On June 2, Karman Space & Defense announced Stefan Knighton has joined the company as chief information and artificial intelligence Officer (CIAIO), effective as of June 1. The appointment of Knighton to this expanded role reflects Karman’s commitment to building the digital and AI infrastructure required to operate at the pace and precision that national security and space exploration missions demand, the company said.
The CIAIO role is the first of its kind at Karman, an evolution of the chief information officer (CIO) position that incorporates ownership of Artificial Intelligence and will be chartered to unlock its full potential for the company, customers and shareholders. In this capacity, Knighton will lead IT strategy and operations alongside the Company’s overall AI strategy; governance; the evaluation, testing and selection of tools and models; and implementation decisions.
Knighton will oversee Karman’s Business Systems organization, including the continued enterprise-wide deployment of the Karman Operating System, the unified business platform designed to enable speed, efficiency, and a cyber-secure posture across all of Karman’s facilities and operations.
“We’re continuing to build Karman as a different kind of space and defense company,” said Chief Executive Officer Jon Rambeau. “That requires leaning into AI strategy and adoption, especially as our customers expect increasingly complex solutions, delivered quickly with greater ability to flex and adapt in response to dynamic environmental conditions.
“The CIAIO role underscores Karman’s view that technology infrastructure and AI strategy are tightly linked – and the companies that get it right will be the ones that get ahead.”
Knighton brings a decades-long record of increasingly senior roles in information technology and enterprise transformation to Karman, with expertise that includes consolidating fragmented legacy environments, integrating technology platforms across complex operating models, supporting acquisition integration, and establishing Centers of Excellence to sustain value as businesses scale.
“I’m excited to join Karman Space & Defense as its inaugural chief information and artificial intelligence officer, especially as we enter an industry-wide sea change in how business gets done,” said Knighton. “By aligning technology strategy, AI and business growth, we can simplify, modernize and move out on the work customers rely on today and are planning for the future.”
Source: Karman Space & Defense
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By Loren Blinde
June 5, 2026
