Anduril to Lead Development of Army’s Advanced Command-and-Control Prototype

DOWNLOAD IPFS

Anduril Industries has secured a $100 million contract from the U.S. Army to design and deliver a next-generation Command-and-Control (C2) system, aimed at transforming how the military coordinates across operational levels. The contract, part of the Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) initiative, will support a prototype rollout within 11 months for testing by the Army’s 4th Infantry Division.

General James Rainey, commander of Army Futures Command, described NGC2 as more than a single system, calling it a foundational blueprint for future C2 development. The initiative is being managed by the Program Executive Office for Command, Control, Communications, and Network (PEO C3N) and awarded under the Other Transaction Authority mechanism to enable rapid innovation.

The effort will be led by “Team Anduril,” a consortium that includes technology companies such as Palantir, Striveworks, Govini, Instant Connect Enterprise, Research Innovations Inc., and Microsoft. Together, they are tasked with creating a fully integrated digital ecosystem that combines intelligence, communications, fires, and command functions into a single unified architecture. The objective is to accelerate decision-making and provide real-time battlefield awareness across command levels, from corps headquarters down to individual units.

This development follows an 18-month competitive evaluation under Project Coverage 5 Capstone, which reviewed multiple vendor approaches to building an advanced C2 solution. Team Anduril’s prototype will now be tested across multiple brigades in preparation for a broader rollout in Project Coverage 6, scheduled for next year. Future contracts are expected for other divisions, including the 25th Infantry Division and III Corps.

Unlike traditional defense contracts that rely on a single supplier, the Army is adopting an open “team of teams” strategy. This approach encourages collaboration between vendors through a continuous commercial solutions opening process, ensuring flexibility and rapid adaptation.

The award also coincides with broader efforts by the Department of Defense to embrace data-centric and AI-enabled warfare. Anduril recently received a separate $100 million contract from the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office to expand its tactical Edge Data Mesh platform, a system that enhances real-time data sharing across battlefield sensors and autonomous systems.

As the Army pivots toward faster, more adaptive operations, the NGC2 initiative marks a shift from legacy acquisition models to modular, soldier-driven solutions. If successful, the system could serve as a new standard for how the U.S. military commands, communicates, and executes in multi-domain environments.