The digitalization of the battlefield is progressing at a rapid pace – and with it the transformation of the US Army. The aim is to provide tactical units with the best available information in real time and thus massively increase their effectiveness in combat.
With the Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) project, the US Army is taking a decisive step in this direction. The US company Anduril Industries was recently awarded the contract for the development of a corresponding prototype, which is to create a fully networked, digital ecosystem together with renowned technology partners.
Networked, scalable, capable of making decisions
NGC2 is designed as an open, modular software platform. It is designed to process data from drones, sensors, vehicles and command posts in real time, make it available on mobile devices and thus drastically improve command and control capabilities from company to corps level. In future, decisions that previously took minutes or hours will be able to be made within seconds – based on reliable data such as enemy positions, supply levels, terrain profiles and weapon availability.
A key element of the architecture is Lattice Mesh, an edge platform already used in several joint force programs. It enables machine-supported interfaces for faster coordination and impact generation – even across force boundaries.
86 million euros for prototype
Anduril received a contract worth 86 million euros from the PEO C3N (Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications and Networks) for the development of the prototype. The company is supported by industry giants such as Palantir, Microsoft, Govini, Striveworks, ICE and Research Innovations.
NGC2 will initially be implemented in the 4th US Infantry Division. The new digital nodes are to be installed on various mechanized carrier platforms. The performance of the system will be tested and further developed in realistic environments during troop exercises.
Revolution in record time
The speed with which the US Army has set up NGC2 is remarkable: just two years after the initial concept sketch by the Army Futures Command, the project was officially established as a Program Office in April 2025. CTO Alex Miller described the development process as “astronomically fast”.
Anduril sees the NGC2 initiative as evidence of the new understanding of modern warfare: Connected Warfare. The aim is to provide the warfighter with every conceivable digital superiority – from the initial assessment of the situation to the effectiveness of the weapons used. The company emphasizes: “We are just getting started.”
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