Aerobotix gained national attention when CNBC featured the company’s mobile robotic systems in their 2017 Squawk Box segment titled “Lockheed Martin F-35 Factory Utilizing Robots and Automation to Lower Costs.” The report highlighted how automation is driving down costs and improving efficiency in the world’s most expensive weapons program.

At the time of the segment’s release, the F-35 program was at a major inflection point. Lockheed Martin was working to increase production from four jets per month to 14 while simultaneously reducing costs through advanced automation and robotics implementation.

Janet Nash, Lockheed Martin’s VP of F-35 Production, explained the strategic imperative: “We have to take labor out of the aircraft build process and we have to make that process more efficient without any reduction in quality and by eliminating waste. We do that through technological advancements, like this robot [MIP], which can do the work faster.”

Throughout the Squawk Box segment, Aerobotix’s Mold In Place (MIP) system, dubbed THOR, was prominently featured, particularly during Nash’s interview. The MIP system represents the type of advanced automation helping Lockheed Martin achieve dramatic cost reductions.

CNBC journalist Morgan Brennan highlighted the program’s impressive cost trajectory, noting that the most recent F-35A contract came in at $94.6 million—a 7% drop from the previous deal and a remarkable 62% reduction from the first contract ten years earlier. This cost reduction was partially attributed to Lockheed’s strategic implementation of automation and robotics.

The Pentagon’s ambitious target of reducing the F-35 price to $80 million by 2020 underscored the critical role of automation in making advanced military aircraft more affordable. Aerobotix’s mobile robotics technology proved instrumental in helping achieve these cost and efficiency objectives while maintaining the exacting quality standards required for fighter production.