The Army intends to scale core software and data elements of its Next Generation Command and Control prototype beyond its initial testing divisions following a major exercise in the Mojave Desert, but some hardware and applications may not make the transition.
DefenseScoop reported that the service plans to begin delivering the system’s data and application layers to the Pacific-focused I Corps, citing an interview with portfolio acquisition executive Joseph Welch [1]. Welch said distributing the higher-echelon software stack is more straightforward than fielding specific tactical edge-computing devices and radios to lower echelons [1].
The transition plan follows Project Convergence Capstone 6, a 10-day experiment in July 2026 at Fort Irwin’s National Training Center [2]. Approximately 10,000 soldiers with the 4th Infantry Division tested more than 90 technologies in the harsh desert environment to validate the NGC2 architecture at division scale [2] [3].
The Army envisions NGC2 as a data-centric ecosystem that integrates commercial software, artificial intelligence and resilient transport to accelerate commanders’ decision-making [2] [3]. In June, the service established a common data-layer baseline led by Anduril Industries in partnership with Palantir and Raft [4]. That baseline supports parallel full-stack operational implementations led by Anduril at the 4th Infantry Division and Lockheed Martin at the 25th Infantry Division [4].
Soldiers at Fort Irwin found the prototype’s real-time location tracking and AI-backed applications useful for reducing command post signatures and maintaining connectivity over longer distances [1]. But the exercise also exposed friction points. Troops reported that some hardware overheated in the desert climate, certain applications lacked comprehensive data displays and equipment suffered intermittent connectivity issues [1].
Maj. Gen. Patrick Ellis, the 4th Infantry Division commander, described the system as “ready, but not done” and acknowledged the need to resolve the friction points identified during the exercise [1].
The Army has said data from the Capstone 6 event will directly inform acquisition decisions as it shifts NGC2 from prototyping toward scaled product delivery [2] [4]. DefenseScoop reported that the ecosystem’s development is supported by a 10-year enterprise contract vehicle worth up to $20 billion, with nearly $4 billion in continued development funding at stake in the upcoming budget cycle [1].
References
[2] U.S. Army — Project Convergence Capstone 6 begins, advancing Army experimentation
[3] U.S. Army — Soldiers employ NGC2 during Project Convergence Capstone 6
[4] U.S. Army — Army and industry align on common data baseline
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