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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 | No Comments »

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 | No Comments »

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 | No Comments »

Two Divisions Team Up to Transform the Army

Tuesday, March 31st, 2026

Schofield Barracks, Hawaii (March 30, 2026) – Two U.S. Army divisions, dozens of industry partners, and multiple Army program offices have joined forces to help expedite the Army’s command and control and networking transformation.

Both divisions are leveraging a series of operational training events to experiment with Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) prototypes: The 4th Infantry Division (4th ID), conducting Ivy Stings and the 25th Infantry Division (25th ID), conducting Lightning Surges.

The NGC2 ecosystem delivers information across all warfighting functions to enhance commanders’ decision-making and speed – with artificial intelligence (AI) playing a key role to quickly process and analyze huge volumes of data to the battlefield edge.

Just as NGC2 is eliminating stovepiped warfighting systems, the two divisions, their industry partners, evaluators, and the Army program offices are joining forces to share lessons-learned, reuse applications, and converge capabilities to help the Army scale the NGC2 framework.

Army leaders say the collaboration is paying off.

“The ingenuity and the creativity of the Soldiers, combined with continuous iteration with industry, has been instrumental. A lot of times, the industry partners are going home and fixing the code in almost real time,” said Maj. Gen. Patrick Ellis, commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, Colorado. “We’re benefiting both of our divisions as we’re getting to do that continuously over time.”

The 4th ID recently completed Ivy Sting 5 – where the division employed NGC2 across 35 mission threads – while the 25th ID recently executed Lightning Surge 2, which focused on the digital kill chain and validated their prototype’s maturity to set the stage for integrating NGC2 into larger, joint and multinational exercises across the Pacific.

“We’re absolutely building on the lessons from the 4th ID, but our focus is applying those lessons to the unique challenges of the Indo-Pacific. By having two divisions prototyping in different operational environments, we are de-risking this effort for the entire Army and providing a more robust, validated set of capabilities for the future fight,” said Maj. Gen. James B. Bartholomees, commanding general of the 25th ID and U.S. Army Hawaii.

With its “See, Sense, Strike” concept at the forefront, the 25th ID recently completed its second in the series of Lightning Surge exercises, which featured the Division Artillery (DIVARTY) executing fully digital calls for fire missions – from sensor to shooter – using an industry prototyped NGC2 data platform and AI mission system that streamlined targeting data received from different sensors (See and Sense).

The Army’s new app-based, data-centric fires command and control system, the Artillery Execution Suite (AXS), which will eventually replace the Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS), ingested targeting information from the data layer and enabled the fires direction center (FDC) to quickly calculate all firing computations before sending for execution down the “last mile” to the guns (Strike).

“The new system is sensor agnostic [where it pulls information] into that data layer, simultaneously hitting the appropriate device or system at echelon, up and down the chain of command, where decision makers are able to determine the appropriate delivery asset down to our shooters,” said Col. Daniel Von Benkin, DIVARTY commander.

As the DIVARTY Operations Sergeant Major, SGM Kenneth Alexander, explained, the new process is “taking out the element of human error. The data goes machine to machine so we can focus on making decisions instead of just manually entering data.”

While the 4th ID successfully demonstrated using AXS within NGC2 to conduct fires missions during their earlier Ivy Sting exercises, the 25th ID leveraged Lightning Surge 2 to also experiment with compatibility through the data layer with AFATDS, ensuring it remains aligned with joint partners in its shared Pacific operational environment.

“Our mission at the 25th Infantry Division is to forge the fight to achieve decision dominance in the vast operational environment of the Pacific,” Bartholomees said. “These [digital fires support] capabilities are preparing us now as we deploy our force into the first island chain as part of Operation Pathway,” referencing a series of annual combat “rehearsals” in the Philippines with that nation’s Army and other multi-national partners.

In addition to the technical progress coming out of the prototype efforts, commanders and staff are sharing lessons learned to refine operational warfighting processes in line with the NGC2 concept.

Lt. Col. Adam Brinkman, 25th ID G6 and 125th Division Signal Battalion commander, said he is closely collaborating with the 4th ID’s G6 team to learn how they are applying AI tools to shorten the time needed to work through their higher priority target list.

“They have done really well in their war room to reduce what can be a very lengthy process,” he said. “We will add this knowledge to our roadmap, which will allow us to analyze large volumes of data to inform human decisions at machine speed.”

While the divisions are synchronized in scope, NGC2’s flexible framework adapts to the disparate mission sets across the force.

“The Army acknowledges that one size does not fit all,” said Brig. Gen. Shane Taylor, Capability Program Executive for Command and Control Information Network (C2IN), noting that NGC2’s data layer – the way data is stored and managed across all the warfighting functions – will be the most common characteristic across divisions.

“You’ll probably see the most diversity within the transport layer, which will take into account the tyranny of distance you have here in USARPAC [U.S. Army Pacific]. We want to give commanders the ability to tailor the kit based off their individual needs,” he said.

For both divisions, accelerating the fires digital kill chain is paramount to making the fires process faster, more precise and more lethal.

“Even with existing fires systems, the process still included manual steps that left room for human error,” Von Benken said. “In Lightning Surge 2, we focused on bridging those final gaps to create a true, end-to-end digital workflow, keeping the human in the loop to make the critical decision to call for fires.”

By Kathryn Bailey, CPE C2IN Public Communications Directorate

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CPE C2IN is rapidly delivering dominant C2 and network solutions through a dedicated partnership with warfighters and industry. We achieve this by harnessing the speed of commercial innovation and pioneering new capabilities, providing a persistent and decisive information advantage. CPE C2IN equips commanders to decide and act faster than any adversary, ensuring victory in a complex, ever-evolving contested environment.

Posted in AI / ML, Army, C5ISR, Guest Post | No Comments »

Army’s Combined Arms Command to Integrate Maven C2 Smart System into Training and Education

Saturday, March 14th, 2026

FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan.– Leaders at the Combined Arms Command are integrating the use of the Maven Smart System, an artificial intelligence tool, to modernize training and education for command-and-control operations. Initial efforts are underway, led by staff from the Mission Command Center of Excellence, instructors with the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and officers assigned to the CAC Command Data and Analytics Office.

The Maven Smart System, also commonly referred to as simply “Maven,” processes battlefield data, including imagery and full-motion video, to improve situational awareness and speed decision-making. It is designed to automate tasks formerly performed via legacy systems like the Command Post Computing Environment.

“Maven’s use is being fielded so fast, we need to deliver training as quickly as possible to accelerate learning of the system,” said Mike Clowser, MCCOE’s lead for Maven’s training plan.

A week of train-the-trainer instruction held Feb. 23-27, 2026, set the conditions for each organization to incorporate Maven at their level.

Operator training. Senior instructors at MCCoE are charged with developing a standardized, eight-hour, hands-on course for Soldiers who will operate the system. This program will focus on the practical use of Maven in an operational setting to help commanders make more informed decisions, faster. Instruction on Maven will also become a key component of the Knowledge Management Qualification Course.

Professional Military Education. Command and General Staff College leaders plan to integrate Maven into the core curriculum for field grade officers attending the Command and General Staff Officers Course. The goal is to ensure graduates are proficient with the systems used in operational units. Maven will also become part of the curriculum for students attending the School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS), and the School of Command Preparation.

“The integration of Maven represents a critical step in aligning PME modernization with the realities of what’s going on with the operational force,” said Zachary Rolf, deputy for the Department of Simulation Education at CGSC. The goal, he noted, is to ensure graduates have “system parity” and are able to seamlessly integrate at the unit level when they leave the schoolhouse.

Workforce Upskilling. The CAC CDAIO’s Data Academy provides centralized education on data, AI, and modern software. Maven will be included as an offering for the workforce. Specific to Maven, the academy is collaborating with MCCOE in developing courses, including a technical Low-Code/No-Code Builders Course that will be offered with both in-person and virtual options.

These parallel efforts are set to merge into a single System Training Plan as the Army moves to formally designate Maven as a system of record. This unified plan will guide integration across all training domains.

“It will be a collaborative effort, clearly. And that’s really the only way to do it,” said Maj. Dustin Berry, lead data scientist and chief technology officer for CAC. “With us working together, it will be a much better product.”

Story by Randi Stenson

Mission Command Center of Excellence

Posted in Army, C5ISR, Guest Post | No Comments »

Elbit America Awarded U.S. Army Contract to Establish a New Class of Soldier Capability

Tuesday, March 10th, 2026

Perception becomes power and decisions move at the speed of instinct with Soldier Borne Mission Command

FORT WORTH, TEXAS – March. 9, 2026 – The modern battlefield will be won by Warriors who understand first, decide in milliseconds, and act with absolute certainty. That future isn’t coming. It’s here.

The United States Army has awarded Elbit Systems of America (Elbit America) an Other Transaction Authority (OTA) contract valued at $120.5 million to develop Soldier Borne Mission Command (SBMC). This creates a next-generation capability that redefines how Soldiers operate, connect, and dominate in complex, contested environments, built on Elbit America’s proven legacy of see-through-display and night vision expertise.

Elbit America’s SBMC isn’t an evolution in capability. It’s a revolution in Soldier lethality built for the speed and complexity of modern combat. SBMC fuses live multi-spectral sensors with assured positioning into an intuitive, head-borne experience. The result? Soldiers gain the prime advantage with continuous, mission-critical awareness without burden, distraction, or delay.

SBMC delivers total connectivity, sharing visual intelligence and threat data across the unit in real time. Squads become synchronized, sensor-enabled teams where every Soldier benefits from the collective insight of the force. SBMC delivers prime perception that drives clarity and dominance even in denied or degraded environments.

“SBMC changes the speed of decision-making and enables confident, decisive action in moments that define the fight.” said Erik Fox, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Warfighter Systems at Elbit America. “Thanks to our close collaboration with Booz Allen Hamilton we gain mission-critical information, instantly and intuitively, allowing Soldiers to think and react faster.”

Elbit America tapped advanced technology company Booz Allen (NYSE: BAH), the leading provider of AI to the federal government, to build SBMC’s critical software backbone, including advanced extended reality solutions, networking frameworks, and AI-enabled insights.

“Our Soldier Borne Mission Command is critical to winning on the battlefield. Soldiers need processed data distilled, so they’re more lethal and survivable. They need it at near zero latency and in a manner that enables them to shoot, maneuver, and share instantaneously,” said Luke Savoie, President and CEO of Elbit America. “For years, we’ve been the lead at sending data directly into the eye of the Warfighter, whether it’s through our Enhanced Night Vision Goggle – Binocular systems or the sensor fusion we do in the F-35 helmet. Enabling the Soldier to do more is one of our core competencies. We look forward to bringing game-changing innovation and decades of production program experience to this competition.”

As the U.S. Army enhances the capabilities of fielded systems, SBMC sets the foundation for human-machine teaming, autonomous integration, and cognitive warfare dominance. Elbit America is merging proven expertise with next-generation technologies to create SBMC: a capability that transforms awareness into action and ensures Soldiers move at the speed of instinct.

MORE: www.elbitamerica.com/night-vision

Posted in Army, C5ISR, Contracts, Press Release | 2 Comments »

Varjo Launches Ready-to-Deploy XR Systems for Secure and Air-Gapped Environments

Friday, February 27th, 2026

The new offering combines XR-4 Series headsets, certified workstations, and software into a single, deployable XR system suitable for air-gapped environments.

February 26, 2026 – Helsinki, Finland – Varjo, a global technology leader in mission-ready virtual and mixed reality, today expanded its 2026 product offering with the launch of Integrated XR Systems – complete, ready-to-run XR hardware solutions designed to simplify deployment and deliver assured performance from day one in air-gapped environments.

With Integrated XR Systems, Varjo expands its product portfolio beyond industry-leading headsets to deliver fully validated XR solutions, combining Varjo XR-4 Series headsets (2026 edition) with premium workstations, pre-installed software, bundled licenses, and expert support. The new offering is designed for defense programs, system integrators, and professional XR users who require reliability and fast deployment.

“As defense training requirements evolve, immersive simulation has become a core capability rather than an add-on,” said Bartek Panasewicz, VP Training Systems Land at Rheinmetall Electronics. “Varjo’s Integrated XR Systems allow us to deliver scalable, secure solutions that meet the growing demand for operational readiness across NATO and allied forces.”

“Our military customers need fully equipped systems they can trust, not just devices,” said Valentin Storz, Chief Revenue Officer at Varjo. “At a time when parts of the XR market are recalibrating, Varjo continues to invest with discipline and purpose and evolve our portfolio based on the real-world needs of our customers, doubling down on mission-critical use cases where XR delivers measurable impact. Our Integrated XR Systems represent the next step in that evolution, delivering complete, secure platforms designed to close the training readiness gap.”

Deploying high-end virtual and mixed reality has traditionally required sourcing hardware from multiple vendors, validating compatibility, installing software, and managing support across different suppliers. This integration phase often slows down real-world deployment and increases operational risk.

Integrated XR Systems remove that complexity by delivering a single, fully configured XR platform that is validated, tested, and ready for use in secure settings on arrival. Each system includes:

a Varjo XR-4, XR-4 Focal Edition, or XR-4 Secure Edition headset,
a Varjo-certified workstation (XR Station) manufactured by Varjo’s long-term partners SCHENKER or RAVE Computer,
pre-installed core XR software and tools, bundled licenses including offline support, extended warranty coverage,
and expert support from Varjo’s professional services team (in Europe).

The systems are built around a tested and validated hardware and software configuration optimized for demanding virtual and mixed reality training with the XR-4 Series. Core supporting software comes pre-installed, enabling deployment without internet connectivity or additional downloads, making the systems optimal for secure or restricted environments.

Integrated XR Systems are delivered as a complete package with an extended warranty, providing a single point of accountability across hardware, software, and support. This approach supports long-term planning and scalable XR deployment across organizations. The bundled XR software suite includes Microsoft Windows 11 Pro, Varjo Base Pro, Varjo Lab Tools, NVIDIA™ App, Steam™, and SteamVR™, as well as Varjo sample demos and setup tools.

Integrated XR Systems are part of Varjo’s broader professional XR portfolio, which also includes professional services. These expert services help organizations design, deploy, and scale XR solutions from system integration and customization to training, optimization, and ongoing operational support, enabling customers to move faster from deployment to real-world use.

Integrated XR Systems are now available as part of Varjo’s updated 2026 product offering, with pricing starting at:

Integrated XR System (XR-4): €24,990

Integrated XR System (XR-4 Focal Edition): €29,99

Posted in C5ISR, International, Press Release | Comments Off on Varjo Launches Ready-to-Deploy XR Systems for Secure and Air-Gapped Environments

Sign Up Now for the 3rd Annual Samsung Solutions & Partner Expo

Friday, February 20th, 2026

Samsung is co-hosting the 3rd Annual Samsung Partnership Day with Juggernaut, on April 2nd, 2026. This collaborative technology and emergency-response showcase is designed to highlight how strategic partnerships across the public sector, private industry, and the Department of Defense enable mission-critical operations. Modern response efforts rely on seamless integration; without one component, the others cannot achieve full effectiveness. This event brings together technology providers, solution integrators, and government agencies to demonstrate how coordinated systems, platforms, and communication tools work in unison to accomplish complex tasks.

This year’s theme focuses on multi-level emergency response, emphasizing how local, state, federal, and military partners collaborate during crisis events. Through live demonstrations, scenario-based simulations, and expert discussions, we will explore how these partners coordinate—from initial incident and situational awareness to resource deployment, on-scene operations, and long-term recovery.

Attendees will see firsthand how technologies such as mobile communication platforms, command and control systems, secure data-sharing solutions, and field-level devices intersect to support a unified response effort across all jurisdictions and military components. All of this will take place in a casual, mixed indoor/outdoor setting overlooking the McDowell Mountains.

Companies exhibiting