After spending a year working on pilot programs for a future battlefield command-and-control capability, the U.S. Army is on the brink of starting an effort to competitively prototype a next-generation system. This announcement comes from the service’s program office responsible for the activity.
The Army has dubbed this initiative the Next-Generation Command-and-Control, or NGCC2. It represents a new approach to providing commanders and units with an “open and modular” command-and-control ecosystem. This ecosystem will include hardware, software, and applications all linked to a common and integrated data layer.
In preparation for launching the prototyping effort, the Army’s Program Executive Office for Command, Control, Communications and Network released a request for information (RFI) to address its NGC2 priorities. The RFI was issued on a Monday and is aimed at seeking industry feedback.
The primary goal of NGC2 is to help organize and operationalize data for warfighting applications. This includes facilitating real-time operational modeling of commanders’ decisions and courses of action, along with the ability to tailor and reconfigure elements to better meet mission requirements.
Approximately one year ago, the Army launched a pilot program to explore feasible capabilities for C2 through a clean-sheet design, which disregarded all existing C2 systems. The aim was to partner with the industry to develop an agile system capable of functioning on portable devices, such as laptops, in various combat scenarios rather than relying on bulky server stacks in easily detectable locations.
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George noted in an interview last fall that current technology allows for rapid advancement in this area. He emphasized the need to move beyond traditional large systems, suggesting that many functionalities could instead be handled through mobile applications.
A key focus of the pilot program was not only the potential capabilities of a new C2 system but also the logistics of transporting data securely and efficiently in combat scenarios. Doug Bush, the Army’s acquisition chief, highlighted the challenges posed by enemy attacks but expressed optimism that the technology is now closer to making this possible.
A formal request for NGC2 proposals is anticipated to be released in late February. The Army plans to award contracts by May, with initial prototypes expected to be delivered within six months after the contracts are awarded.
The planned contract awards are intended to allow multiple defense companies to participate in the NGC2 development, and the Army expects to integrate new vendors for additional components after the initial prototype awards.
Moreover, the Army emphasizes the need for “tailorable and intuitive capabilities” and agility in requirements for the next-generation technology. Recent updates to the character of needs statement have focused on mission partner interoperability and the ability to operate in complex tactical communication environments. They also aim for an integrated “tech stack” that encompasses everything from the communications transport layer to data and applications.
Maj. Gen. Patrick Ellis, director of AFC’s Command and Control Cross-Functional Team, stated that the Army has a highly tech-savvy formation. Commanders are gaining a greater understanding of network operations, and divisions are eager to contribute to the development of user-informed solutions.
The article is authored by Jen Judson, an award-winning journalist specializing in land warfare for Defense News, with a background also in Politico and Inside Defense. She holds a Master of Science degree in journalism from Boston University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Kenyon College.
