Our San Diego site, home to 800 employees, is renowned for its software development expertise, geospatial intelligence and cybersecurity centers of excellence, and collaborative spirit.
Recognizing the Department of War’s increasing focus on commercial innovation, the site has recently restructured and is now organized around four key areas: Multi-Domain Orchestrated Effects, Data & Analytics Solutions, Mission Intelligence Products, and Test & Support Systems. This evolution empowers the San Diego Business Center to be more agile, collaborative, and customer-focused – driving rapid innovation and strengthening partnerships to tackle critical new missions.
Beyond technical prowess, the San Diego team is a community built on a strong foundation of employee well-being and a commitment to both local and global impact.
Human Capital
More than just a workplace for product development and geospatial intelligence, the site fosters a family-centric environment where strong relationships with colleagues and the local community are paramount. This is exemplified by the 13 employee-led clubs – from hiking and sailing to pickleball, which has become a sensation thanks to exciting new rooftop courts. As San Diego site executive Debbie Williams shares, “employees are already raving about the lively tournaments held between departments and programs.” In addition, the site celebrates employees and their loved ones with family movie nights, where the leadership team serves popcorn and refreshments – further exemplifying their commitment to fostering strong relationships outside of the workplace.
San Diego employees consistently give back, supporting nonprofit organizations like Operation Homefront (with over 13,000 bicycles donated to military families since 1995) and the San Diego Blood Bank (helping save over 12,000 lives through 110 drives). This dedication to both internal community and external service fuels the innovative spirit that drives San Diego forward.
External Focus
The team’s success is driven by their ability to translate mission-critical technologies into impactful bespoke and commercial offerings through its legacy products. These technologies currently support a wide range of commercially available applications, from the security of data shared between U.S. and coalition partners to advanced targeting and mission planning and even defining lunar landing zones for future space expeditions onboard Artemis 4. The legacy of the site’s Geospatial eXploitation Products (GXP) software ecosystem and the XTS® line of products demonstrate a clear roadmap for successful commercialization. The San Diego team is sharing these best practices in commercial product development across the company.
Achieving Operational Excellence
San Diego is at the heart of a major digital transformation across BAE Systems, supporting a key objective to accelerate the development of modern IT networks.
For years, launching new programs meant navigating a complex web of unique IT requirements, resulting in isolated systems and duplicated effort – a challenge familiar across the industry. That all changed in the late 2010s when the site established the Virtual Cloud Computing Center, a shared computing environment that became essential for everything from internal research and development (IRAD) to established programs across the sector.
The San Diego team is leading the way in integrating machine learning and AI tools into our development process. This enhances the products we deliver to the Department of War and Intelligence communities. Their work on an internal IRAD project has led to faster image analysis and automated workflows within our products. Within a year, these AI capabilities have sparked customer interest for implementation into their operational baselines.
Technology Disruption
Responding to an increase in customer demand, the Geospatial eXploitation Products (GXP) team has rapidly expanded its capabilities in Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), positioning Electronic Systems as a leader in autonomous, AI-driven results. A recent Agentic AI demonstration in March 2026 showcased the seamless integration of multiple capabilities and was presented at international events to key customers. This collaboration leveraged complementary expertise to deliver a focused, mission-relevant demonstration.
AI is now integrated into current San Diego programs, with further investments accelerating its adoption. This technology will help customers make more informed decisions, gain accurate insights, and respond to threats with greater confidence. By automating steps in discovery, analysis, and intelligence production, it reduces manual workload and improves the efficiency, consistency, and quality of mission outcomes.
Steven Carrillo, GXP product marketing manager, explains, “We’re shaping the future of geospatial intelligence into the next generation of intelligent, mission-driven solutions. That work proves to our customers and partners that GXP is not waiting for the market to evolve, it’s leading the way.”
By By Marianne Murphy and Emily Matthews, Communications