Aerospace and defence organisations have spent years testing XR. Shelley Peterson says experienced buyers are now asking more specific questions about devices, security, ROI and where the technology can save serious time.
Aerospace and defence buyers are becoming more selective about where XR fits.
Speaking to The XR Beat shortly after hosting at AWE 2026, Shelley Peterson said many organisations now understand the technology well enough to know where it helps and where it doesn’t. Peterson spent 20 years at Lockheed Martin deploying XR for spacecraft manufacturing before later working as a Director in Microsoft’s mixed reality organisation.
Time savings remain one of the clearest arguments. Peterson pointed to work instructions, maintenance and error prevention, especially in environments where delays can be extremely expensive.
She also discussed the potential for “trainingless” activity, where workers can receive enough guidance through XR to complete some tasks without extensive prior training.
For vendors, the challenge goes far beyond the application itself.
Security, intellectual property and enterprise IT requirements can prevent otherwise impressive products from getting through procurement. Peterson said IT and security teams should be involved from the beginning, alongside the technicians and end users expected to work with the technology.
She also warned that vendors can underestimate how long the path from exploration to larger deployment can take. Aerospace and defence organisations may begin with a single device or small test while approvals run in parallel.
Looking ahead, Peterson expects AI and XR to become more closely connected, but believes some of the strongest returns will still come from practical applications that save time, reduce errors and improve existing work.
Watch the full interview above.
