Air Force Awards $315M for Next-Gen TOC‑L Prototype in ABMS Push

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The U.S. Air Force has awarded $315 million to Booz Allen Hamilton and L3Harris Technologies to advance the Tactical Operations Center‑Light (TOC‑L) prototype, a key element within the Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) initiative. The funding will support development of a modular, deployable command-and-control node, known as the Distributed Battle Management Node (DBMN), to enhance tactical coordination in contested environments.

At its core, TOC‑L utilizes Booz Allen’s Modular Detachment Kit (MDK), a lightweight, scalable system designed to integrate battlefield sensors, communications, and weapons at the tactical edge. Demonstrations at Project Convergence in 2022 and 2024 yielded successful results, including joint sensor-to-shooter integration and mobile deployment across European theaters under U.S. Air Forces in Europe.

Booz Allen brings strengths in cybersecurity, model-based systems engineering, and software development, while L3Harris contributes tactical radios, waveforms, sensors, and mission systems integration capabilities. Khalid Syed, Booz Allen senior vice president, explained the TOC‑L prototype embraces a shift from a traditional “kill chain” model to a resilient “kill web” concept, enabling any sensor to link with any weapon system across the battlespace. Toby Magsig, senior director at L3Harris, emphasized the system’s ability to maintain connectivity in degraded or denied environments by intelligently routing data through available networks.

The $315 million award will support refinement of the prototype toward a production-ready configuration, following successful field validation. This effort aligns with the Air Force’s broader objective to modernize Combined Joint All‑Domain Command and Control (CJADC2) and ensure delivery of agile, mission-ready systems at the tactical edge.

This development has drawn positive attention among defense and policy stakeholders, particularly those on the right, who emphasize maintaining U.S. technological superiority in regions like the Indo‑Pacific. The TOC‑L project showcases an efficient, interoperable approach to battlefield command and control, while reinforcing the importance of rapid integration and procurement cycles.

As Booz Allen and L3Harris move the system into wider production and testing, its performance will be closely monitored for potential integration into active-duty units and allied forces. The TOC‑L initiative is not only a technical upgrade; it reflects a strategic pivot toward adaptive warfare and enhanced digital resilience on the modern battlefield.

This investment represents a significant step in ensuring American warfighters have the tools and connectivity needed to maintain command dominance in an increasingly contested operational environment.