Lockheed Martin Canada Awards $10 Million Contract to Contextere for AI-Powered Maintenance and Training Platform
OTTAWA, Ontario — October 27, 2026 — Leads & Copy — Lockheed Martin Canada announced a CAD $10 million contract with Contextere to advance its iMAPLE (Intelligent Maintenance, Asset, Personnel and Learning Environment) technology, which is designed to preserve critical expertise and prepare personnel for complex maintenance demands. The announcement was made today at the Canadian Aerospace Summit in Ottawa.
iMAPLE, built upon Contextere’s MADISON platform, offers specialized artificial intelligence capabilities for competency management and workforce readiness. The funding will support the next phase of the platform’s development, with an initial deployment planned for the Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF) CC-130J Hercules fleet. The underlying technology is versatile and can be applied to complex equipment across land, air, and sea.
The Honourable Stephen Fuhr, Secretary of State for Defence Procurement, highlighted the contract’s significance under Canada’s Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy. “This partnership invests in a Canadian-developed artificial intelligence solution that supports the Royal Canadian Air Force’s CC-130J Hercules fleet,” Fuhr stated. “It is strengthening Canada’s defence capabilities, creating opportunities for Canadian workers, and helping grow a sovereign AI ecosystem with export potential. Canada’s government will continue to support Canadian innovation by building our domestic defence capabilities.”
Gabriel Batstone, CEO and Co-Founder of Contextere, emphasized Canada’s capacity to address defense challenges. “Canada has the talent and technology to solve demanding defence challenges,” Batstone said. “This agreement builds on our work with the Department of National Defence and the RCAF to help personnel access critical expertise and prepare for increasingly complex maintenance demands. It also creates an opportunity to grow Canadian-owned AI technology for defence applications at home and in allied markets.”
Kristen Leroux, Vice President & Regional Executive for Canada and Latin America at Lockheed Martin, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration. “This collaboration with the Royal Canadian Air Force and Contextere offers something truly special,” Leroux commented. “We’re proud to be a part of the development of iMAPLE and to work alongside Contextere in support of our air force and the CC-130J fleet, demonstrating how Canadian innovation can build a sovereign defence and dual-use ecosystem right here at home.”
The project integrates Contextere’s Canadian-developed technology with the RCAF’s operational experience and Lockheed Martin’s sustainment expertise. By aligning personnel competencies with maintenance tasks, iMAPLE aims to enhance aircraft availability, maintenance efficiency, and fleet readiness.
iMAPLE is designed to translate Canadian AI expertise into practical tools for defense personnel, supporting the goals of Canada’s AI for All strategy by promoting AI adoption in a strategic sector. It also aligns with Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy by advancing Canadian-owned intellectual property and strengthening domestic defense capabilities.
Maintaining defense readiness necessitates personnel with the right capabilities and access to essential technical knowledge. As technical requirements evolve, defense organizations must effectively manage workforce capabilities and ensure knowledge accessibility. iMAPLE addresses these challenges by enabling personnel to search validated maintenance, training, and operational information using natural language, building competency profiles to identify skill gaps, mapping skills against requirements, and capturing institutional knowledge.
This partnership supports Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy by investing in Canadian-owned intellectual property and the expertise required for its development. It provides Contextere with a pathway to deploy technology developed with the Canadian defense community into operational use. The initial CC-130J Hercules deployment is expected to demonstrate iMAPLE’s potential, potentially creating opportunities for Canadian companies in global defense markets.
Source: Contextere
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