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Rheinmetall Battlesuite – The Digital Foundation for the Reconnaissance and Strike Network

Sunday, June 28th, 2026

Multidomain operations require advanced approaches to effectively coordinate and integrate each domain. As an all-domain system house, Rheinmetall offers platforms, systems, and services on land, in the air, in space, at sea, and in the cyber and information domains.

Furthermore, Rheinmetall acts as a digital systems integrator that orchestrates multidomain operations via a software-defined battlesuite.

With the combination of the FV-014 Loitering Munition System, the Containerized Missile Launcher (CML) being demonstrated for the first time, and the Battlesuite, along with additional sensors, effectors, and platforms, this system integrates reconnaissance, command, and engagement into a single architecture.

Rheinmetall’s reconnaissance and strike network is an innovative solution for maximum transparency in the operational area, minimizes response times, and thus ensures a decisive advantage in protecting friendly forces, from the first signal in space to the impact on the ground. The Rheinmetall Battlesuite serves as the digital foundation of this combat network. It provides the framework for the digitalization of platforms, sensors, and weapons systems and, through open and standardized interfaces, enables the seamless networking of existing and future systems. This allows information to be made available more quickly, reduces integration efforts, and enables the utilization of existing capabilities from different manufacturers within a common command and information environment.

For Rheinmetall, the sensor-effector chain begins in space and orchestrates a nearly seamless situational picture with scalable effectors. This comprehensive situational picture forms the basis for applying rapid command and control processes to any threat quickly and appropriately. Unmanned systems are playing an increasingly important role in this context. The diversity of systems, from satellites and drones to armored vehicles, poses a risk: complexity and fragmentation. If systems are not networked with one another and do not implement coordinated, effective data exchange, the time advantage is quickly lost. This is where the Rheinmetall Battlesuite comes in.

The Battlesuite is not a traditional standalone product, but a revolutionary software architecture concept. It is based on standardized middleware, the Tactical Core, enabling a wide variety of applications and hardware platforms to be securely and interoperably networked and operated.

The Battlesuite is defined by the following three pillars:

• Openness: Moving away from vendor-locked siloed solutions toward non-proprietary standards.

• Interoperability: Seamless communication between partners, military branches, nations, and different hardware generations.

• Future-proofing: New AI-enabled capabilities can be seamlessly integrated into the existing system without requiring the entire infrastructure to be recertified.

Information flows from the orbital sensor through the Tactical Core to the effectors on the ground, at sea, or in the air. In this way, the Battlesuite creates the infrastructural foundation for Software Defined Defense.

In a world where the threat landscape is becoming increasingly unpredictable, Rheinmetall provides the answer: an integrated ecosystem that combines reconnaissance, command, and effect into a single unit.

Posted in C5ISR, International, Press Release | No Comments »

Space Force Integrates with Air Force in AI Sprint to Ensure Mission Dominance

Sunday, June 28th, 2026

LAS VEGAS, Nevada – To secure mission dominance in a future, contested environment, the Joint Force must make decisions faster than any adversary. This imperative was the driving force behind the Multi-Decision Advantage Sprint for Human-Machine Teaming, or MASH, a complex, two-week experiment recently hosted in Las Vegas.

Building on the successes of previous single-function Decision Advantage Sprints for Human-Machine Teaming experiments, the MASH marked a significant evolution by integrating an ensemble of artificial intelligence and automation software services from the first three DASH events. For the first time, U.S. Space Force Guardians joined Airmen to work side-by-side with software developers, evaluating how these disparate tools can effectively integrate to solve complex problems across the air, space, cyber, maritime, and ground domains.

“The Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control Campaign Plan demands that we make better, timelier decisions,” said U.S. Air Force Col. John Ohlund, Advanced Battle Management System Cross-Functional Team director. “By incorporating AI into our battle management architecture, we are ensuring our operators can rapidly process vast amounts of data and deliver lethal effects faster than ever before.”

Conducted within a dedicated Shadow Operations Center-Nellis facility in Las Vegas, the MASH experiment set the stage for this strategic collaboration, led by the Department of the Air Force’s Advanced Battle Management System Cross-Functional Team. The experiment was executed in partnership with the Air Force Research Lab, U.S. Space Force, and the 805th Combat Training Squadron, also known as the ShOC-N, further reinforcing the collaborative effort required to deliver decisive combat power for the Joint Force. Furthermore, four allied nations observed the experiment, gaining insights into the U.S. approach to integrated architectures and setting the foundation for future interoperability.

Space Force Integration: A Critical Milestone

A defining feature of the multi-decision sprint was the active participation of Space Force Guardians. Moving beyond observational roles, Guardians were “in the seat,” directly influencing the development of battle management tools that encompass the space domain.

“Working with Air Force battle managers opened my eyes to how the air domain tackles these challenges. Their focus on tempo, synchronization, and rapid Courses of Action iteration mirrors what Space Force needs, especially when dealing with contested electromagnetic environments,” said U.S. Space Force 1st Lt. Abby Warner, 16th Electromagnetic Warfare Squadron deputy flight commander. “Turns out our decision-making headaches are similar across domains, and Transformational Model-based services adapt quickly to space ops.”

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Corey Ellsworth, ABMS Cross-Functional Team integration lead, agreed.

“There are parallels to decision advantage requirements between the air and space domains, especially during major combat operations where all domains are contested,”  Ellsworth said.

He noted that the next step for the DAF’s solution to battle management is to continue integrating with each service’s modernization approach to data and decision-making. The battle management software solutions tested at the MASH are “directly translatable” to Navy, Marine Corps, and Army partners, emphasizing that this collaboration is the next pivotal step in providing “combat multi-domain power” for the “Total Joint Force.”

U.S. Space Force Col. Teina Stallings-Lilly, ABMS Cross-Functional Team deputy director for space operations integration, emphasized the long-term impact of this integration.

“As the operations integrator between the services, my goal is to bridge the gap between our domains,” Stallings-Lilly said. “By having our Guardians in the seat for this experiment, they are seeing the direct applicability of these AI tools and, in turn, are providing the expertise needed to build a truly integrated DAF Battle Network.”

Stallings-Lilly explained that the DAF is moving beyond simple decision support systems to field capabilities that process information at machine speeds. This sprint, she noted, is fundamentally about building a human-machine team that ensures operators can think faster and stay decisively ahead of any adversary.

The need for deep, cross-service integration extends far beyond the air and space domains, shaping the future of command and control.

“The reason we challenge the software to solve multi-domain problems is because that’s the reality of the future fight,” said Ohlund. “An Air Force air battle manager doesn’t have the authority to execute a space or cyber effect, but like any good staff officer, it’s their job to prepare the information and package the options for the general. We want the computers to do that work, to ruminate over every possible multi-domain effect; that way we can present the highest quality menu of decisions to the right commander, faster than ever before.”

WARTECH: Co-Creation for Rapid Fielding

This deep integration of multi-domain warfighters into the development process is a key component of the larger  AFRL process known as WARTECH, which brings together warfighters, technologists, planners, and acquisition personnel to collectively develop operational concepts motivated by future force design and enabled by high-payoff science and technology.

“The DASH to MASH series is really a textbook example of what WARTECH is intended to accomplish and right in line with the Command, Control, Communications, and Battle Management strategy for agile, rapid, and iterative fielding of software solutions to support immediate warfighter needs and long-term force modernization,” said Jeffrey Palumbo, AFRL C3BM Capability Area lead. “This approach of user-producer co-creation allows for proof of concept, energizes the industrial base, allows for early operator feedback to shape development, and sets us up to deliver chunks of decision advantage capability to the warfighter in a rapid and repeatable cycle.”

The MASH Ensemble: Perceive Actionable Entity, Match Effector, and Generate Battle COAs

The experiment challenged six industry software development teams and the ShOC-N’s own military software development team to build tools that address three core decision functions derived from the DAF’s Transformational Model:

PAE: Recommending what actions can be taken against a target.

Match Effector: Given a list of possible effects, ranking a capability or a set of capabilities best suited for the given effect, and repeating for each of the other provided effects.

Generate Battle COAs: Given a list of matched effect-effector pairs, adding the additional capabilities throughout the execution window needed to support the principal match, and repeating for each of the next ranked pair.

A major breakthrough of the event was the successful integration of these disparate vendor tools.

“AFRL has done incredible work building an orchestrator that ensures these different companies can exchange data, ontologies, and metadata seamlessly,” Ohlund said. “We are proving that a true plug-and-play, modular approach not only works, but it fosters continuous competition and allows the government to select the best-of-breed software services as they mature.”

The Warfighter as Expert Evaluator

Throughout the sprint, the Airmen and Guardians were tasked not just as operators, but as expert evaluators. Their mission was to stress-test the AI’s decision logic, identifying limitations and providing immediate feedback to the developers sitting directly behind them.

“This is a true co-creation environment where software developers work directly with warfighters to ensure the tools meet their exact needs,” said Elizabeth Frost, AFRL MASH lead. “The teams are eager for feedback and implemented changes rapidly. This collaborative effort paid off during the second week of the sprint, as we saw a remarkable increase in the volume and quality of courses of action submitted.”

The operational impact of this co-creation was immediate and undeniable for the tactical operators.

“A week ago, it took my team and me 50 minutes to an hour to get one tasking done. With the help of the tool, we were able to get five or six taskings done,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Adam Sochia, 552nd Operations Support Squadron ABM. “Basically, in the amount of time that we can do one tasking, this tool gives us the data and accurate options to complete five or more additional taskings.

Delivering a Lethal, Integrated Future

The event also featured the ShOC-N’s military software development team, who built their own solutions alongside industry. According to Carlos Dye, the ShOC-N MASH software development team lead, the military developers focused on applying their direct operational experience to the coding process. Their approach ensured that the machine took the brunt of the data processing, while the human operator remained firmly in control of the final tactical decisions.

This unique environment, which physically co-located military operators, Airmen developers, and industry partners, was critical to the event’s success.

“The synergy we are seeing here… is what has been lacking in previous attempts to accelerate delivery of warfighter capability,” said Lt. Col. Wesley Schultz, 805th CTS/ShOC-N commander. “Our mission at the ShOC-N is to remove barriers to creative problem-solving, allowing us to turn innovative concepts like human-machine teaming into tangible, lethal capabilities at speed.”

A key factor in enabling that speed and synergy was the underlying technical framework. Elizabeth Frost, the AFRL MASH lead, noted that by establishing a common application programming interface and architecture, the team was able to provide a unified user interface. This meant that regardless of which vendor’s software was running in the background, the experience remained consistent and intuitive for the warfighter, proving that integrated tools deliver a far better outcome than isolated solutions.

Ultimately, the MASH experiment provided an actionable blueprint for the future of multi-domain operations. The event validated the DAF’s Transformational Model, proving that when battle management is broken down into specific decision functions with a common integration framework, machines can process data at a speed unmatched by humans.

Ohlund concluded, “By demonstrating that diverse, AI-enabled tools can integrate effectively within this model to accelerate the kill chain, the DAF has taken a critical step toward securing decision advantage for the Joint Force.”

Deb Henley

505th Command and Control Wing

Public Affairs

Posted in AI / ML, Air Force, C5ISR, Guest Post, Space | No Comments »

Army and Industry Align on Common Data Baseline, as Next Generation Command and Control Moves from Prototyping to Delivery

Thursday, June 25th, 2026

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army announced today it has established the Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) common data layer baseline, following NGC2 operational validations at the 4th Infantry Division Ivy Sting-Ivy Mass series and 25th Infantry Division Lightning Surge events.

Anduril Industries will be responsible for leading the common data baseline initiative. They will remain partnered with Palantir to provide an edge-to-cloud data mesh via Anduril’s Lattice and Palantir’s Foundry along with associated software deployment tools. They will also partner with Raft for NGC2 data and services registries, data transformation tools, and data federation via Raft Data Platform.

With this decision, the 4th Infantry Division and 25th Infantry Division will quickly begin to implement NGC2 common components through their respective operational implementation leads as they continue through operational training and campaign exercises at Project Convergence Capstone 6 and Lightning Surge events.

“We are already moving out with the converged data layer architecture,” said Joseph Welch, portfolio acquisition executive for Command and Control (C2)/Counter C2. “Our vendor partners have demonstrated great teamwork and flexibility in helping us establish this baseline and set the groundwork for rapid scaling.”

Vendor Teaming

Anduril Industries will continue to serve as lead for 4th ID operational implementation of the “full stack” of NGC2 hardware and software, with Lockheed Martin continuing to lead the “full stack” operational implementation at 25th ID. These team leads leverage numerous other companies to ensure each division has a tailored “full stack” technology ecosystem, comprised of C2 applications, data, and the underlying infrastructure, network and transport solutions that connect Soldiers on the battlefield, even in contested and denied environments.

Operational implementation leads are also responsible for partnering with units to meet commander priorities by tailoring specific applications, algorithms and hardware relevant to their operational missions and theaters, such as new app development, incorporation of edge compute devices, integration of private 5G and other communications solutions, and fusion of electromagnetic spectrum effectors.

Operational Validation

The Army’s establishment of a common data layer is informed by ten months of feedback and data from operational training events with the 4th ID and 25th ID, where industry formed teams led by Anduril Industries and Lockheed Martin, respectively, have teamed with commanders and Soldiers on the ground to rapidly scale and improve NGC2 capabilities.

Most recently, in May 2026, the 4th ID’s Ivy Mass exercise stressed every element of NGC2 at division scale across the expanse of Fort Carson and Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site, Colorado, including fighting through cyber and electromagnetic attacks based on real-world threats. Also in May, the 25th ID conducted Lightning Surge 3 during Exercise Balikatan 2026 demonstrated, simultaneously from Hawaii, the continental United States and the Philippines, the integration of sensors, fires systems and airspace management through a unified data platform providing a real-time view of the battlefield across the Indo-Pacific.

Looking ahead, Project Convergence-Capstone 6, or PC-C6 in July 2026 will serve as the culminating event for a division-scale force-on-force NGC2 validation at the National Training Center, allowing the Army to rapidly advance from prototyping to scaling product delivery.

“This is a major step forward as NGC2 evolves into a phase of continuous delivery and we provide this capability at the speed of relevance,” said Brig. Gen. Shane Taylor, capability program executive for Command and Control Information Network, or CPE C2IN. “We continue to encourage industry self-teaming and collaboration to adjust capabilities to commander priorities, operational needs and emerging technologies.”

– US Army Public Affairs

Posted in Army, C5ISR, Industry, Press Release | No Comments »

Savox Launches MissionCore to Transform Fragmented Battlefield Data into Actionable Awareness

Monday, June 15th, 2026

Espoo, Finland – 12 June 2026 – Savox Communications, a global leader in mission-critical communications and hearing protection solutions, today announces Savox MissionCore, an open and interoperable mission platform ready for new or existing battlefield networks to modernize with limited disruption. Based on a software-defined modular, IP-based architecture, MissionCore integrates voice, video, and data into a scalable C4ISR solution.

Modern defence operations are being critically constrained by fragmented system landscapes and outdated legacy technologies undermining interoperability, stalling scalability, and preventing the timely integration of actionable data. Savox MissionCore addresses these challenges with an open, modular architecture that orchestrates mission data feeds into a unified operational environment. Fusing fragmented data streams into coherent, actionable awareness, reducing cognitive burden, simplifying integration, and enabling modernization without replacing existing systems.

By combining voice, video, and multisensory inputs, MissionCore enables the transformation of complex information into actionable situational awareness, to empower defense operations to modernize without disrupting existing systems. The platform supports a multi-sensory user interface that uses both audio and visual elements to provide critical information and reduce cognitive load in demanding operational environments.

Unlike closed or system-bound solutions the software-defined IP-based architecture supports VoIP, broadband and narrowband military networks, video feeds and sensors to facilitate integration into battle management and AI systems, aligning with NATO Generic Vehicle Architecture (NGVA) standards and ensures scalability and long-term adaptability.

 The platform is now supported by new Savox system components, including data processing (DPU) and data routing units (DRU), which enable low power, efficient processing routing, and integration of mission-critical voice, video, and data across battlefield environments.

“MissionCore removes the barriers created by fragmented systems,” says Jerry Kettunen, CEO of Savox Communications. “It gives defence forces a unified platform to integrate existing assets, accelerate decision-making, and modernize on their own terms without being locked into closed architectures.”

For more information about Savox MissionCore and our solutions, visit us at Eurosatory in Paris, France, at our booth (Hall 6, Stand G138).

www.savox.com

Posted in C5ISR, International, Press Release | No Comments »

Anduril Introduces Voyager Gateway 1: Rugged Edge Compute for the Dismounted Operator

Wednesday, May 20th, 2026

Voyager Gateway 1 puts a full mission server on the operator, turning every soldier into a connected node at the forward edge.

Dismounted operators carry heavy loads of radios, batteries, sensors, and other mission equipment. At the same time, many mission applications still rely on bulky servers at the command post, forcing operators to carry additional communications gear and power sources just to stay connected. That setup, compute in the rear, operators tethered forward, doesn’t hold up in a fight where command posts are targeted, networks are jammed, and squads operate dispersed.

Anduril is addressing this problem with Voyager Gateway 1 (G1), a rugged, body-worn compute and communications system designed to fit within an operator’s kit. About the size of a radio, waterproof, and built to run on very little power, Voyager G1 combines compute, networking, and communications in a single wearable device. The system allows mission applications and edge AI workloads to run directly at the tactical edge instead of relying on servers in the rear.

Voyager G1 turns every dismounted operator into a node on the Lattice Mesh, Anduril’s software platform for connecting sensors, systems, and operators across the battlespace. The device supports data sharing, voice communications, and live video across dispersed teams, allowing units to continue operating even when disconnected from higher headquarters or traditional infrastructure.

Voyager G1 is built to live on the operator’s kit without adding to their cognitive or physical burden:

Warfighter First: Voyager G1’s innovative body-worn design minimizes the weight and heat experienced when carrying a computer, allowing the warfighter to travel faster and go further.

Ready for any Mission: The rugged, ultra-low power, and waterproof module allows for hours of extended command-and-control and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations—even in the harshest and wettest of conditions.

Versatile Connectivity: With both wired and wireless interfaces, special operations forces can easily adapt to any situation in denied, degraded, intermittent, and limited (DDIL) environments to communicate over a greater range of comms paths.

Voyager G1 has already been tested in operational exercises alongside Anduril’s Mission Autonomy software.

During a recent INDOPACOM exercise, the system supported autonomous sensing and target-sharing workflows at the tactical edge, enabling operators to identify and share information in environments where conventional networking infrastructure was limited or degraded. The exercise demonstrated how rugged,FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MAY 19, 2026 body-worn compute can help small teams maintain connectivity and operate more effectively in contested environments.

Voyager G1 extends the Voyager product line with a body-worn form factor, delivering rugged, low-power compute and resilient connectivity directly to the dismounted operator. Like the rest of the Voyager line, it is built rugged first for employment in harsh environments—designed to handle shock, vibration, water, and contested electromagnetic conditions without compromising performance.

For more information about Voyager and the Voyager product line, visit www.anduril.com/voyager.

Posted in C5ISR, Press Release, SOF Week | No Comments »

USSOCOM Launches Advancing Naval Capabilities through Holistic Opportunities and Resources (ANCHOR) Initiative

Monday, April 27th, 2026

United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Special Operations Forces Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (SOF AT&L) has announced the Advancing Naval Capabilities through Holistic Opportunities and Resources (ANCHOR) Initiative.

Using Other Transactional Authority (OTA) acquisition, the ANCHOR Initiative’s purpose is to form a sphere of technological excellence made up of participants from industry, non-profit organizations, and not-for-profit entities able to rapidly and efficiently propose and carry out, through maximum practicable competitive procedures, the development of prototype solutions that sustain and expand strategic superiority within broadly stated special operations focus areas of interest. It is intended that Participants will perform a strategically important role in developing solutions focused on the development, demonstration and transition of resilient and dynamic technological capabilities critically necessary for the Nation’s Special Operations Forces.

Focus areas include:

Focus Area 1: Unmanned Systems. Across the maritime domain, USSOCOM is increasingly leveraging unmanned and autonomous systems to push the limits of where and how its forces can operate. Integrating unmanned aerial, surface, and underwater platforms enables longer persistence in contested and denied environments, surveillance and reconnaissance in high-risk areas, and enhanced situational awareness without exposing personnel to unnecessary danger. USSOCOM is particularly interested in capabilities that improve cross-domain coordination, reduce the logistical footprint of deployed forces, and deliver reliable data and effects in dynamic maritime conditions. Innovations in autonomy, sensing, endurance, and resilient communications are key to enabling the next generation of maritime unmanned systems that support USSOCOM’s evolving role in multi-domain operations.

Focus Area 2: Counter-Unmanned Systems. To stay ahead of rapidly evolving unmanned threats, USSOCOM is prioritizing capabilities that can sense, understand, and respond to hostile systems before they impact the mission. As autonomous and remotely operated platforms become more accessible and adaptive, the need for agile, layered defense systems has become essential to preserving operational security and freedom of action. USSOCOM is interested in technologies that detect, track, and neutralize unmanned threats—from individual platforms to coordinated swarms—within the constraints of maritime special operations. Solutions optimized for size, weight, and power; capable of functioning in contested electromagnetic environments; and effective against both kinetic and electronic attack vectors are of particular interest. These capabilities are critical to enabling mission assurance, safeguarding personnel, and maintaining tactical advantage in multi-domain maritime operations.

Focus Area 3: Command, Control, Communications, Computer, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C5ISR). At the core of USSOCOM’s future force design is a resilient C5ISR enterprise that connects sensors, shooters, and decision-makers across every domain. Next-generation C5ISR systems are expected to integrate multi-source intelligence, resilient communications, and cyber-secure data networks, enabling USSOCOM operators to sense, process, and act faster than the adversary. USSOCOM is particularly interested in technologies that strengthen edge connectivity, leverage AI-enabled analytics for real-time situational awareness, and ensure data integrity across denied or degraded environments. Seamless integration of cyber defense, intelligence fusion, and tactical communications allows operators to maintain command and control across dispersed forces while enabling intelligence collection and dissemination at the speed of relevance. These evolving C5ISR capabilities form the backbone of multi-domain maritime operations, empowering USSOCOM to outpace emerging threats and sustain operational advantage across every phase of mission execution.

Focus Area 4: Scalable Effects. In parallel, USSOCOM is pursuing scalable effects that provide flexible options to influence, degrade, or defeat adversary capabilities while managing risk and escalation. These effects span both kinetic and non-kinetic options, enabling commanders to match the level of impact to mission objectives, risk tolerance, and escalation considerations. USSOCOM is particularly interested in solutions that offer tunable effects—from reversible disruption and temporary degradation to permanent disablement—while limiting collateral damage and, when required, managing attribution. Technologies of interest include directed energy, electronic warfare, cyber-enabled effects, and precision engagement tools that can be employed from distributed maritime platforms and integrated with existing C5ISR architectures to deliver coordinated, scalable effects in support of complex operations.

Focus Area 5: Human Performance. Optimization of human performance is a critical force multiplier for USSOCOM, directly impacting operational readiness, mission effectiveness, and organizational capability retention. Comprehensive physical conditioning programs that address the multifaceted demands of maritime special operations serve to enhance baseline performance while simultaneously reducing the incidence of acute and chronic injuries that can sideline operators during critical mission windows. Cognitive performance enhancement through mental acuity training, stress inoculation, and neurological health monitoring addresses the complex decision-making requirements of special operations while mitigating psychological burnout that can compromise judgment and tactical effectiveness. This holistic approach to human performance optimization directly contributes to USSOCOM ‘s ability to retain experienced personnel by extending their operational careers, reducing medical attrition rates, and maintaining the institutional knowledge and tactical expertise that takes years to develop, thereby preserving USSOCOM’s most valuable asset while maintaining operational readiness across extended deployment cycles and high-tempo operations.

Focus Area 6: Human-Machine Teaming. Human-Machine Teaming represents a transformative capability for USSOCOM, enabling intuitive control of unmanned systems through natural human interfaces and providing immersive training environments for high-risk scenarios. Natural control methods, such as voice commands and gesture recognition, enable USSOCOM operators to direct autonomous systems while maintaining tactical readiness and operational security. This reduces the cognitive burden of system management, allowing operators to focus on tactical decision-making and leverage machine capabilities for surveillance, reconnaissance, and support functions. Augmented and virtual reality technologies revolutionize USSOCOM training by enabling operators to repeatedly practice complex, high-risk scenarios without the logistical constraints and safety risks associated with live training exercises while building operator proficiency in human-machine coordination. This combination of natural system control and immersive training capabilities enhances tactical proficiency while optimizing the division of tasks between human judgment and machine processing power, ultimately improving mission effectiveness in the complex and demanding maritime special operations environment.

Responses are due Jun 01, 2026 4:30 PM EDT.

Visit sam.gov for full details.

Posted in Acquisition, C5ISR, SOF, Unmanned Systems, UxS | Comments Off on USSOCOM Launches Advancing Naval Capabilities through Holistic Opportunities and Resources (ANCHOR) Initiative

Accelerating Transformative Technologies Aids Commanders’ Readiness Across the Pacific

Monday, April 27th, 2026

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii (April 21, 2026) – With instrumental support from industry partners, the 25th Infantry Division accelerated its digital kill chain in just three months using advanced AI-driven technologies.

As part of the Army’s Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) “commercial first” effort, the division joins the 4th Infantry Division (4ID) to prototype modern technologies that make data more usable and accessible to commanders across all the warfighting function technologies.

NGC2 provides a “full stack” capability ecosystem, comprised from the top-down of Apps, Data/AI, Infrastructure, and Transport capabilities. Integrating AI into the NGC2 stack will enhance the Army’s competitive advantage, however, Army leaders emphasize that at no time will commanders lose their autonomy while conducting missions.

“AI will continue to be a decision aid, and accelerate the decision cycle, not replace commanders, who will make the final judgement calls,” said Brig. Gen Shane Taylor, Capability Program Executive Command and Control Information Network (CPE C2IN).

Through a series of operational exercises, Ivy Stings for the 4ID and Lightning Surges for the 25th Infantry Division (25ID), Soldiers continue to identify in real time which technologies aid the mission, and which need improvement.

“The Soldier’s feedback is the most important product we generate,” said Lt. Col. Andrew Batule, 25ID Innovation Officer. “The Soldiers in the TOC [Tactical Operations Center] and on the gunline are the ones who tell us, in real time, if this is making us more lethal. Their direct input is what informs every single software update and ensures we are building the right tools for the fight.”

During the time between Lightning Surge 1 and Lightning Surge 2, division leadership, artillery (DIVARTY), and technical staff stated they achieved a digital end-to-end workflow that accelerated the fires process by integrating four key commercial capabilities within the NGC2 stack: An advanced data platform supported by an AI mission system; modern, automated target workflow software; enhanced electronic warfare capabilities and 5G data transport.

“From a technology perspective, ‘commercial first’ means the tech is available to everybody,” Taylor said. “It’s only as good as our ability to rapidly inject it, train it, field it and then replace it with the next solution right behind it.”

This full-speed-ahead iteration and integration approach is ensuring the Army arrives at best-of-breed commercial solutions tailorable to any unit’s mission, including the contested environment across the Pacific theater’s tyranny of distance.

“We have to move out very quickly and iterate fast,” said Maj. Gen. James Bartholomees, 25ID commanding general. “That’s exactly why our model is—experiment with it, train with it, and then deploy it forward into the terrain with our allies to both assure them and deter our adversaries.”

Refined data, modern fires app

The division’s call for fires chain consists of forward observers identifying a potential target and transmitting target data to the Fires Direction Center, allowing the fires direction officer to calculate if, when, and how to engage kinetic fires.

Industry teams and division personnel collaborated to accelerate this process by establishing a prototype, AI-aided data platform integrated with the Army’s new app-based, data-centric fires command and control system, called the Artillery Execution Suite, or AXS.

During the event, forward observers used hand-held devices to extract data from the edge sensors – both on the ground and in the air – which was ingested into the data platform and then simultaneously into AXS. New algorithms calculated the specific type of data ingested from the sensors to publish to the DIVARTY common operational picture.

“We are now at a place where we are feeding all the data into the data platform,” said Maj. Rebecca Borrebach, 25ID G6 data officer. “Our data is accessible, and now an application can subscribe to the data it needs.”

Controlling the electronic spectrum

Before the forward observers can confidently share information on a potential target, the commander must conduct an Electromagnetic Warfare (EW) assessment to identify and understand what signals an adversary may be transmitting to interrupt the mission.

“Almost all warfighting functions need access to EW data,” said Cpt. Curtis Hart, assistant product manager for the Electronic Warfare Planning and Management Tool (EWPMT).

“Aviators want to know where they can fly without their GPS navigation being degraded. Artillerymen want to know where they can employ precision-guided munitions without interference. Ground maneuver forces want to know where they can expect radio transmissions to be unreliable,” he said.

NGC2 allows this data, previously only readily available to the CEMA [Cyber Electromagnetic Activities] cell, to be widely disseminated and used by these sister warfighting functions, he said.

“With the eventual addition of AI, I feel confident that the data my EW team aggregates will inform commanders and their staffs throughout the division,” said CW2(P) Kris Perez, Electromagnetic Warfare Technician, 25ID. “This will enable them to make more timely, informed decisions, which will increase the division’s lethality.”

5G-Transport Diversity

Unlike the 4ID, which is prototyping NGC2’s full stack, the 25ID is primarily prototyping the data and application software on top of its previously fielded modern “C2 Fix” transport and infrastructure. However, the NGC2 prototype effort provided flexibility for the unit and industry teams to experiment with desired capabilities, based on the division’s missions, including the need to operate in the degraded environments often encountered in the Indo-Pacific.

“Our focus for Lightning Surge 2 was the ‘first mile, last mile’ challenge,” said Lt. Col. Adam Brinkman, 25ID G6. “We used what we learned from our last event to upgrade the launchers and guns with better radios and private 5G, which gives the commander more resilient options to get a fire mission from the sensor all the way to the shooter at the tactical edge.”

For the first time in the Army, private 5G served as the primary pathway to travel from the fires direction officer to the guns, with modern satellite radios available as the secondary transport.

“We are implementing incremental lessons learned from the 4ID, where its personnel viewed the fires chain using 5G in one of its previous NGC2 Ivy Sting events,” said Lt. Col. Clarke Brown, product manager for Network Modernization, Capability Program Executive Command and Control Information Network (CPE C2IN). “Pushing the capability to actually transport the call for fires down to the field artillery Soldiers was an exciting accomplishment for the unit.”

Conclusion

The Lightning Surge and Ivy Sting exercises continue to leverage data and AI technologies that deliver information across all warfighting functions to enhance commanders’ decision making.

According to Bartholomees, the Lightning Surge events are more than exercises; rather, they are “rehearsals” as he leads his division into multi-national Indo-Pacific exercises to train in real-life electromagnetic, cyber, distance and denied environment challenges.

“We exercise in the Hawaiian Islands across the archipelago so we can then project those forces into the first island chain within the Philippines,” Bartholomees said. “Our next Lightning Surge series will be in conjunction with Philippines joint and combined exercises, in which we’ll be able to put all this together and really test out the concepts that Next Generation C2 is delivering.”

By Kathryn Bailey, CPE C2IN Public Communications Directorate

Posted in AI / ML, Army, C5ISR, Comms, EW, Fires, Guest Post | Comments Off on Accelerating Transformative Technologies Aids Commanders’ Readiness Across the Pacific

US Army Awards Contracts for Mounted PNT NorthStar Solution

Tuesday, April 14th, 2026

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, MD – Project Manager Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PM PNT) is pleased to announce the Army Contracting Command – Aberdeen Proving Ground award of two Other Transaction Authority (OTAs) via a C5 prototyping project for a mounted PNT NorthStar solution to IS4S and GPS Source. With an estimated value of up to $41 million and 36-month period of performance, the OTAs enable the selected vendors to develop next generation of mounted Assured PNT capability that’s modular and upgradable for Army 2040 ground-based platforms.

“We’re excited to move into the next phase of NorthStar with this award,” said Chris Jais, project manager, PM PNT. “We’re confident that with our vendor partners, we’ll introduce an affordable, MOSA-compliant product with next-generation capability into our family of open solutions and continue to bring upgradable and scalable APNT products to soldiers in the field.” 

PM PNT’s Modernization product office introduced the NorthStar effort in August 2023 via a virtual event and release of an RFI that received 27 vendor responses. These responses informed PM PNT’s decision to solicit industry for the design of tiers of capability that would offer a range of non-radio frequency technologies to outpace the threat of Army 2040; the responses, combined with tech evaluations and review of white papers, also led to the organization deciding to ultimately award a NorthStar OTA to more than one vendor. 

“Awarding to multiple vendors encourages competition, speeds up implementation and integration of new technology to meet emerging threats, and reduces cost of engineering change proposals,” said Erik Scott, product manager for PNT Modernization. “Prioritizing a modular system design for hardware and software ensures the best value for the government and the best solution for our Warfighters.”

Contract kickoffs with each vendor are scheduled for next month with design review and a soldier touchpoint to follow.

For more information on PM PNT, visit the PM PNT page on the Capability Program Executive Intelligence and Spectrum Warfare website cpeisw.army.mil/pm-pnt.

Posted in Army, C5ISR, Contracts, Press Release | Comments Off on US Army Awards Contracts for Mounted PNT NorthStar Solution

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