO Jim Taiclet praised the speed at which the system was integrated and said the demo showed the progress achieved in developing Sanctum
Lockheed Martin has conducted a demonstration of Sanctum, during which the counter-unmanned aerial system intercepted a Group 3 one-way attack test drone.
What Happened During the Demo?
Lockheed said Wednesday that during the demo, Sanctum’s sensors detected and tracked the test drone. The system’s battle management software processed the engagement resulting in the firing of a Joint-Air-to-Ground Missile from a GRIZZLY containerized launcher to eliminate the target.
The Sanctum C-UAS, GRIZZLY launcher and Joint-Air-to-Ground Missile were integrated and delivered within 45 days.
What Did the Demo Reveal About Sanctum?
Randy Crites, vice president and general manager of advanced programs at Lockheed Martin commented on the outcome of the demo, saying, “This test demonstrated a modular, affordable point-defense solution that can be quickly scaled and deployed across multiple domains to counter evolving threats.”
Paul Lemmo, vice president and general manager of sensors, effectors and mission systems at Lockheed also highlighted the speed at which the capability was put together, saying, “This test demonstrates a rapid, low-cost and modular point-defense solution that can be deployed on land or maritime platforms within days.”
For his part, Jim Taiclet, chairman, president and CEO of Lockheed, praised the personnel who worked on the demo, saying, “In under 45 days, our team integrated a complete counter-UAS end-to-end solution and successfully intercepted a drone target in a live-fire test.”
“The ingenuity behind this effort and its successful operational results reflect the progress we’re making with Sanctum, our AI-enabled counter-UAS system,” Taiclet added.
What Is Sanctum?
Sanctum is a C‑UAS capability designed as an integrated, multi-domain defense ecosystem with a modular architecture that enables rapid innovation, sensor‑effector integration and AI‑powered updates at the edge.
In December 2025, Lockheed partnered with Microsoft to develop the capability, which would be built on Microsoft Azure.
This April, Lockheed made a $25 million investment to support Fortem Technologies’ production and deployment of artificial intelligence-powered systems that can detect, track and neutralize drones. The investment would enable the integration of Fortem’s capabilities into the Sanctum counter-unmanned aerial system.
